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Volume XXXVI, Number 7
Wednesday, September 2, 2020
www.bitterrootstar.com
Election Administrator opts for full mail ballot elections By Michael Howell
Ravalli County Clerk and Recorder and Election Administrator Regina Plettenberg, who had been considering a single consolidated polling place for the coming general elections, came forward Tuesday morning and submitted a plan for full mail ballot instead. Plettenberg noted that the choice of in-person voting was still an option for voters, but no polling places would be established. Any
lenge for everyone. individual voter who wants can long and could lead to delays as After examining the logis“Now you have tasked me void their mail ballot and have an people have to spend so long in tics, she told the county commiswith an incredible challenge to get official ballot issued to them that the ballot booth. sioners, “With every fiber of my this done in one day,” she said. they may then file in-person at the Plettenberg said that, even being, I feel like it’s a mistake if She said holding a mail-out county administration buildballot election does not preing. “With every fiber of my being, I feel like it’s a mistake if we don’t clude individuals who desire Plettenberg, who had go with a mail ballot...” it from voting in person. recommended a full mail-only -- Regina Plettenberg, Ravalli County Election Administrator There is a way for people to ballot, had tentatively agreed get a ballot and submit it in to the compromise solution of though some people disagreed, she person if that is their desire, she we don’t go with a mail ballot, the establishing a single polling still had to observe social distancespecially after having tried to said. She said she didn’t see much place at the Fairgrounds, until she ing requirements. She said large plan this over the last week.” She difference in driving down to the set about figuring out the logistics events have become a real chalsaid the ballot was exceptionally County Administration office in detail.
Public outcry
to vote rather than to the Fairgrounds. The opportunity to vote in person would be extended over a month so people don’t have to crowd in all at once. She said, for working people, the plan also provides for voting in person over the weekend prior to the November 3 election day. Plettenberg said that, since 35 counties in the state have already declared mail-out ballot See BALLOT, page 18
Forest withdraws approval of massive Gold Butterfly project
By Michael Howell
Bitterroot National Forest Supervisor Matthew Anderson, on Friday, August 28, withdrew his Record of Decision approving the Gold Butterfly Project. The project area stretches over 10 miles in the Sapphire Mountains from Stevensville to Corvallis covering an area of 55,147 acres. The vegetative management component of the project included commercial logging on 5,461 acres, prescribed burning activities on 4,854 acres and non-commercial logging of smaller trees on 5,040 acres. It was approved on November 19, 2019, but on July 10, 2020,
two conservation organizations, Anderson said that the Friends of the Bitterroot and Alliobjectives of the project included ance for the Wild Rockies, filed improving forest resilience to suit to stop the project, alleging natural disturbances, such as several violations of the law, fire, insects, and diseases, reducincluding that the project did not ing chronic sediment sources follow the Forest Plan. in Willow Creek watershed to improve water quality and bull “I have decided it is in the trout habitat, restoring or improvbest interest of the public to withing key habitats including meaddraw the decision and direct my ows, aspen, and whitebark pine, staff to conduct additional review and analysis,” wrote Anderson. and managing timber to provide “Upon further review of the forest products, jobs, and income to local communities. The deciproject analysis, we recognized some deficiencies regarding Forest sion also included vegetation management activities, including Plan compliance.” He said any new decision will proceed through commercial timber harvests, nonthe required NEPA and public See GOLD BUTTERFLY, page 15 involvement procedures.
County Health Department: Demand high for public input wearing masks works! Stevensville residents demonstrated at town hall last week, calling for an end to virtual town council meetings.
at Stevi council meetings By Michael Howell
Dissatisfied with the way public input at Stevensville Town Council meetings has been handled or mishandled, depending on your point of view, over two dozen people, many carrying signs, gathered outside Stevensville’s Town Hall last Thursday as a Zoom meeting over the internet was being conducted by Mayor Brandon Dewey from his home. Although Dewey responded to criticism of the initial town meetings held on the Zoom platform by adding the option for members of the public to phone in and give real time comment, many people feel
that being excluded from attending meetings in person handicaps their ability to participate in the decision-making process. While public comment is being accepted over the phone under the new format, written comment submitted during the meeting may not necessarily be acknowledged at the time but will be included in the official minutes of the meeting when they are adopted. According to Mayor Dewey, after a lot of consultation it was determined that it was not necessary to read the written comment into the record aloud at the meeting so long as it was included in the final record of the meeting and the council members had time to read it before making their
decision. One of the protesters outside town hall the other evening, Jim Kalkofen, said he was “not real thrilled with the Mayor’s style of meetings lately.” “For how many years here in Stevensville have public comments been heard at meetings?” he asked. Kalkofen is head of a homeowners association that is contesting a recently proposed subdivision adjacent to the one he lives in. He said the mayor’s new process leaves him anxious that the public may not be able to have their voices heard in that process. He said that he wasn’t sure he could communicate in See PUBLIC, page 18
By Michael Howell
Aware that some people in the valley, even some influential public officials, are under the false impression that wearing masks in public is not an effective or otherwise essential way to battle the COVID-19 pandemic, Ravalli County Health Department officials want to get the word out: wearing masks works! According to Joseph Hopkins, Public Information Officer for the Ravalli County Health Department, wearing masks when going out in public is absolutely one of the most important things a person can do to help the community stave off the worst impacts of this infection, especially once it has gotten a foothold in the community and begun to spread through asymptomatic carriers. As is the case in
Ravalli County. “Without a doubt,” said Hopkins, “and we want to get that information out to the community. One of the best ways you can ultimately protect your community and yourself is to wear a mask when out in public to protect other people. Our stance at the public health department has never wavered on that.” Hopkins said that one public official recently remarked to the press that “a face shield doesn’t do much for you,” but Hopkins adamantly disagrees. “It is very important,” he said, “to be able to cover all of your mucous membranes. This virus can enter your body through your eyes, nose and mouth and a mask only covers your nose and mouth. There is nothing wrong with wearing a face shield because
it will give you further protection for your eyes. “In no way, shape or form, would we ever advocate not wearing a facemask or a face shield,” he said. “It is an added layer of protection and in a lot of situations it’s probably a good idea if people have access to them.” Hopkins said that he had heard some people saying that masks don’t work after 15 minutes, but he said there was no truth in that. “It is one of the best ways that you can keep yourself and the people you love and your community safe from this infection. Wearing a mask reduces the amount of aerosolized particulates or droplet particulates that can emit from your mouth and infect someone else.”
State may purchase additional acreage at Ft. Owen State Park
By Michael Howell
Montana State Parks, a division of Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks (FWP), is seeking public review of its proposal to acquire fee-title acquisition to an approximately 0.9-acre parcel of property immediately south of its Fort Owen State Park located northwest of Stevensville. The parcel would be added to the existing state park and developed as a parking area. From the time Fort Owen was added to state ownership in the 1950s, the managing agencies, including the State Parks Department, have struggled to provide appropriate public access
and parking, while also protecting property rights and privacy for the neighboring private landowner. According to information contained in the Environmental Assessment of the proposal, the existing one-acre State Park is surrounded by a private ranch, with ranch traffic and public access along a shared road. This shared access road leading north from Highway 269 is a private road, but the Department holds a road easement along the road portion from the highway to the north end of the State Park, to allow the public and Department personnel to access the state park. “Given the current configu-
DATES: September 4 & 5 TIMES: Noon - 6 PM LOCATION: Hamilton Playhouse, 100 Ricketts Rd., Hamilton
ration, it is nearly impossible for a member of the public or Department staff to park at the site without trespassing on ranch property. In addition, the proximity of ranch buildings, including residences, to the park creates almost a daily privacy and security concern for the ranch residents and visitors,” it states in the EA. Conversations with owners of the ranch beginning in the 1980s (perhaps earlier) were never able to gain enough
Approximate boundaries of the proposed addition to existing Fort Owen State Park (red) and the portion of access easement to be abandoned.
traction to lead to a long-term solution. In late 2017, MGY Ranch, LLC purchased the private ranch, and discussions were initiated toward finding a solution that would provide consistent legal access for all members of the public, as well as create appropriate separation of public and private lands. The parties have reached agreement where the Department proposes to acquire approximately 0.9 acre of property in fee simple purchase. With this purchase, the Department would then work toward developing a parking area--once See FORT OWEN, page 2
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