Planning Board Seeking input at Open House
Three members of Lincoln County’s planning board sounded a note of urgency as they recounted their progress for county commissioners after one year on the job.
Since commissioners established the planning board last spring, the nine members have accomplished much, said board president Chris Fox. Chief among those accomplishments, which include a mission statement, a random survey of residents and considerable progress on a growth policy, is the development of revised subdivision regulations for the county.
But therein lies a Catch-22 — and the ensuing sense of urgency. Although the planning board has its recommended revisions in hand for subdivision regulations, it can’t forward them to commissioners for their approval. First the board needs to complete work on the growth policy, a document mandated for all counties by state lawmakers. It was the need to develop that growth policy that prompted commissioners to revive the planning board in the first place.
“So we were told the subdivision regulations take the back burner and we started working on the growth plan,” Fox told commissioners. That occurred last fall. Since then, the board has worked with a hired consultant to compile statistical data on the county. “Her job was to pull together background information, the existing conditions, if you will,” Fox said. The resulting 100-plus pages of draft information are available in four sections online through the county’s Web site. Now the planning board is apprising the general public of its work so far in a series of informal open houses, Fox said. The first was conducted March 7 in Libby, with some dozen people attending. “We were a little disappointed by the turnout,” Fox said. The second one is scheduled in Eureka on April 5 in the high school commons, where planning board members expect a larger turnout. While the open house format was adopted to insure those attending had ample opportunity to view the draft documents and question board members, it also provides the board its best shot at hearing from constituents, Fox said. “It’s an opportunity for people to come in informally and find out what this is all about and where we are going, but more importantly for us it’s a way to find out what people are thinking,” he added. What the planning board learns at its Eureka open house, as well as subsequent ones in places like the West Kootenai and the Yaak, will supplement information compiled from 5,000 surveys randomly mailed to registered voters. “A lot of people took a lot of time to detail their likes and dislikes about Lincoln County,” Fox said of the survey, which drew a strong response from residents.
And a lot of work remains. How much is uncertain. Other areas, like the Flathead, have needed years to complete a growth policy. Lincoln County needs one now, said planning board member Rick James. “What is needed right here, right now, right this minute, are the subdivision regulations to be in place, but they can’t be in place until the growth policy is done,” James said.
If the process drags out for two years, the county may as well have no subdivision regulations, because all the private property will have been subdivided by then, James said. “There is very little left that isn’t subdivided, or won’t be prior to that,” he said. Considering the urgency, James said he would like to see at least an initial growth policy done “very, very quickly.”
That won’t happen. County planner Mary Klinkham said the state law mandating growth plans provides for a final document and nothing less. Despite the urgency, James agreed with Fox and the third planning board member present, Hank Lasala of Troy, that the responsibility of developing a growth policy needs to carried out thoroughly and properly. “We need to do this correctly but as quickly as possible,” James said. The commissioners were laudatory in their appraisal of their planning board’s work thus far. For one thing, planning board members meet once every two weeks. They are required to meet at least monthly. “That’s commendable,” said Commissioner Chairman Rita Windom, who praised the progress of both the board and the planning department under Klinkham. Next Thursday’s open house in Eureka runs from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Residents are free to show up at any time. Their participation will help speed things along, planning board members said.
3/31/07
3/28/07
Riverstone Ranch
Eureka, Lets Never forget the depression speech and rubbing of 2 coins together, Let us not forget The RiverStone Ranch subdivision being developed by 7-Miles South ... and the 2001 MONTANA news reports of “Lincoln County. Eureka. development of a 550-acre Community is one step ...”And lets not forget its delay was, there for awhile, blamed on “The city's long-delayed sewer project will ... trying to engineer a combined sewer project to include RiverStone Ranch. ...” this project was to “Eureka project to include high-tech business...” ... RiverStone Discovery park, a 24-acre business park with advanced fiber-optic connections, ...” the theory being so your kids did not have to leave to get good jobs.
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Eureka project to include high-tech business park
RiverStone Discovery Park, a 24-acre business park with advanced fiber-optic connections, high-speed Internet service and low-cost electricity will be developed in association with a proposed 780-acre recreational and residential community in Eureka, in the northwest corner of Montana, near the Canadian border.
Planners hope to draw small information technology and medical firms to work near the RiverStone Ranch development. Predictions are that, over the next 10 to 12 years, 600 to 800 professional jobs, plus an equivalent number of support jobs largely filled
RiverStone Discovery Park, a 24-acre business park with advanced fiber-optic connections, high-speed Internet service and low-cost electricity will be developed in association with a proposed 780-acre recreational and residential community in Eureka, in the northwest corner of Montana, near the Canadian border.
Planners hope to draw small information technology and medical firms to work near the RiverStone Ranch development. Predictions are that, over the next 10 to 12 years, 600 to 800 professional jobs, plus an equivalent number of support jobs largely filled
by Eureka residents, will materialize.
Lodgings take hit from rising energy prices
Montana visitors may be surprised when they receive their lodging bills: Some hotels and motels have begun imposing surcharges of up to $3 per night to defray rising energy costs.
The Billings Hotel and Convention Center was the first operation to add the energy charge of $2.75 per room after natural gas and electricity costs rose from about $25,000 per month to up to $45,000. Montana is not alone: Similar businesses in California and about 30 other states have resorted to surcharges to cope with rapidly rising energy prices.
Not all Montana hotels and motels have instituted the surcharge, nor do they need to—yet. About 150 hotels and motels buy their electricity through the Montana Innkeepers Association and are locked in at current rates until mid-2002; however, some of the same businesses may be experiencing substantial increases in natural gas rates.
State government officials do not support the idea of an energy surcharge, however. According to the Department of Administration's Accounting and Management Support Division, state employees will not be reimbursed for energy surcharges, saying that energy costs should be incorporated into the basic room charge. The state is recommending that employees stay in hotels and motels that do not have an energy surcharge.
—Kathy Cobb
Wilderness Club
THE WILDERNESS CLUB, a 545-acre development planned north of Eureka near the Canadian border, was approved by the commissioners earlier this month. It’s bordered on three sides by U.S. Forest Service land and at full buildout will include 272 home sites, 47 luxury cabins, a clubhouse and spa, lake club and Camp Wilderness, offering swimming pools, tennis and other recreational activities.
An 18-hole private golf course designed by renowned British golfer Nick Faldo is a centerpiece of the Wilderness Club. Winner of six major tournaments and the 2008 European Ryder Cup captain, Faldo has designed golf courses worldwide.
The Calgary-based Norcal Group is developing the high-end Wilderness Club, which Eureka real-estate agents compare to Whitefish’s exclusive Iron Horse subdivision. The first phase of the Wilderness Club will include 75 home sites and five luxury cabins, with home sites of one-third to two acres ranging from $250,000 to $500,000.
A groundbreaking ceremony is planned May 5, and sales offices are being set up in Calgary and Whitefish.
Norcal executive Barry Cole, president of Wilderness Development and manager of the Eureka project, said the development will be oriented to families who enjoy an active lifestyle and who appreciate having recreational amenities and activities coordinated for them by a “well-trained and attentive staff.”
“The idea is you don’t have to own your own boat or snowmobile,” Cole said. “You’ll just pick up the phone and the concierge service will arrange it.”
The staff will coordinate horseback riding, skiing, hiking, fly-fishing, hunting or other excursions.
ALSO ON THE drawing board is the 360-acre Indian Springs development two miles north of Eureka. It’s bordered by U.S. 93 on the west and Burma Road on the north.
The county commissioners will consider the project on April 19.
Indian Springs is proposed by Dave Rogers of Fernie, British Columbia, and Neil Longhurst of Florida, who have formed Rogers-Long Development Co. The subdivision includes a public golf course and 343 lots ranging from 3,920 square feet to 9.2 acres. Included are 199 single-family, three condominium, seven commercial and 134 townhomes and/or motorcoach lots.
About 187 acres on the property will be set aside as open space — 100 acres for walking trails and 87 acres for the golf course, according to an environmental assessment completed by Schwarz Architecture & Engineering of Kalispell.
Indian Springs will be primarily second homes for its residents, the Schwarz assessment noted. About 22 to 66 of the homes would be year-round.
The subdivision would be built out over 10 years, Longhurst said.
“We’ve been trying to involve the community,” he added.
Western Problems
Marianne Roose in the News
Collaborative Approaches to Western Problems
Marianne Roose, a county commissioner in Lincoln County in Northwest Montana, has no small set of problems to cope with. The county is reeling from the decline of the lumber industry - as well as the asbestos crisis in Libby - and there is a lot of bitterness towards environmentalists who are perceived by many to be the source of the woes. Almost 80% of the county is National Forest land, and the locals don't like that much either. Growth and development is coming in some areas, namely Eureka, but a future as a bedroom community to Whitefish doesn't seem to appealing. It's not exactly an environment given to healthy, collaborative decision-making. But Roose, the daughter of a logger and a self-described Pollyanna who gave a talk at the Placematters06 conference here in Denver, thought the depth of the problems actually represented an opportunity: continued confrontation wasn't getting anyone anywhere, and maybe the time was ripe for some bridge-building. So she spear-headed a collaborative process to bring together the natural resource industry, envrionmentalists, economic development folks, hunters, hikers and indeed anyone in the community who wanted to take part. She sat them all down at a very small table in her office - small tables make it harder to people to be nasty, she noted - and the result was a non-profit community group devoted to collaborative solutions to the issues facing the county, and especially its national forest lands.It's too early to tell how succesful the effort will be in a concrete sense. But it's already accomplished a lot in getting people to talk to one another, and getting the Forest Service to take it seriously as a valuable local interlocutor. It was inspiring to hear an example of the kind of community conversation that's critical to so many parts of the West. Courtney White, another speaker on the panel and head of the Quivera Coalition in New Mexico, called this new mode of activism the "radical center," and I think that's a pretty good description. When people can get beyond their ideologies and pre-conceived notions and see that the person on the other side is their neighbor, they can begin to find common ground. And there is a lot more of that common ground than people often think. On the other side of the coin, Ben Sinnamon, former head of the Smart Growth group in Hailey, Idaho, descibed how a coalition of environmental groups worked with the County Commissioners to deal with sprawl in Blaine County, but a lot of ranchers and developers who didn't agree with the consensus in that relative liberal mecca were left out of the conversation. It's hard sometimes to get *everyone* at the table. But now those ranchers and developers have gotten together to spearhead Idaho's property rights intiative, which, if it passes next month, will go a long way towards undoing what the aforementioned coalition put in place. On a lot of issues consensus is not going to be possible. But what everyone in the room agreed on was that strong leadership is key to accomplishing anything - and kudos to Marianne Roose for stepping up. She's up for reelection in a few weeks and while I don't know anything about her party affiliation or even where she stands on many specific issues, I hope she wins. We need bridge-builders, no matter which side the bank they might be starting from.
Commissioner Race
Unknown faces incumbent Lincoln County commissionerBy MICHAEL JAMISON of the Missoulian
EUREKA Montana - Usually, when political newcomers take on popular incumbents, the challengers come armed with a new agenda to push, or a least a simmering frustration with the status quo. They want a specific change - “in with new ideas,” or, at the very least, “out with old problems.” Not so with Ginny Emerson, an unknown Republican looking to unseat longtime Lincoln County Commissioner Marianne Roose. “I don't know what I'll do” if elected, Emerson said. “I'm going to have to get in and then find out.” It's an unexpected platform, this wait-and-see approach to policymaking. Emerson's campaign brochures say she's worried about decisions that have been made regarding the “health, safety, education, livelihood and enjoyment” of Lincoln County residents, but Emerson says she can provide no specific examples of bad county decisions.Likewise, her pamphlet says county decisions should be made by the majority, and “not the minority influenced by special and outside interests.” But again, she says she can offer no specific examples of outside political influence. When pushed a bit, Emerson says finally that she's in favor of “less government, less taxes and more responsibility to the constituents.” But what does “less government” mean? Where would Emerson shrink the size of Lincoln County government? “I don't know,” she said. Actually, she concedes that county government might already be small enough. It might even be too small. And how about less taxes? Again, Emerson says she's not sure where she would cut taxes. She's not even sure taxes should be cut. “It could be less taxes, and it could be more,” she said. “I can't know until I get in there and have a look at the budget.” Emerson said she has not yet reviewed the budget in detail. But once elected, she said, “I'm a nit-picker. I'll want to know where every penny is going.” The third leg of Emerson's campaign stool is somewhat more stable, if voters translate “more responsibility” to mean “more communication.”That's where the challenger gets specific, talking about using Internet webcams to transmit county commission meetings, and relying on community bulletin boards to supplement newspaper notices regarding county announcements. And she'd like to print a county commission newsletter, mailed to all residents, as well as videotape all public meetings for loan from local libraries. “More communication is always something we strive for,” said Roose, the Democrat who has held the seat for a full decade. “But webcams and videotapes and newsletters aren't free. You're talking about an extreme added cost. Who's going to pay for that?” When she took over as county commissioner in 1997, Roose said, there were no public meetings in northern Lincoln County. Since then, she's pulled the two other commissioners out of Libby once a month, for a Eureka meeting. It is just one example, she said, of how she's worked to make county government accessible for her constituents in the Eureka area. And the minutes from meetings already are available on the Internet, she said, as are public notices. The commissioners use all three newspapers in Lincoln County to announce meetings, Roose said, and work to be available after hours in this far-flung and remarkably rural county. “It's not unusual to get calls at home on the weekends,” Roose said, “or late at night. You expect that in a place like this. We're extremely accessible.” But Emerson worries Roose is away from the office too much, and the Republican challenger promises to be a “stay-at-home” commissioner.“I'm a worker,” Emerson said, vowing to be in the office “from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., with two coffee breaks and a half-hour lunch.” Roose, however, cannot imagine running the county from her office on an 8-to-5 schedule, and makes no apologies for her time on the road. You simply cannot sit in your little office up there in Eureka and still be involved in the rest of the county,” Roose said. And so she's off to Troy, or Libby, or to some statewide meeting of county officials. Roose is a county representative on many boards and associations, which keeps her on the move. There's the County Council on Aging, which helps operate services for senior citizens. That one meets once a month in Polson. And there's the drug and alcohol committee, the asbestos-related disease committee, and the Rural Advisory Board, which deals with timber industry issues, among others. “To know and understand the issues,” Roose said, “and to be an effective commissioner, you have to be involved, and that means getting out there.” Emerson admits there might be some duties that pull her out of that 8-to-5 routine, “but I guess I'll learn more about that once I'm in.”Mostly, Emerson said, she's running because she's interested in politics, and because “my grandpa told me the county commissioner was one of the most important people in government.” In 1998, she ran unsuccessfully for clerk of court. This time, she chose a commission seat for the same reason she chose the clerk seat eight years ago - “it was open.” “Grandpa said the county commissioner was a major job,” Emerson said. “Maybe this is one way I can do something for Lincoln County.” Emerson, in many ways, seems decidedly discontent with the way things are going. She goes so far as to say “I think we need a change in our government.” She wants better roads, more communication technology, but does not provide a clear map for funding those projects. And she thinks ongoing efforts to create a county planning board - as well as a county growth policy - are moving too fast. She calls it a “runaway train.” “We've seen tremendous growth in Lincoln County,” Roose said, “especially up around Eureka, where there's more private land.” And now the southern county is growing too, she said, as Plum Creek sells timber land for development. “We've had meeting after meeting,” Roose said, “and most of the people who came said yes, it's time for us to put a planning board in place. I believe we are at a point in time when it is needed, and the public supports it.”Not all the public, mind you. Roose knows not all will agree. “But you have an obligation as a leader to make the decision,” she said, “and to do what's best for our overall community.” During the coming six years, Roose said, that likely will mean tackling urban growth and land-use change, creating jobs and diversifying the economy, and continuing to work for a viable and sustainable timber industry. “We are seeing quite an exciting and interesting change in Lincoln County,” Roose said. Since she took office, lumber mills in both Libby and Eureka have closed. Yet the value of a county mill increased $1,300 during the past 12 months.Nudging Lincoln County into the modern economy won't be easy, Roose said, and it won't be accomplished with partisan political ideologies.“In a county of our size,” she said, “you know the people, and you work for everybody. This is absolutely not a partisan job. Up here, the voters vote for the person, not for the party line.” Which might make it tough if voters don't know the person very well, or if they have difficulty sorting out the person's political positions. “I just know people want change,” Emerson said. “I talk to people, and people talk to me all the time. I expect to win this, and then we'll talk again, about what might need fixing.”
EUREKA Montana - Usually, when political newcomers take on popular incumbents, the challengers come armed with a new agenda to push, or a least a simmering frustration with the status quo. They want a specific change - “in with new ideas,” or, at the very least, “out with old problems.” Not so with Ginny Emerson, an unknown Republican looking to unseat longtime Lincoln County Commissioner Marianne Roose. “I don't know what I'll do” if elected, Emerson said. “I'm going to have to get in and then find out.” It's an unexpected platform, this wait-and-see approach to policymaking. Emerson's campaign brochures say she's worried about decisions that have been made regarding the “health, safety, education, livelihood and enjoyment” of Lincoln County residents, but Emerson says she can provide no specific examples of bad county decisions.Likewise, her pamphlet says county decisions should be made by the majority, and “not the minority influenced by special and outside interests.” But again, she says she can offer no specific examples of outside political influence. When pushed a bit, Emerson says finally that she's in favor of “less government, less taxes and more responsibility to the constituents.” But what does “less government” mean? Where would Emerson shrink the size of Lincoln County government? “I don't know,” she said. Actually, she concedes that county government might already be small enough. It might even be too small. And how about less taxes? Again, Emerson says she's not sure where she would cut taxes. She's not even sure taxes should be cut. “It could be less taxes, and it could be more,” she said. “I can't know until I get in there and have a look at the budget.” Emerson said she has not yet reviewed the budget in detail. But once elected, she said, “I'm a nit-picker. I'll want to know where every penny is going.” The third leg of Emerson's campaign stool is somewhat more stable, if voters translate “more responsibility” to mean “more communication.”That's where the challenger gets specific, talking about using Internet webcams to transmit county commission meetings, and relying on community bulletin boards to supplement newspaper notices regarding county announcements. And she'd like to print a county commission newsletter, mailed to all residents, as well as videotape all public meetings for loan from local libraries. “More communication is always something we strive for,” said Roose, the Democrat who has held the seat for a full decade. “But webcams and videotapes and newsletters aren't free. You're talking about an extreme added cost. Who's going to pay for that?” When she took over as county commissioner in 1997, Roose said, there were no public meetings in northern Lincoln County. Since then, she's pulled the two other commissioners out of Libby once a month, for a Eureka meeting. It is just one example, she said, of how she's worked to make county government accessible for her constituents in the Eureka area. And the minutes from meetings already are available on the Internet, she said, as are public notices. The commissioners use all three newspapers in Lincoln County to announce meetings, Roose said, and work to be available after hours in this far-flung and remarkably rural county. “It's not unusual to get calls at home on the weekends,” Roose said, “or late at night. You expect that in a place like this. We're extremely accessible.” But Emerson worries Roose is away from the office too much, and the Republican challenger promises to be a “stay-at-home” commissioner.“I'm a worker,” Emerson said, vowing to be in the office “from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., with two coffee breaks and a half-hour lunch.” Roose, however, cannot imagine running the county from her office on an 8-to-5 schedule, and makes no apologies for her time on the road. You simply cannot sit in your little office up there in Eureka and still be involved in the rest of the county,” Roose said. And so she's off to Troy, or Libby, or to some statewide meeting of county officials. Roose is a county representative on many boards and associations, which keeps her on the move. There's the County Council on Aging, which helps operate services for senior citizens. That one meets once a month in Polson. And there's the drug and alcohol committee, the asbestos-related disease committee, and the Rural Advisory Board, which deals with timber industry issues, among others. “To know and understand the issues,” Roose said, “and to be an effective commissioner, you have to be involved, and that means getting out there.” Emerson admits there might be some duties that pull her out of that 8-to-5 routine, “but I guess I'll learn more about that once I'm in.”Mostly, Emerson said, she's running because she's interested in politics, and because “my grandpa told me the county commissioner was one of the most important people in government.” In 1998, she ran unsuccessfully for clerk of court. This time, she chose a commission seat for the same reason she chose the clerk seat eight years ago - “it was open.” “Grandpa said the county commissioner was a major job,” Emerson said. “Maybe this is one way I can do something for Lincoln County.” Emerson, in many ways, seems decidedly discontent with the way things are going. She goes so far as to say “I think we need a change in our government.” She wants better roads, more communication technology, but does not provide a clear map for funding those projects. And she thinks ongoing efforts to create a county planning board - as well as a county growth policy - are moving too fast. She calls it a “runaway train.” “We've seen tremendous growth in Lincoln County,” Roose said, “especially up around Eureka, where there's more private land.” And now the southern county is growing too, she said, as Plum Creek sells timber land for development. “We've had meeting after meeting,” Roose said, “and most of the people who came said yes, it's time for us to put a planning board in place. I believe we are at a point in time when it is needed, and the public supports it.”Not all the public, mind you. Roose knows not all will agree. “But you have an obligation as a leader to make the decision,” she said, “and to do what's best for our overall community.” During the coming six years, Roose said, that likely will mean tackling urban growth and land-use change, creating jobs and diversifying the economy, and continuing to work for a viable and sustainable timber industry. “We are seeing quite an exciting and interesting change in Lincoln County,” Roose said. Since she took office, lumber mills in both Libby and Eureka have closed. Yet the value of a county mill increased $1,300 during the past 12 months.Nudging Lincoln County into the modern economy won't be easy, Roose said, and it won't be accomplished with partisan political ideologies.“In a county of our size,” she said, “you know the people, and you work for everybody. This is absolutely not a partisan job. Up here, the voters vote for the person, not for the party line.” Which might make it tough if voters don't know the person very well, or if they have difficulty sorting out the person's political positions. “I just know people want change,” Emerson said. “I talk to people, and people talk to me all the time. I expect to win this, and then we'll talk again, about what might need fixing.”
School Heating
Eureka, Montana schools secure financing for heat system
July 27, 2006
After nearly three years of trying, the Eureka School District will get a central heating plant fired by wood biomass, a renewable source of energy. An attempt was made to include the system as part of the new high school, but funding never materialized. Now the district has the $1.3 million identified in loans and grants. Three weeks ago the district secured a $400,000 federal grant through the Forest Service.
By Steve Newman Of the Tobacco Valley NEWS
Last week approval of another $300,000 in federal money was announced. And the remainder, approximately $620,000, is all but guaranteed through a low interest state loan, Superintendent Gary Blaz told school trustees last week. "It's all coming together nicely," he said. The central heating plant, fired by wood fiber, will heat three school buildings that each have their own heating systems.
The elementary school's steam boiler was built in 1921, the middle schools' in the 1950s. The high school now uses water boilers fired by propane. With the biomass plant providing the main source of heat, the district for the first time will have a back-up source of heating for each building, and the life of those older boilers will be extended.
The new boiler will be housed in a separate building about the size of a large garage. It's likely location is somewhere near the old modular building that housed computer classes. Sold to the Frenchtown school district, the modular was ready to be hauled out by Friday. Underground pipes will distribute heat to the three buildings. The district anticipates a January bidding for construction, with the biomass plant in operation for the following school year beginning the fall of 2007. In the meantime, district personnel will tour other schools with similar heating plants. There are at least four in western Montana, and the new Kalispell high school will also use biomass, Blaz said. That much use creates an economic opportunity, which is part of the intent of the Forest Service grant. According to Angela Farr, the Fuels to Schools coordinator with the Department of Natural Resources, Montana's program is specifically tailored to use forest material, such as slash piles, that otherwise would not be used. Montana's efficient mills already process materials fully, Farr said. "So we're trying to utilize slash piles that normally would be burned in open air," she said. That way, slash material is used and smoke reduced. With the work going on in the area, Eureka is a good fit for the Montana's program, which is funded through a blcok grant as part of the national fire policy. "Eureka did an excellent job in its application," Farr said. And because Eureka's biomass heating will come from wood chips, so the opportunity is there for someone to fill that need, Blaz said.
"In Lincoln County, it's a perfect fit," he said. "If someone had a chipper, there's an opportunity for someone in the valley." Should a market develop for some specialized wood pellet for a manufacturer like the Eureka Pellet Mill, the district could convert to pellet fuel, Blaz said. While the Fuels to Schools grant through the Forest Service develops markets for burning materials that clean up forest debris, the school is keen on cost savings, particularly in fuel.
Those savings won't be evident immediately, but what the district can do is project with precision how much to budget in heating costs. That's because the third source of funding, the low-interest state loan, caps the amount the district spends on fuel at the current figure of $150,000 in each of the next 10 years, the term of the loan. With only 15 percent of its combined general fund allocated to expenses other than salary, Blaz said the district hasn't had much flexibility in budgeting. "Every year you panic over how high the fuel bill is going to be and how cold it's going to be," Blaz said. Dramatically rising fuel costs add to the difficulty.
"We now have the chance to budget ($150,000) on heating instead of dealing with volatile pricing going up and down," Blaz said. "So this is huge on the impact down the road five or six years," Over the next 10 years the district should see between $100,000 and $150,000 in savings on fuel, he said. According to Tracy McIntyre, who wrote the grant, the district could save as much as $5 million over a 30 year period. Obtained through the U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development, the grant is awarded to Lincoln Electric through a program that works with rural cooperatives. Lincoln Electric will loan the full $300,000 to the school district, which will repay it in installments.
Once repaid, the grant money becomes a revolving fund to benefit economic development in the Tobacco Valley. Lincoln Electric and InterBel Telephone are each contributing $30,000.
July 27, 2006
After nearly three years of trying, the Eureka School District will get a central heating plant fired by wood biomass, a renewable source of energy. An attempt was made to include the system as part of the new high school, but funding never materialized. Now the district has the $1.3 million identified in loans and grants. Three weeks ago the district secured a $400,000 federal grant through the Forest Service.
By Steve Newman Of the Tobacco Valley NEWS
Last week approval of another $300,000 in federal money was announced. And the remainder, approximately $620,000, is all but guaranteed through a low interest state loan, Superintendent Gary Blaz told school trustees last week. "It's all coming together nicely," he said. The central heating plant, fired by wood fiber, will heat three school buildings that each have their own heating systems.
The elementary school's steam boiler was built in 1921, the middle schools' in the 1950s. The high school now uses water boilers fired by propane. With the biomass plant providing the main source of heat, the district for the first time will have a back-up source of heating for each building, and the life of those older boilers will be extended.
The new boiler will be housed in a separate building about the size of a large garage. It's likely location is somewhere near the old modular building that housed computer classes. Sold to the Frenchtown school district, the modular was ready to be hauled out by Friday. Underground pipes will distribute heat to the three buildings. The district anticipates a January bidding for construction, with the biomass plant in operation for the following school year beginning the fall of 2007. In the meantime, district personnel will tour other schools with similar heating plants. There are at least four in western Montana, and the new Kalispell high school will also use biomass, Blaz said. That much use creates an economic opportunity, which is part of the intent of the Forest Service grant. According to Angela Farr, the Fuels to Schools coordinator with the Department of Natural Resources, Montana's program is specifically tailored to use forest material, such as slash piles, that otherwise would not be used. Montana's efficient mills already process materials fully, Farr said. "So we're trying to utilize slash piles that normally would be burned in open air," she said. That way, slash material is used and smoke reduced. With the work going on in the area, Eureka is a good fit for the Montana's program, which is funded through a blcok grant as part of the national fire policy. "Eureka did an excellent job in its application," Farr said. And because Eureka's biomass heating will come from wood chips, so the opportunity is there for someone to fill that need, Blaz said.
"In Lincoln County, it's a perfect fit," he said. "If someone had a chipper, there's an opportunity for someone in the valley." Should a market develop for some specialized wood pellet for a manufacturer like the Eureka Pellet Mill, the district could convert to pellet fuel, Blaz said. While the Fuels to Schools grant through the Forest Service develops markets for burning materials that clean up forest debris, the school is keen on cost savings, particularly in fuel.
Those savings won't be evident immediately, but what the district can do is project with precision how much to budget in heating costs. That's because the third source of funding, the low-interest state loan, caps the amount the district spends on fuel at the current figure of $150,000 in each of the next 10 years, the term of the loan. With only 15 percent of its combined general fund allocated to expenses other than salary, Blaz said the district hasn't had much flexibility in budgeting. "Every year you panic over how high the fuel bill is going to be and how cold it's going to be," Blaz said. Dramatically rising fuel costs add to the difficulty.
"We now have the chance to budget ($150,000) on heating instead of dealing with volatile pricing going up and down," Blaz said. "So this is huge on the impact down the road five or six years," Over the next 10 years the district should see between $100,000 and $150,000 in savings on fuel, he said. According to Tracy McIntyre, who wrote the grant, the district could save as much as $5 million over a 30 year period. Obtained through the U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development, the grant is awarded to Lincoln Electric through a program that works with rural cooperatives. Lincoln Electric will loan the full $300,000 to the school district, which will repay it in installments.
Once repaid, the grant money becomes a revolving fund to benefit economic development in the Tobacco Valley. Lincoln Electric and InterBel Telephone are each contributing $30,000.
State Legislator
Rick Maedje in The News
The Daily Inter Lake
The Daily Inter Lake
Rick Maedje, a state legislator and candidate for Lincoln County commissioner, was arrested Tuesday night at his home near Fortine on suspicion of partner assault. The Lincoln County Sheriff´s Office confirmed Wednesday that Maedje was arrested at his home, 900 Roberts Creek Road, and at about 1:20 a.m. was transported to the county jail in Libby. The Sheriff´s Office and County Attorney Bernie Cassidy had no further details about the incident. Rep. Maedje, a Republican first elected to the Montana House in 2002, entered the commissioner race this year, challenging Marianne Roose, the incumbent representing the northeastern part of the county. Maedje said earlier this year that he decided not to seek re-election to the Legislature "because I can´t afford to continue serving."
Maedje remained in jail Wednesday afternoon.
Maedje remained in jail Wednesday afternoon.
Rick Maedje
Claims of state aid unconfirmedThe apparent source for Rick Maedje's legal advice offered in a public hearing last week on Monday disputed the outgoing representative's version of both the content and the procedure of his request for information. In an hour-long continuation Oct. 10 of a public hearing that began the previous week in Libby, Maedje prefaced lengthy comments by saying he had been on the telephone for six hours that day with unspecified staff attorneys in Helena.Following last week's hearing in the high school auditorium, the Tobacco Valley NEWS tried to contact Maedje to inquire which lawyers he talked to in what state departments. In an e-mail to the newspaper over the weekend, Maedje said he couldn't divulge the names of three "legals" he talked to in the Legislative Services Division. But department officials contradicted that assertion.On Monday staff attorney Eddy McClure said she returned a message from Maedje and the two had a 10-minute phone conversation - "tops," said McClure, on a specific question. McClure said Maedje asked specifically about a Montana statue regarding sanitation issues and covenants and possible involvement of county commissioners. "It was a 10-minute phone conversation about a particular (question) of whether a county commission could be a part of a covenant, and that dealt with just a sanitation issue in a subdivision," McClure said. While the law appears silent on the question, McClure said that, as a matter of common sense, a county commission would not likely involve itself in such an agreement because it reviews and ultimately approves or disapproves a subdivision proposal. That was the entire substance of the exchange, McClure said. "I have not done any research for him other than that comment," she said. "We haven't found that he talked to any other attorney in our office," McClure added. She and Susan Fox, executive director of the Legislative Services Division, both rejected the assertion that Maedje could not divulge the names of staff attorneys he questioned. "Really, based on Supreme Court decisions, there's really very little other than personnel that we would not make public," Fox said. "Everything we do is public," McClure said. Fox referred to a rule on the House floor that disallows the dropping of names from the Legislative Services Division by lawmakers trying to trump one another with what sounds like legal advice from the experts. But that House rule clearly does not apply in this case, they said. They both disagreed with Maedje's assertion that he can "authorize" up to 40 hours of staff attorney time for county officials. The rules are clear, Fox said. A legislator gets 16 hours for legal or research assistance on a request. Going beyond that requires further approval. And no amount of time can be handed to someone else. The division works with the legislative branch of government, Fox said. "We certainly can't be farmed out for 40 hours," McClure said. A state reference librarian was unable to find any other reference to such an authorization of manpower by an individual representative. On Tuesday Maedje conceded he misspoke at the public hearing. Instead of six hours with staff attorneys, he spent six hours of his own time that morning going over subdivision regulations. And while adminstrative rules in theory may limit the Legislative Services Division to working with legislators, Maedje maintained that in practice he and other legislators "authorize" time for others. His decision not to divulge the names of three attorneys he talked to was a matter of being "responsibly cautious" under House rules, Maedje said. The apparent source for Rick Maedje's legal advice offered in a public hearing last week on Monday disputed the outgoing representative's version of both the content and the procedure of his request for information. In an hour-long continuation Oct. 10 of a public hearing that began the previous week in Libby, Maedje prefaced lengthy comments by saying he had been on the telephone for six hours that day with unspecified staff attorneys in Helena. Following last week's hearing in the high school auditorium, the Tobacco Valley NEWS tried to contact Maedje to inquire which lawyers he talked to in what state departments. In an e-mail to the newspaper over the weekend, Maedje said he couldn't divulge the names of three "legals" he talked to in the Legislative Services Division. But department officials contradicted that assertion.On Monday staff attorney Eddy McClure said she returned a message from Maedje and the two had a 10-minute phone conversation - "tops," said McClure, on a specific question. McClure said Maedje asked specifically about a Montana statue regarding sanitation issues and covenants and possible involvement of county commissioners. "It was a 10-minute phone conversation about a particular (question) of whether a county commission could be a part of a covenant, and that dealt with just a sanitation issue in a subdivision," McClure said. While the law appears silent on the question, McClure said that, as a matter of common sense, a county commission would not likely involve itself in such an agreement because it reviews and ultimately approves or disapproves a subdivision proposal. That was the entire substance of the exchange, McClure said. "I have not done any research for him other than that comment," she said. "We haven't found that he talked to any other attorney in our office," McClure added. She and Susan Fox, executive director of the Legislative Services Division, both rejected the assertion that Maedje could not divulge the names of staff attorneys he questioned. "Really, based on Supreme Court decisions, there's really very little other than personnel that we would not make public," Fox said. "Everything we do is public," McClure said. Fox referred to a rule on the House floor that disallows the dropping of names from the Legislative Services Division by lawmakers trying to trump one another with what sounds like legal advice from the experts. But that House rule clearly does not apply in this case, they said. They both disagreed with Maedje's assertion that he can "authorize" up to 40 hours of staff attorney time for county officials. The rules are clear, Fox said. A legislator gets 16 hours for legal or research assistance on a request. Going beyond that requires further approval. And no amount of time can be handed to someone else. The division works with the legislative branch of government, Fox said. "We certainly can't be farmed out for 40 hours," McClure said. A state reference librarian was unable to find any other reference to such an authorization of manpower by an individual representative. On Tuesday Maedje conceded he misspoke at the public hearing. Instead of six hours with staff attorneys, he spent six hours of his own time that morning going over subdivision regulations. And while adminstrative rules in theory may limit the Legislative Services Division to working with legislators, Maedje maintained that in practice he and other legislators "authorize" time for others. His decision not to divulge the names of three attorneys he talked to was a matter of being "responsibly cautious" under House rules, Maedje said.
Wilderness Club Eureka
Wilderness Club in the News
Major project PGA star Nick Faldo arrives in Eureka to plan new golf coursePosted: Tuesday, Jun 27, 2006 - 12:23:58 am MDTBy DAVID LESNICK The Daily Inter Lake
Nick Faldo is no stranger to Big Sky Country.
The three-time Masters (1989, 1990 and 1996) and The (British) Open champion (1987, 1990 and 1992) has often used Missoula as a staging point when testing his angling skills in the Treasure State.“It’s great to get away,” Faldo said of fishing, a passion of his. “There is nothing better than standing in a river and knowing the trout are rising. That’s a real buzz.”
But fishing was not the focus of his latest visit to Montana. Faldo arrived in Eureka last week to discuss the first golf course he is designing in the Pacific Northwest and Rocky Mountains.The Wilderness Club project, a 545-acre development, will offer home sites and golf to a very exclusive clientele from the U.S. and Canada. When completed, there will be 272 home sites and 47 luxury cabins surrounding a world-class golf course featuring 18 holes. All of this will be framed by spectacular mountain and lake views. Home site prices will start at $250,000; luxury cabin prices will begin at $700,000. The Wilderness Club will have sales offices in Whitefish and Calgary. The private course is expected to be ready for play the spring of 2008. Faldo was on site to monitor construction and to meet with the media and developers. Faldo Design is collaborating with Schmidt-Curley on this venture. Schmidt-Curley is based in Scottsdale, Ariz., and has worked with Faldo on other course developments in China, California and Arizona.Faldo Design has designed 18 courses with another 10 to 11 under construction. Six or seven are currently in the planning stage. “It will be a club course, a resort course,” Faldo said. “Just that. Playing fair for beginners to club members.” Is it the type of course Faldo would enjoy playing? “Of course!,” he said. “It’s the type of place I’d like to bring my family to.” But since Faldo was here for business, the family vacation this summer will be in Iceland.Faldo joins another well-known professional golfer who has designed a course in Northwest Montana. Former U.S. Open champion Andy North and Roger Packard designed the links layout at Big Mountain Golf Club, located just north of Kalispell. The original 18 holes at Eagle Bend Golf Club in Bigfork were built by William Hull, Jr. Jack Nicklaus, Jr., and Nicklaus Design, in 1995, designed another nine holes at the club. Faldo said in a press release that he was awed by the rugged landscape and the pure out-of-proportion grandeur of this place. “For a golfer who plays this course, that promises to be a gratifying combination,” he continued. “For me as a designer, I’m simply humbled by the opportunity to create a golf course from such a pristine palette of natural amenities.” Faldo’s business ventures and family time has greatly reduced the time he currently spends on the professional golf tour. He has four children, ages 19, 17, 15 and 3. His son Matt, 17, plays golf. Faldo did not compete in the U.S. Open earlier this month. His next scheduled outing will be the British Open. “I’m loving it,” Faldo said. “I’m in a different kind of phase of my life (right now). It’s tough to compete where you’re getting older.” Faldo, who turns 50 next month, currently splits his living arrangements between Orlando, Fla., and England. In addition to the Wilderness Club, Faldo is also designing a par 3 hole for John’s Course, also in Eureka. The Wilderness Club will help with construction and other course improvements there. John’s Course was started by Steve Espinoza over 10 years ago so his son John, who suffers from a rare form of Down’s syndrome, could play golf in a relaxed, friendly environment. The course has shared greens and welcomes all golfers, including those who are disabled and handicapped.Faldo played three holes at John’s Course. Joining him in the foursome were Jim Peacock, golf course superintendent at Meadow Lake Resort in Columbia Falls, Barry Cole, president of Wilderness Development in Calgary, and John Espinoza. Along the way, Faldo shared a few golf tips with John Espinoza on proper swing technique and addressing the ball. Faldo finished the entertaining session by autographing a few golf balls and golf caps. He also signed a banner that read John’s Golf Course Welcomes Masters Champion Nick Faldo. He also wrote ‘What about The Open?’ on it. From there it was back to the Wilderness Club. “This is the kinda place we were thinking about coming to (for a family vacation),” said Faldo. “A place where you can do a ton of outdoor activities.”
Major project PGA star Nick Faldo arrives in Eureka to plan new golf coursePosted: Tuesday, Jun 27, 2006 - 12:23:58 am MDTBy DAVID LESNICK The Daily Inter Lake
Nick Faldo is no stranger to Big Sky Country.
The three-time Masters (1989, 1990 and 1996) and The (British) Open champion (1987, 1990 and 1992) has often used Missoula as a staging point when testing his angling skills in the Treasure State.“It’s great to get away,” Faldo said of fishing, a passion of his. “There is nothing better than standing in a river and knowing the trout are rising. That’s a real buzz.”
But fishing was not the focus of his latest visit to Montana. Faldo arrived in Eureka last week to discuss the first golf course he is designing in the Pacific Northwest and Rocky Mountains.The Wilderness Club project, a 545-acre development, will offer home sites and golf to a very exclusive clientele from the U.S. and Canada. When completed, there will be 272 home sites and 47 luxury cabins surrounding a world-class golf course featuring 18 holes. All of this will be framed by spectacular mountain and lake views. Home site prices will start at $250,000; luxury cabin prices will begin at $700,000. The Wilderness Club will have sales offices in Whitefish and Calgary. The private course is expected to be ready for play the spring of 2008. Faldo was on site to monitor construction and to meet with the media and developers. Faldo Design is collaborating with Schmidt-Curley on this venture. Schmidt-Curley is based in Scottsdale, Ariz., and has worked with Faldo on other course developments in China, California and Arizona.Faldo Design has designed 18 courses with another 10 to 11 under construction. Six or seven are currently in the planning stage. “It will be a club course, a resort course,” Faldo said. “Just that. Playing fair for beginners to club members.” Is it the type of course Faldo would enjoy playing? “Of course!,” he said. “It’s the type of place I’d like to bring my family to.” But since Faldo was here for business, the family vacation this summer will be in Iceland.Faldo joins another well-known professional golfer who has designed a course in Northwest Montana. Former U.S. Open champion Andy North and Roger Packard designed the links layout at Big Mountain Golf Club, located just north of Kalispell. The original 18 holes at Eagle Bend Golf Club in Bigfork were built by William Hull, Jr. Jack Nicklaus, Jr., and Nicklaus Design, in 1995, designed another nine holes at the club. Faldo said in a press release that he was awed by the rugged landscape and the pure out-of-proportion grandeur of this place. “For a golfer who plays this course, that promises to be a gratifying combination,” he continued. “For me as a designer, I’m simply humbled by the opportunity to create a golf course from such a pristine palette of natural amenities.” Faldo’s business ventures and family time has greatly reduced the time he currently spends on the professional golf tour. He has four children, ages 19, 17, 15 and 3. His son Matt, 17, plays golf. Faldo did not compete in the U.S. Open earlier this month. His next scheduled outing will be the British Open. “I’m loving it,” Faldo said. “I’m in a different kind of phase of my life (right now). It’s tough to compete where you’re getting older.” Faldo, who turns 50 next month, currently splits his living arrangements between Orlando, Fla., and England. In addition to the Wilderness Club, Faldo is also designing a par 3 hole for John’s Course, also in Eureka. The Wilderness Club will help with construction and other course improvements there. John’s Course was started by Steve Espinoza over 10 years ago so his son John, who suffers from a rare form of Down’s syndrome, could play golf in a relaxed, friendly environment. The course has shared greens and welcomes all golfers, including those who are disabled and handicapped.Faldo played three holes at John’s Course. Joining him in the foursome were Jim Peacock, golf course superintendent at Meadow Lake Resort in Columbia Falls, Barry Cole, president of Wilderness Development in Calgary, and John Espinoza. Along the way, Faldo shared a few golf tips with John Espinoza on proper swing technique and addressing the ball. Faldo finished the entertaining session by autographing a few golf balls and golf caps. He also signed a banner that read John’s Golf Course Welcomes Masters Champion Nick Faldo. He also wrote ‘What about The Open?’ on it. From there it was back to the Wilderness Club. “This is the kinda place we were thinking about coming to (for a family vacation),” said Faldo. “A place where you can do a ton of outdoor activities.”
Real Estate
Real-estate sales ‘on fire’ in Eureka areaPosted:
Sunday, Mar 26, 2006 - 12:23:09 am MST
By LYNNETTE HINTZE
The Daily Inter Lake
Two huge subdivisions on the drawing boardIs the Tobacco Valley the next Last Best Place?Real-estate agents and economic-development officials seem to think so. Two large developments with golf courses planned near Eureka and land prices that have roughly doubled in the last year are indicators they may be right.“We knew it was going to come, with the Flathead growing the way it is,” said Buck Schermerhorn, president of the Tobacco Valley Community Development Council. “Eureka is next in line to be discovered.”
Two huge subdivisions on the drawing boardIs the Tobacco Valley the next Last Best Place?Real-estate agents and economic-development officials seem to think so. Two large developments with golf courses planned near Eureka and land prices that have roughly doubled in the last year are indicators they may be right.“We knew it was going to come, with the Flathead growing the way it is,” said Buck Schermerhorn, president of the Tobacco Valley Community Development Council. “Eureka is next in line to be discovered.”
Terry Comstock, an agent with Tobacco Plains Realty, said what he sees happening to land prices in the Eureka area is “pretty much scary.”“I’m not real fond of it. I don’t like change, but we may as well embrace it and do a good job,” he said.Prices for undeveloped land outside the city have doubled over the past year, Comstock said. Lake frontage is likewise spiraling upward.“In 2003, on some of the better lakes, lake frontage sold for $1,200 to $1,600 a foot,” he said. “It’s about $3,000 a frontage foot right now.”Glen, Sophie and Dickey lakes are hot spots right now, Comstock said.While those prices are high by Tobacco Valley standards, they pale in comparison to lakefront prices in the Flathead. On Whitefish Lake, where little undeveloped lakefront remains, the going rate is $20,000 a frontage foot, said RE/ MAX Realtor Joe Basirico.“That means a 100-foot lot is $2 million,” he said.It was just three or four years ago, Basirico said, when Whitefish Lake frontage “went from $10,000 to $20,000 almost overnight.”In the Eureka area, tracts of undeveloped land are selling for up to $10,000 an acre, sometimes more, depending on the location.
Gary Mason, managing broker for the Eureka office of Coldwell Banker Wachholz & Co., said he has witnessed land prices in the rural areas “starting to skyrocket.” That growth hasn’t happened yet within the city of Eureka, where Mason said there are few lots and not a lot of growth potential.“I was born here almost 48 years ago, and the population has been around 1,000 to 1,100 since I was a kid,” Mason said.Most buyers in the Tobacco Valley are looking outside the city. A five-acre parcel that sold for $45,000 to $50,000 six months ago would sell for $65,000 to $120,000 now, depending on location, Mason said.“I’m seeing Flathead people coming here to buy, and the Canadian market is stronger now,” he said. “Baby boomers are getting ready to retire. There’s also no zoning here yet. You add all those together and that’s why we’re on fire.”The Lincoln County Commissioners recently appointed the county’s first-ever planning board in preparation of getting a growth policy in place.Schermerhorn said the lack of zoning may be prompting some developers to be “posturing” themselves before more regulations are put in place.“There are less limitations on what they can do here,” Schermerhorn said. “But we hope developers coming in” have the community’s best interests at heart.
The development council drafted a five-year strategic action plan to help guide growth, and the council’s housing subcommittee is analyzing how subdivision growth will drive the need for better infrastructure, Schermerhorn said.THE WILDERNESS CLUB, a 545-acre development planned north of Eureka near the Canadian border, was approved by the commissioners earlier this month. It’s bordered on three sides by U.S. Forest Service land and at full buildout will include 272 home sites, 47 luxury cabins, a clubhouse and spa, lake club and Camp Wilderness, offering swimming pools, tennis and other recreational activities.An 18-hole private golf course designed by renowned British golfer Nick Faldo is a centerpiece of the Wilderness Club. Winner of six major tournaments and the 2008 European Ryder Cup captain, Faldo has designed golf courses worldwide.The Calgary-based Norcal Group is developing the high-end Wilderness Club, which Eureka real-estate agents compare to Whitefish’s exclusive Iron Horse subdivision. The first phase of the Wilderness Club will include 75 home sites and five luxury cabins, with home sites of one-third to two acres ranging from $250,000 to $500,000.A groundbreaking ceremony is planned May 5, and sales offices are being set up in Calgary and Whitefish.Norcal executive Barry Cole, president of Wilderness Development and manager of the Eureka project, said the development will be oriented to families who enjoy an active lifestyle and who appreciate having recreational amenities and activities coordinated for them by a “well-trained and attentive staff.”“The idea is you don’t have to own your own boat or snowmobile,” Cole said. “You’ll just pick up the phone and the concierge service will arrange it.”The staff will coordinate horseback riding, skiing, hiking, fly-fishing, hunting or other excursions.ALSO ON THE drawing board is the 360-acre Indian Springs development two miles north of Eureka.
It’s bordered by U.S. 93 on the west and Burma Road on the north.The county commissioners will consider the project on April 19.Indian Springs is proposed by Dave Rogers of Fernie, British Columbia, and Neil Longhurst of Florida, who have formed Rogers-Long Development Co. The subdivision includes a public golf course and 343 lots ranging from 3,920 square feet to 9.2 acres. Included are 199 single-family, three condominium, seven commercial and 134 townhomes and/or motorcoach lots.About 187 acres on the property will be set aside as open space — 100 acres for walking trails and 87 acres for the golf course, according to an environmental assessment completed by Schwarz Architecture & Engineering of Kalispell.Indian Springs will be primarily second homes for its residents, the Schwarz assessment noted. About 22 to 66 of the homes would be year-round.The subdivision would be built out over 10 years, Longhurst said.“We’ve been trying to involve the community,” he added.Longhurst, who’s been coming to the Eureka area for some time, said he and Rogers met while skiing at Fernie.
They agreed the recreational opportunities of Northwest Montana would be a drawing card for the type of development they’ve planned.Both the Indians Springs and Wilderness Club projects intend to use ski resorts an hour away in Fernie and Whitefish as a selling point, along with neighboring Glacier National Park and ample public land near Eureka and Lake Koocanusa.The lack of a hospital and airport don’t seem to be deterrents, Realtors said.Baby boomers moving to Montana are used to long commutes, and the 80-mile stretch between Kalispell and Eureka doesn’t seem as formidable as it once was, said Comstock, who commutes weekly to Glacier Chorale practice.Eureka is served by two “very good” medical clinics, he added, and the ALERT medical helicopter services the area, too.PLANS FOR gigantic subdivisions with golf courses seem like deja vu for Eureka residents. Five years ago, RiverStone Ranch was proposed southeast of Eureka by a Canadian developer offering a 550-acre “lifestyle community” with a golf course, business park, hotel and 520 dwelling units.“That project went away totally,” Commissioner Marianne Roose said, noting that the project needed sewer extensions that never materialized.Mason said the failed RiverStone Ranch has prompted many Eureka residents to view the Wilderness Club and Indian Springs projects with some measure of skepticism.
“Locals are saying, ‘Yeah, we’ve heard this before,’” Mason said.He believes the time is probably right for such ambitious projects.“You do see some excitement in the air,” he said. “There’s not much money in ranching and timber, and with the mill closure [these new subdivisions] will be replacing those jobs with construction jobs and related services like lawn care.”Tracy McIntyre, manager of Eureka Rural Development Partners, said there are concerns about water quality and road issues, but there’s hope that job creation and the promotion of the Tobacco Valley will be positives that outweigh the negative factors of growth.“We see the need to diversify,” McIntyre said. “We’ve been so dependent on timber.”Owens & Hurst lumber mill in Eureka closed last year, leaving 90 mill workers without jobs.Schermerhorn, who purchased an excavating business in January, said he has hired former mill workers to build roads and do metal fabrication.AS GROWTH presses down on Eureka, even residents like Comstock and Mason — who stand to profit from the increased activity — are conflicted about the changes coming to their remote corner of the world.“It’s a little confusing,” Mason said. “I have mixed emotions.”McIntyre, also a longtime Eureka resident, said she’s torn about the change, even though part of her job is to write grants for community improvements.“Part of me is sad to see change,” she said. “On the other side, I see the need to expand and grow.”
Features editor Lynnette Hintze may
be reached at 758-4421 or by e-mail
Planning Board
Eureka! Montana County Gets a Planning Board
By Headwaters News, 3-27-06
Canadians, baby-boomer retirees and Flathead County residents fleeing high real estate prices have found a new land of opportunity.The Tobacco Valley in the northwest reaches of Montana has been discovered, according to a story in the Kalispell Daily Inter Lake, and that discovery has jacked the price of real estate up nearly 100 percent over the past two years.Lakefront property in Lincoln County still sells for a mere $3,000-per-frontage foot, up from $1,200 just two years ago, which is a real deal when you consider that lakefront footage on Whitefish Lake sells for $20,000-per-frontage foot.That surge in prices, and the recent approval of two large planned developments, spurred the Lincoln County commissioners to appoint the county's first ever planning board to begin work on a growth plan.The two planned developments, one by a Calgary developer and another by a partnership between a British Columbia and a Florida developer, will bring high-end homes and tony subdivisions to the county.The Calgary-based Norcal Group is planning a 545-acre development north of Eureka, just south of the Canadian border. The development is bordered on three sides by U.S. Forest Service property and will offer an 18-hole golf course designed by Canadian golfer Nick Faldo. Eureka real estate agents compare the Wilderness Club to Whitefish's exclusive Iron Horse Subdivision.The developer of the Wilderness Club said the development will cater to families with an active lifestyle who will appreciate the access to recreational opportunities, which are only a phone call to the concierge away.The Indian Springs Development is only two miles north of Eureka and has not yet obtained final approval of the county commissioners.If approved, the 360-acre development will offer a public golf course and 343 homesites. About 187 acres of the property will be set aside as open space, 87 of which will be occupied by the golf course.The developments are touting their locations near ski areas in Fernie and Whitefish and their proximity to Glacier National Park as selling points. Real estate agents said the area's lack of a hospital or an airport haven't quelled interest in the properties.Some Eureka residents have definitely adopted a wait-and-see attitude about the developments. They remember the failed RiverStone Ranch project that was proposed five years ago by a Canadian developer. That "lifestyle community" offering a golf course, business park, housing and a hotel never materialized.But times are different now, members of the community say. The area lost a timber mill last year, and the 90 good-paying jobs it offered.The long-time residents may now see growth as an opportunity for new jobs, which may outweigh their previous opposition to growth because of its impact on water quality and traffic.
By Headwaters News, 3-27-06
Canadians, baby-boomer retirees and Flathead County residents fleeing high real estate prices have found a new land of opportunity.The Tobacco Valley in the northwest reaches of Montana has been discovered, according to a story in the Kalispell Daily Inter Lake, and that discovery has jacked the price of real estate up nearly 100 percent over the past two years.Lakefront property in Lincoln County still sells for a mere $3,000-per-frontage foot, up from $1,200 just two years ago, which is a real deal when you consider that lakefront footage on Whitefish Lake sells for $20,000-per-frontage foot.That surge in prices, and the recent approval of two large planned developments, spurred the Lincoln County commissioners to appoint the county's first ever planning board to begin work on a growth plan.The two planned developments, one by a Calgary developer and another by a partnership between a British Columbia and a Florida developer, will bring high-end homes and tony subdivisions to the county.The Calgary-based Norcal Group is planning a 545-acre development north of Eureka, just south of the Canadian border. The development is bordered on three sides by U.S. Forest Service property and will offer an 18-hole golf course designed by Canadian golfer Nick Faldo. Eureka real estate agents compare the Wilderness Club to Whitefish's exclusive Iron Horse Subdivision.The developer of the Wilderness Club said the development will cater to families with an active lifestyle who will appreciate the access to recreational opportunities, which are only a phone call to the concierge away.The Indian Springs Development is only two miles north of Eureka and has not yet obtained final approval of the county commissioners.If approved, the 360-acre development will offer a public golf course and 343 homesites. About 187 acres of the property will be set aside as open space, 87 of which will be occupied by the golf course.The developments are touting their locations near ski areas in Fernie and Whitefish and their proximity to Glacier National Park as selling points. Real estate agents said the area's lack of a hospital or an airport haven't quelled interest in the properties.Some Eureka residents have definitely adopted a wait-and-see attitude about the developments. They remember the failed RiverStone Ranch project that was proposed five years ago by a Canadian developer. That "lifestyle community" offering a golf course, business park, housing and a hotel never materialized.But times are different now, members of the community say. The area lost a timber mill last year, and the 90 good-paying jobs it offered.The long-time residents may now see growth as an opportunity for new jobs, which may outweigh their previous opposition to growth because of its impact on water quality and traffic.
Eureka News
This Eureka Montana News site will POST past and Present news of interest to our little valley. I hope you find it informative. Please comment on articles that you have an opinion about.
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