4/26/07
Golf Golf Golf
Well it's almost time for the Eureka Rendevous for 2007, it seems like things here are changing so fast. Change is good yes and hopefully it will all be for the better. I am still hoping for building codes, building inspectors and some sort of control over the construction industry, so that lawsuits will be kept down to a minimum. But I see no end in sight to inferior buildings. The golf courses seem to be moving right along, I see Eureka Montana and every glossy magazine I pick up. It seems that two years from now Eureka Montana will be a VERY different place. There are housing developments and subdivisions going in up every road. And rumor has it in the supermarket this week, that there is a third golf course planned in Eureka which was actually the original golf course from the Riverstone Project a few summers back. Check our archives for old news on this new golf course. It could just be rumor, but as I have said many times before in other blogs rumor is more often found out to be true in my experience than anything else.
4/22/07
Fire Season
Controlled Burns
In Eureka Montana, Lincoln County it is very popular to burn your fields so that the dead grass is removed and the fields are ready for the new growth. It happens ALL spring and every single weekend and most week days the fire trucks are out protecting houses. People that move here and don’t know complain about the allergies, due to the huge amount of smoke. I have burned around my home and fields in the past. I have NEVER let a fire get big enough that it endangered the life or property of another person. It is extremely disrespectful when your neighbor decides they need green grass so they endanger YOU. I always feel sorry for the folks involved and until TODAY, I never really knew what the experience was like. We were having a Sunday afternoon, when the field in front of our home was completely fogged in with smoke. We have the home next door as well and saw that the fire was climbing the hill. We assumed they still had the fire under control, until we seen a fire truck head to our property next door. I headed over there to check things out. I talked to a fireman on the highway and asked if it was a controlled burn, no answer. Once to the property, 5 firemen were there and EVERY single one of them had ignored me. When they got ready to leave, so did I, they would not speak to me, I asked if it was a controlled burn for the purpose of green fields and he said, well someone started it and than they ignored me. They Cut down our fence, not certain whether we have livestock or not and not caring. Meanwhile back at the other house the fireman on that fire truck were also cold and disrespectful. And refused to give indication whether the fire was an accident or started on purpose and got out of control.
Are the firemen trained to be neutral and say nothing ? It feels like they thought of themselves as god and had no respect or light heartedness what so ever. Our property is in danger and we are being nice to them but they are rude, cold and arrogant; Every single one of them.
Maybe I should not talk about the way I was treated, maybe next time when their out of control, controlled burn comes my way they won’t protect me. I was treated with disrespect, our property was destructed with the tearing down of a fence and our property was put in danger for the sake of Green Grass.
In Eureka Montana, Lincoln County it is very popular to burn your fields so that the dead grass is removed and the fields are ready for the new growth. It happens ALL spring and every single weekend and most week days the fire trucks are out protecting houses. People that move here and don’t know complain about the allergies, due to the huge amount of smoke. I have burned around my home and fields in the past. I have NEVER let a fire get big enough that it endangered the life or property of another person. It is extremely disrespectful when your neighbor decides they need green grass so they endanger YOU. I always feel sorry for the folks involved and until TODAY, I never really knew what the experience was like. We were having a Sunday afternoon, when the field in front of our home was completely fogged in with smoke. We have the home next door as well and saw that the fire was climbing the hill. We assumed they still had the fire under control, until we seen a fire truck head to our property next door. I headed over there to check things out. I talked to a fireman on the highway and asked if it was a controlled burn, no answer. Once to the property, 5 firemen were there and EVERY single one of them had ignored me. When they got ready to leave, so did I, they would not speak to me, I asked if it was a controlled burn for the purpose of green fields and he said, well someone started it and than they ignored me. They Cut down our fence, not certain whether we have livestock or not and not caring. Meanwhile back at the other house the fireman on that fire truck were also cold and disrespectful. And refused to give indication whether the fire was an accident or started on purpose and got out of control.
Are the firemen trained to be neutral and say nothing ? It feels like they thought of themselves as god and had no respect or light heartedness what so ever. Our property is in danger and we are being nice to them but they are rude, cold and arrogant; Every single one of them.
Maybe I should not talk about the way I was treated, maybe next time when their out of control, controlled burn comes my way they won’t protect me. I was treated with disrespect, our property was destructed with the tearing down of a fence and our property was put in danger for the sake of Green Grass.
4/6/07
Nature Conservancy Land
Eureka Montana Nature Conservancy Land
Forest Service Crew, 6 Truck
And they let the gorgeous pine trees burn up. Why.. It seems they had the man power. I hope the fire season is not bad this year because that crew sure made a mess of things. Drive up Airport Road and take a look at
the scorched and burned trees.
Public Growth Policy Meeting
Eureka Montana Growth Policy
Thoughts on the “Open House” for public comment on the growth policy pending plan that was held April 5th at the Lincoln County High School.
There were not very many people at this meeting. There were mostly Realtors, and some folks from Libby and Troy. Some of the folks present at this meeting were Mary Klinkam, Marriane Roose, Joe Purdy, Steve Mangold, Truman, Mike Workman, Connie Schier, Darrel Zauner, Marie Stavenow, Krista Tincher, Sarah Anderson, Patty Kincheloe, and a few other folks.
The county has a sign in sheet if you would like to know who else was there. There was not a lot of people.
Of course the Lincoln County Planning Board, Eureka folks being Rick James, Mike Marvel, and Chris Fox were there.
I understand why a lot of local folks did not show up. From what I have heard they feel that it would be a waste of their precious time when what they have the say will not be considered anyway.
It seems, that not much has changed in 20-30 years. The folks that have the most money and the real estate agents get their way and the rest of Eureka can just settle with what they decide is best. Still folks you need to make your opinion heard and let the county know what you see happening for Eureka.
This meeting was not about subdivision regulations. The growth plan has to be in place before the new subdivision regulations can be put into place. Chris Fox assured the group that they were not stalling and they were doing the best that they can. Because the planning Board has been accused of stalling to that more development will before the growth plan is in place. Now I'm not convinced that they're stalling, I think they really would like to get things moving, however it is an uphill battle to make this all fall into place and get folks to agree.
There was a gentleman at the meeting, who had bought land in the crystal lakes area and told us all how he did not want to see our community turned into a place like the part of Utah he came from. He advised the room that we need to pay attention to the growth so that we keep open spaces and wildlife habitat. His efforts were sincere and he really does care about our area and care about Eureka staying beautiful and pristine.
The problem is, as some crowd members said you cannot sit on your small lot and in your nice house and expect the neighboring fields to stay in one piece so that you can watch the moose run around and prevent the landowners from dividing his property and making its full financial potential.
Which, keep in mind folks, keeping a ranch whole may be MORE lucrative than splitting it. Email me for information on this SavvyBroker@Yahoo.com
I did feel that this gentleman wants to see positive things happen here and he commented that he can sleep better at night knowing that he has spoken as mind about this. As if he is going to protect us from this growth.
Another interesting note on this is, I sat next to the man and his wife or girlfriend. Or should I say they sat next to me, and when they walked in the meeting had started, they asked me what had happened so far, I told them. They interrupted my listening, I did not mind, however moments later I asked him something and he shushed me because he was listening. My Point, He does not Want us to be BIG CITY, but he gave me a “Better than Though” big city attitude in the name of protecting us from becoming big city. I felt belittled by him, and felt that is genuine disrespect and arrogance was in no way the kind of attitude that was going to implement an positive change in Eureka Montana.
Eureka is a very interesting place, I have been here are my whole life. And no newcomer has ever been successful in changing things. The greatest change that folks make that move here is to buy huge acreages and chop it up.
He spoke of legal recourse is a possibility to make people abide by laws. The thing is here in Lincoln County, It is not easy to get folks to abide by the law. He made it sound so easy, truly it is not that simple.
Though we know the law and do try to uphold the law. There are those who simply are above the law and you must have a huge amount money and be able to take a huge amount of stress for years upon years in order to use the local legal system to create the change you are looking for.
So in conclusion to this particular gentleman, I thank you for your comments and I caution you on your approach.
Steve Mangold commented on the fact that there is development below where he lives and he does not like it, but that he does not feel that he can tell other people what to do on their land. However he also said that if it was his land he would divide it, and then made comments that he wished it was his land. He also said that he would like to hear what the other real estate brokers in the room had to say about the growth plan.
I got from this, that Steve Mangold is for development and wishes that he could do more development, and does not feel that we should try and tell people they cannot develop. I felt that his tone and comments were coming of aggressive and we're not really solution oriented. I can't help but say it that in last week's Tobacco Valley news he commented on what he was doing this spring was cleaning my mice out of his brother-in-law's camper…
More on the general aspects of the meeting.
I must say that Chris Fox lost control of the room several times. And though he may be an intelligent thoughtful man, he may not have the backbone to stand up to the aggression that growth in Lincoln County is going to bring out in some folk.
The person in the front of the room a needs to limit comments from each individual, needs to not be afraid what people think of them and actually ask for comment from people in the room by name and be more engaging with the room and more authoritative and I felt that Chris was weak on each of these points.
Mike Marvel seemed to be knowledgeable on what the locals wants, he seemed have a good understand of the needs of Lincoln County and even made a very firm comment to one gal in the audience that some places in Montana do not have a growth policy and never will have a growth policy and that possibly she should consider moving to one of these places. It was kind of funny, a bit disrespectful and it was kind of true and yet it made me realize that this type of meeting is not about solutions it is basically just so that people can complain to the planning Board of the county about private property rights. Which is understandable, because a lot of different agencies do run over our property rights. Connie Schreier, local attorney, made comments such as the economy in Eureka has been stinko ( yep – she said Stinko ) for quite some time. And that there is no way to stop Trophy homes such as the gentlemen I spoke of earlier suggested. She made comments that government agencies should govern Roads, Protecting Water, managing septic systems, manage intrusions such as dust, light, smells and such, and that people should not have to keep their large acreage large so that others can look at it.
Joe Purdy of Montana Properties LLC commented on the fact that 90% of our area is public lands, and asked the question, how much more do you want. He also spoke of forest service and government land trades.
I am not claiming to know for sure what Joe had in mind. However, I do think he makes a valid point. There has been a lot of land swaps, and government agencies that have sold and are selling land to private companies. We are now seeing that these private companies such as Owens and Hurst, are developing their lands and making big money off what was once government land.
Also we hear in the news a lot about the Forest Service land going up for sale. I know that this idea has been shot down for the most part, but the fact that it was a consideration means that it will eventually happen. So when the government decides to sell their land or participate in land trades and developers split up this land than the government and the developers make money and the locals do not.
So if you stop the locals from developing now, or limit development to keep open spaces, but you let the bigger companies do this with land swaps and so on, then you've really hurt the local people now, but government agencies can basically do what they want.
This is so true here, such as the county makes you build to certain specs for your road/driveway entrance, almost without consideration of the future of what the highway will do. So you spend thousands of dollars on your approach to meet county specs in order to build a subdivision or just a driveway and then the highway department comes in and says we are taking that land or widening the Highway and the negotiations began to destroy this work that you've done. It's a case of the right hand not knowing what the left hand is doing.
All of the state and government agencies cannot get together and know what every single department is doing. So you must stand up for your own rights and pay attention yourself, you must know the laws and be able to act on your own behalf. And you must sit down intelligently with officials and explain in writing or in person why you feel what you feel and what solutions you see as best for you.
I do see a frenzy year of land development. I think that the land is being developed to fast and habitat is being compromised. So I understand the county might want to create wildlife corridor and keep open spaces. In talking about this some people are very threatened because they think that the county want to take their rights away so they can’t develop that land so that, say the elk can use it. But this is now what the county wants or needs to do. The county will have to provide funds so that these people that leave these corridors will get the same benefit as to whether they developed it or not.
This may be financial subsidies for these lands or other solutions that will ease the pain of them leaving this land for wildlife corridor use. Standing up and fighting or yelling about property rights is not going to get an intelligent solution down on paper that we can actually act upon. I understand how some people may be upset, when they decide after the growth plan to develop their land and they have to consider the elk herds, when the public golf course did not have to consider the Elk, for more on their property most of the time.
Golf and elk do not mix and it is my understanding that the elk will destroy the greens and will destroy the landscaping of the homes around this golf course and this will lead to keeping the elk out. Now I am not exactly sure what happened between Quirk Cattle Company and Fish Wildlife and Parks, but I can imagine, because I have dealt with Fish Wildlife and Parks and them running over land owner rights. Rumor has it that Fish Wildlife and Parks got into some sort of an issue to with these folks over the elk and these folks simply put up a very tall fence to keep the elk out of around 6000 acres.
Now if this government agency can not be diplomatic and sensitive enough to the needs of the locals to resolve this problem how can we possibly move forward to try and make private landowners reduced development to protect the elk and government agencies such as this are not able to work out deals with large landowners for up to habitat or to be able to buy large pieces of land to protect the elk. Lincoln County could lead, for example, by a large amount of land north of Eureka for elk habitat and solve some of these issues without the chaos.
Our community is very diverse, and we have people here who like to walk without the noise of snow mobilers, ATV’s and motorcycles, and we have those who absolutely love this sport, we have those who love to ride horses and those who love to walk trails without horses being on them, we have to find a way to provide micro environments for each one of these groups to key people from fighting over these issues year after year.
For example Jewel Basin wilderness has some areas where horses cannot be and therefore leaving the land to the hikers. With all of these issues that will come up in Lincoln County. They are all our solutions. Just as there was solutions between loggers, environmentalists and the forest service, but the emotions were so hot that the solutions were never found and now logging is not a substantial business here.
I have a degree in forestry, and worked on forest inventory crews. I personally performed surveys in which I noted that in the case of major clear cuts, where seed trees were left standing, and of course later fell over because of the short root structure, I mean this is forestry 101, when a stand of timber is all growing close together, the root structure is not as deep and long as trees that are on the open by themselves. So if you are going to leave a seed tree, than you need to leave them in a group, a small clumb or they WILL come down in the next big wind.
The next thing they do after this clearcut, is to hire a crew to plant trees. This costs hundreds of thousands of dollars. It is done in the Spring and than in the fall, just as the young trees get use to their environment and have a chance to make it, the Forest Service opens up the clear cut to “Open Range, Have you Seen what a COW Plop does to a seedling tree. One plop and its over. So a large portion of the trees are killed or eaten.
So because of the way a forest was managed there was not huge success in the rejuvenation process and this was somehow blamed on loggers. There was a line long ago, a place where loggers and Environmentalist could have agreed, but the way the forest was managed led to chaos, things got out of control – lawsuits entered the picture and the wrong people paid for it.
The local timber companies blamed the Environmentalists when really they were still making big money, and to this day are Real Estate Moguls.
The government wants to sell their lands, and this is in the media I do feel this will happen some day. Especially if they are forced to not log these lands and they want to log these lands, the solution is to sell the land to private companies who can then log the land and do what they want to do via private landowner rights.
We must be able to be nice to each other, be thoughtful and intelligent and find solutions that everybody can agree to and not just fight about it. I don't think that the planning Board or the county is trying, at this time, to come in and say you can’t develop your land. This simply was a period to find solutions and set a growth plan, not out of the goodness of their heart or of the people but because it was State Required and State Budgeted.
It is not yet a factor of eminent domain. The county is really still just beginning the process of putting a plan into action. And the feedback that's coming in, such as that last night's meeting at the Lincoln County high school seems to be directed towards a feeling that the county is threatening development and economic growth and wishing to “stick it to the locals” as one comment was made. The Lincoln County planning Board and county officials are simply opening the process, they do not have all the answers and if we do not give them constructive solution oriented comments and feedback, how can they come up with a constructive plan.
If all we can say is you had better not step on private rights, then how can that help them to make solutions. They are not going to step on private rights .Most often in these situations, the loudest voices are heard, and the folks with the most money, seem to be the loudest voices. Now if you Eureka folks, are not coming to these meetings and telling these folks via e-mail or in person what you really want to see happen in Eureka Montana. Then they will not even consider you.
I met Mary Klinkham, and she seems to a strong woman with an open mind. She seemed willing to listen to concerns and address issues. At this particular meeting there was a gal from the Bull Lake area that dominated comments. Her concerns were not really clear to me, I think she basically does not want the county to tell her what she can and can't do.
And that she is an activist for a private landowner's rights. However she discussed situations in the state of Washington that she had been through and not wanting that to happen here. Rumor at the meeting was that her situation in Washington was possibly of her own creating, and that she had possibly disturbed wetlands and violated timber cutting laws of that particular county or state law.
I do not claim to know exactly what the situation was where she came from. I know that her concerns are legitimate, and feel she's an intelligent woman with valid points.
However, it seems that each town in Lincoln County has its own diverse issues and that a county wide meeting for growth is a waste of time. .For example, ‘The chain of Lakes” in the “Happy’s Inn” area which is outside of Troy, and the Bull Lake area seem to be directly affected by the Mega land sales that is now under way with Plum Creek Timber company selling off their land.
It was said that Plum Creek owns 12% of Lincoln County. With this I am saying that each area has such a unique circumstance, that there needs to be a meeting in each area for the planning of that area, and I hate to say this but people from the other areas should not have attended this meeting. How can we be heard on a particular situations in our particular area if people come from the other places in the county and dominate our meetings.
I realize that linking county's growth plan has to be countywide. However being a Lincoln County native, and having relatives in Troy Libby and Eureka in my life I can say that Libby Montana and Eureka Montana are very different communities and possibly the growth plan should treat them differently.
For example Eureka does not have major environmental clean up situations to the magnitude Libby has. We did not have W.R. Grace and as sad and sick as it is and situations that Libby had dealing with this crisis.
We do not have a large grocery store, we do not have a store such as Rosaurs or Pamida. Eureka is seen more of a growth spurt than Libby, in my opinion and with the wilderness club, Eureka is s seeing a lot of publicity. Eureka Montana and Lake Koocanusa are in several mountain magazines, resort magazines, and many other magazines that have a huge demographic and subscriber base.
There is a trend, for golf course resorts to be designed by celebrity golfers, such as the one here with Nick Faldo and the one in Sandpoint at www.TheIdahoClub.com which is a Jack Nicklaus Signature Golf Course. This inevitably draws attention on a town in a major way and influences our growth, based on this advertising.
This publicity is based on Eureka Montana. This is not about Libby. Our area concerns are unique to our area. And many developers are seeing this as a money making potential here in Eureka Montana because of the wilderness club. Nothing will stop the wilderness club from being successful. They have the money to do what they're doing, they have the politics in order, they are dealing with surrounding neighbors and water issues, and they are bringing something to the community that most of us are uncomfortable with because change is scary and development is bad.
A Note about Meth
I personally can say that I have seen real estate in areas where Meth had consumed the area, there are really no police force, and the local economy almost seemed to be based on drugs. Now in this type of economy you cannot get your money out of your real estate. Something is going to move into Eureka Montana, we are prime for takeover. We have to decide which direction we want to go, we want to live in and see if we can't be that friendly little town I hear so much about.
Growth In Eureka
What Do I Think.. I wish that large land holders would keep their land large.
But I do understand that some land owners feel they must develop to get the most money from their land. I Suspect their Realtor has convinced them of this. Development means doubles commission, selling once is only good for the Seller.
However I am convinced, without a doubt, that you can make more money keeping your land whole than in chopping your land into small parcels..
If you watch the nightly business report's, or read agricultural news you see that the trend is amenity ranches and the buying of large acreage ranches by folks that are getting out of the cities and want lots of land around them.
I feel that large acreage is very valuable and if you Keep the Family ranch whole than you can use the whole State of Montana to base your appraisal on.. They can use ranches that are like kind and therefore this makes the ranch land sometimes more valuable than the smaller pieces. If you chop the ranch you are stuck with the local comparable sales for your appraisal
For example if a ranch similar to your ranch sales in Bozeman or whitefish Montana then, it is my understanding, that you can use this as a comparable property when appraising your ranch. So therefore five acre parcels or two acre parcels all over your 200 acre ranch may not bring you more money than keeping it larch.
You can also sometimes convince large corporations, nature Conservancy, Sierra Club, grizzly protection people, wildlife and wetland protection groups and other groups to buy your property to protect it from development. And they may pay top dollar to do this.
I have read stories about the state of Montana and other government agencies buying land to protect things such as the Alberton Gorge in the recent news.
So if you care about your land and you care about lincoln county, wildlife, water, and our way of life then look into other ways that you can get the dollar amount you need from your property, while still keeping it whole. You may be surprised at what can really happen. And still leave a legacy for your children.
Also I do understand that a lot of local folks are making money in the building industry. I understand that when people say everybody with a hammer is a contractor, that this is not too far from the truth.
With the current construction climate and looming construction fraud lawsuits, this industry may seriously change and these folks that are just swinging a hammer with no real training may lose their jobs anyway.
I feel that Eureka needs to be educated on how to make money on the Internet and other creative ways that they can do what they love to do, and make money and then have time to spend in the lifestyle of northwest Montana that they love.
I feel that development is here to stay. And that to protect our way of life and our quality of life we must have laws in place and we must enforce those laws. At the top of my list is building codes, and folks that actually enforce them.
We need to let the public know their rights in construction fraud and we need to provide realistic goals into to monitor these contractors that are building moldy homes that are falling down and ruining homeowners lives. Folks need to know their rights.
And the builders keep moving on and keep building houses and they have no recourse they are ruining people's lives. We know who these builders are, why can't we stop them.
As far as trophy homes, and that people seem to be so worried about, there are no trophy homes here that I know of. I have heard of some around Glen Lake where the Alberta folks are bringing in engineers and designing homes and these homes might be great homes but for the most part folks don't design homes with engineers here in Eureka Montana. They built a home and they sell it to an unsuspecting buyer. As far as real estate goes there is no end in sight to the type of real estate development that is coming here. It will not slow down and the only way to manage it is to work within the system as it is already moving along.
And you put some rules in place that will protect wildlife and will protect our way of life without thinking we're going to stop development. It makes me sad to see some of these giant roads going into places. However it is not my land and I do not have a right to tell them they can't do it. I would hope that people would find better solutions than subdivision.
However people will subdivide, some folks will develop and housing communities will come in and then hopefully we will have some good restaurants and coffee houses along with this. And hopefully we will have some quality construction with this.
And the best that we can hope for is the highest amount of integrity during the process and it is a waste of time to sit around and fight about what is going to happen or not when it is already happening. We need to be solution oriented and not just yap at public officials about things that are out of their control, really because development is already here to stay.
In regard to the sticking it to the locals comment, this was in regard to the fact that if you take away development, which the county could really never take away, then the folks who now make a living cleaning, building homes,…. And other construction related to income would lose their current way of income.
The only reason some locals are making money at this, is because there seems to be no other way to make money here. However, as I have stated in previous posts, there is money to be made on the Internet. And people just need to learn how to make money and not necessarily depend on the land to make the money.
Selling a property is not a long-term economic growth solution, they get the money and then what? I understand that there are a lot of jobs now related to the construction industry. However I also know that the majority of the construction that is going on here now is faulty and shoddy. And that law suits and construction Law will soon change the industry here and those folks may end up losing their jobs anyway. Every person, every family needs to find a way to make an income and do something they can be proud of, and to find a way to make money that last their entire career.
And jumping into the housing boom is not necessarily a long-term economic benefit to one particular household. It may be a short time boom in economic growth. And I realize that Eureka folks need jobs.
However, my concern is that Eureka gets jobs that they can count on for 10, 20, 30 years or more and not a flash in the pan jobs that give them short-term income and no benefits.
And a lot of times these jobs that are given by developers that move into the area to build all of these homes and they do not necessarily treat these workers with the respect they deserve.
SMART GROWTH COMMENTS From me:I have a written in earlier posts about Smart growth possibly being a good idea.
I just wanted to tell you folks here that though I think it may be a good idea, this is only for selfish reasons because I would like to look at the open spaces.
However I would never live in this type of community because I am a local gal and I do not want to live right next to somebody else, this is not the reason I stayed in Montana.
So I understand those who do not want smart growth, because it would be nicer to have five acres around you to Garden, have a horse, and spread out a bit, instead of being right next to your neighbor and looking in a pasture where everybody's horses are mixed together for example. So the dream of living in Montana is not really living in a smart growth community.
I do understand this solution for Missoula. But Missoula Montana is already a cities and smart growth at this time is a good idea. But we do not live in the city, and for obvious reasons. More on my Opinion Later..
I am not claiming for this article/post to be 100% accurate, it is my best interpretation of the meeting and the situation and linking county northwest Montana at this point in time, regarding development and growth plans.
If you doubt a fact that is in this article, please look up the fact and post it on your blog and send me a link. As far as my opinion, everybody has one and my point of posting this on my blog is to inform you of what is going on from the perspective of ONE. You most likely will not see me at all the meetings. I probably won't even go to another one.
Because for the most part I am one of those locals, who feels like my opinion on how things should go is not the way they're going to go anyway so why bother. However I did fill out a survey online, I don't know whether was counted or not. And I have the made some of my opinions known this is really the best I can do .The Growth Plan Draft...I found to be quite boring, had old data and really did not have a Solution. I
will have to say when the gentlemen from the Crystal Lakes area spoke about the poverty level of Eureka and it being the poorest part of the county I did Crinch.
Quite a lot of folks make pretty good money and than today as I am ready over the pages of the draft I see on the front page of the ECONOMY section that Per Capita Eureka has the highest income levels in the county. Yet the meetings deciding our fate are always in Libby, Libby has the most police force and is still consider more of a viable economic hub than Eureka. However, until they get their signature golf club... Eureka's growth rate has a higher economic value on it.. It is that simple.
Crystal L. Cox
4/5/07
Friends of the Shelter
Eureka Pets...
By Krista Tincher
Of the Tobacco Valley News
Concerns about the closure of the Eureka Animal Shelter have left some community members scratching their heads.
“I think it’s scary,” said Lori McNicol, an active member of the Friends of the Shelter, a non-profit volunteer organization that fosters unwanted animals until homes can be found for them. McNicol said that when it was open, the Eureka Animal Shelter filled up with animals quickly. On the day the county closed the Eureka Animal Shelter closed, the Friends of the Shelter picked up nine cats and nine dogs from the shelter. But with the shelter on an extended closure the Friends of the Shelter has had surprisingly few requests to take animals, and according to McNicol, the animal control facility in Libby hasn’t had to impound many.
“They (the animals) didn’t just stop happening,” added McNicol.
Of the Tobacco Valley News
Concerns about the closure of the Eureka Animal Shelter have left some community members scratching their heads.
“I think it’s scary,” said Lori McNicol, an active member of the Friends of the Shelter, a non-profit volunteer organization that fosters unwanted animals until homes can be found for them. McNicol said that when it was open, the Eureka Animal Shelter filled up with animals quickly. On the day the county closed the Eureka Animal Shelter closed, the Friends of the Shelter picked up nine cats and nine dogs from the shelter. But with the shelter on an extended closure the Friends of the Shelter has had surprisingly few requests to take animals, and according to McNicol, the animal control facility in Libby hasn’t had to impound many.
“They (the animals) didn’t just stop happening,” added McNicol.
“It scares me to wonder where they are.”
Some people have adjusted to the closure by putting up posters, calling the Friends of the Shelter, or fostering animals themselves, added Debbie Garrison, another Friends of the Shelter member. “But some others are just very frustrated,” she noted. “It’s easy for them to take a sack of kittens and throw them over a bridge. I’ve had people tell me that’s how they deal with kittens.” They have had many reports of animals being dropped off in people’s yards, as well.
The Eureka Animal Shelter closed in early January due to a staff illness. County officials decided to shut the shelter down rather than hiring a temporary replacement.
People with unwanted pets have been directed to first call the Friends of the Shelter. If no space is available there, a Libby animal control representative will come up to Eureka and retrieve the animals. Emergency situations, such as dog bites, should be directed to the Eureka dispatch.
According to McNicol and Garrison, this situation has not been effective. “People like being anonymous,” said McNicol. She added that for some people, “calling a person and asking isn’t an option.” It’s much easier to drop a dog in somebody’s yard, she said.
“Our police department is understaffed as it is,” Garrison said. She emphasized that in past instances, by the time officers had time to respond to reports of animals at large,
Some people have adjusted to the closure by putting up posters, calling the Friends of the Shelter, or fostering animals themselves, added Debbie Garrison, another Friends of the Shelter member. “But some others are just very frustrated,” she noted. “It’s easy for them to take a sack of kittens and throw them over a bridge. I’ve had people tell me that’s how they deal with kittens.” They have had many reports of animals being dropped off in people’s yards, as well.
The Eureka Animal Shelter closed in early January due to a staff illness. County officials decided to shut the shelter down rather than hiring a temporary replacement.
People with unwanted pets have been directed to first call the Friends of the Shelter. If no space is available there, a Libby animal control representative will come up to Eureka and retrieve the animals. Emergency situations, such as dog bites, should be directed to the Eureka dispatch.
According to McNicol and Garrison, this situation has not been effective. “People like being anonymous,” said McNicol. She added that for some people, “calling a person and asking isn’t an option.” It’s much easier to drop a dog in somebody’s yard, she said.
“Our police department is understaffed as it is,” Garrison said. She emphasized that in past instances, by the time officers had time to respond to reports of animals at large,
the animals had disappeared.
Not to mention, Garrison pointed out, “it’s a service that we’ve all already paid for in our taxes. As a taxpayer, I’m frustrated. The citizens of Eureka should be disappointed in the decision to shut the animal shelter down as opposed to finding an alternative route.”
“We’re happy to help the county where we can, and we’re more than pleased that they asked us to help, but our resources are limited, and we are not law enforcement,” added Garrison. She noted that the Friends of the Shelter does not have a facility to temporarily house animals, and that they are a “non-profit volunteer organization running solely upon donations and dependent upon the generosity of local businesses and residents, whereas the
Eureka animal facility is funded by tax dollars.”
Ron Anderson, Lincoln County’s sanitarian in Libby whose department
oversees animal control, saw the closure differently.
“I think it’s worked fairly well. We haven’t heard any backlash,” Anderson commented. There is concern that people are going to deal with animals the “old fashioned way,” he added. “I can’t see anyone going back to pitching bags of kittens in a river.
I think society has gone further that that.”
Anderson denied a rumor that the animal shelter in Eureka would be permanently closed. He emphasized that this was not true. “Our intent is to get the facility open as soon as we get our staff back,” he said. He added that it “takes a long time for a person to be acclimated to animal control,” and that the closure was too short-term to realistically hire a temporary replacement. He could not comment on when the shelter would reopen.
Anderson emphasized that people with unwanted animals should first call the Friends of the Shelter. If the Friends of the Shelter cannot accommodate the animal,
the Libby animal control facility should be notified.
“We feel that we are providing adequate
animal control services there,” Anderson added.
“We don’t feel that the public has been left unguarded.”
Check Out the Friends of the Shelter Website at
www.Friends-Of-The-Shelter.com
www.Friends-Of-The-Shelter.com
MIP Outing
MIP Outing
Did you Read in paper about the citation handed out for MIP, of high school students when they were "caught on tape" and this was played at school and turned over by the principal. MIP has been a major problem in our area according to officials and this a major break in "putting our foot down" to stop this. With YouTube and the new cell phones that allow video streaming live from the phone and web cams we may be able to stop broken glass, shooting up and stealing of signs and a number of crimes that have been committed with no suspects conficted. Keep on taping folks, turn your tape over to the police and lets just DO THE RIGHT THING !!
Did you Read in paper about the citation handed out for MIP, of high school students when they were "caught on tape" and this was played at school and turned over by the principal. MIP has been a major problem in our area according to officials and this a major break in "putting our foot down" to stop this. With YouTube and the new cell phones that allow video streaming live from the phone and web cams we may be able to stop broken glass, shooting up and stealing of signs and a number of crimes that have been committed with no suspects conficted. Keep on taping folks, turn your tape over to the police and lets just DO THE RIGHT THING !!
3/31/07
Planning Board
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.
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.
3/28/07
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.
_______________________
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 commissioner
By 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.”
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By 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.”
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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
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