Formal agreement reached on Mission Range Event Center

RONAN — A memorandum of agreement was signed last week following months of work, which will make the Mission Range Event Center a reality, representing a cooperative effort between the Salish and Kootenai Tribes, the City of Ronan and the county.

The agreement stated the group's intent to develop a site for recreational use, possible funding options and the group's intent to work together.

"Everyone had the same type of vision for a valleywide building and we thought there was no sense in having two of the same type of buildings. So why not work together to make one?" Ronan Mayor Kim Aipperspach said.

The memorandum of understanding was signed by county commissioner Paddy Trusler, Aipperspach and Tribal Council Vice Chairman Carole Lankford.

The MREC agreement formally brings together three voting members, one from each agency that includes a Tribal councilperson, city council person, and county commissioner or a delegated representative from each party. The group also has a number of members that are working together on the project.

The Mission Range Event Center will be a community center with a host of activities for all ages. Those activities are still in the planning stages, along with the architecture for the building, but the group has purchased the building site.

"The building will be on the west end of town between Main Street and the softball fields. We purchased that about a year and a half ago," Aipperspach said. "We hope to have the finalized plan for the construction by the end of this year."

The MREC committeee hopes that their project will have great cultural and recreational importance and they are working together in monthly meetings to plan the details.

"It will be a community center but right now it's in the very preliminary stages about what will be in the building," Lankford said.

The group will work together to reduce costs and utilize each agency's strengths. They have agreed to "assure that the efforts of each party will complement those of the other."

Each party will provide funds for the project from other interested civic organizations or funds from federal, state or Tribal grants.

This agreement "will be in effect for 25 years" unless one of the entities terminates the agreement by giving a 30-day written notice.

The Mission Range Event Center Complex will need a logo and the group talked about the best way to recruit area talent to the design project.

"The label should reflect the multi-cultural diversity of the area," member Billie Lee said.

It was decided that the logo contest would be open to all residents of Lake County and the Flathead Reservation.