Letters to the editor

Feb. 18

Mining should stop

I am writing to you today concerning the mining on the base of Chief Cliff Mountain in Elmo.

Chief Cliff has been around since the beginning of time according to the Kootenai creation story and is a very special and significant sacred site to not just the Kootenai people of Elmo, but to the other six bands that make up the Kootenai Nation.

Ever since I was a little boy, I have looked up at Chief Cliff as my grandparents and ancestors have also done since time immemorial.  Now, the people look up at Chief Cliff and see the mining going on up there and it’s hurting the people’s hearts.

The land that is being mined is on private property and we have no control over what happens there. The company that has been mining there has been asked to stop and wouldn’t. All they think about is the money they will make from mining and not the damage that this is causing the Kootenai Nation if anything happens to this site.

One of the resolutions is to add Chief Cliff to the National Register of Historic Places. I’ve heard this is a long process and I don’t know how long Chief Cliff or the people can withstand the mining. There is urgency to this matter and I would like to see it resolved.

I would like to thank you for your time and consideration for taking the time to read my letter regarding a most important issue facing the Kootenai people of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes. Taxas.

Amlu Caye, Elmo

Give MVA a thought

Yesterday, Feb. 9, I sat with six other people in Teggeman’s home in our South Hills community listening to an inspiring and professional presentation on the Mission Valley Aquatic Center “Make a Splash, Change a Life” plans by Tana Seeley, who is the project director.

Without going into the details so thoroughly covered verbally by Tana and in the well-developed packet of materials on this approximately $7.4 million project, my purpose in this letter is to just be one citizen voice, through the media, to encourage public awareness and increased knowledge for this most wonderfully conceptualized and needed project. And, of course, to encourage monetary donations so needed.

Prior to yesterday, I must admit I knew very little about the Mission Valley Aquatic Center and did not even have much real interest in it, actually. But like so many very beneficial things in life that have simply passed me by through my rather lazy attitude toward such things, I found myself really getting excited about the possibility of our beautiful Mission Valley actually having this marvelous facility.

MVA has an impressive board of directors, has identified a definite need, has brought on just the right consultants and is moving this magnificent project forward in a very well orchestrated manner.

I thought the “One Vision” statement superb: “We have a vision. We see every child in the Mission Valley having the chance to learn how to swim. We see every family enjoying the opportunity to grow strong together in spirit, mind, and body. We see a healthy community with an improved quality of life.”

Now, I realize, I am often “behind the curve” on things like this, but I felt the need to begin my own little grass-roots effort with this letter encouraging all of us in this valley to become informed on this and provide whatever support we can.

And the value, presently, of these one-on-one small gatherings is a brilliant and effective marketing tool. I urge you to call the Mission Valley Aquatics A Pool for the Valley at 883-4567, talk with Tana, or whomever answers, and be a part of this important community project. You can also e-mail them at mvaquatics@polson.net. The  Web site www.mvaquatics.org.

Bob McClellan, Polson

Seeking the truth

In reply to Gene Johnson’s Feb. 11 letter to the editor. In the letter he said, “What if the evidence it revealed via the wait (even if it is very long time) is nothing.” What then? Would a “religious” believer eventually be willing to say, “Maybe I could be wrong about this?” I would think a “religious” believer would say they were wrong.

If there is no Christ the Savior, we’re all in the same boat and we’ve lost nothing, except saying I was wrong. If there is Christ the Savior, we’ve gained eternal life and I do believe every knee shall bow and every tongue confess Jesus is lord.

Marilyn Humphrey, Polson

Get involved in fire talks

I attended the Rural Fire District Trustee meeting of Feb. 10. Right from the start it was clear that two trustees were in favor of making the new fire station (at the fairgrounds) a fully active station and the other two trustees sided with the fire chief in wanting it to be used as a warehouse for brush trucks and old equipment and the City rescue boat.

One trustee was absent which made the board evenly split over many hotly contested issues.

Trustees Laisy and Meslin wanted the fire chief to make it a priority to recruit and train fire fighters for the new station, but trustees Clapp and Nelson sided with the fire chief and several Polson fire fighters in the audience.

I know there was talk about splitting the fire fighters, and delaying response time to calls; but why be against recruiting and training to get the new station active?

Residents: Wouldn’t the ideal fire protection be two active stations? Why did we, the residents, spend a quarter of a million dollars for a building if it’s not going to provide added protection for the thousands of people living north of the bridge?

 Recently, the bridge was closed for two attempted suicides and one extra-wide load. Fortunately, there apparently was no other emergency call during those times. But what if a house north of the bridge had caught on fire? Big Arm Fire Company is 12 miles away and Irving Flats Fire Company is more than 15 miles away.

I understand that you can’t put new recruits onto fire equipment, but why wouldn’t the fire chief be willing to assign some of the experienced fire fighters who live north of the bridge to that station to work with those recruits?

A Polson fire fighter suggested taking the fire engine from Big Arm and place it in the new station rather than one engine from the city station. Don’t we have some kind of agreement with Polson to share in equipment? How will taking the engine from Big Arm give better protection to those residents?

Many of the issues before the Board are critical to the District’s fire protection, and have become contentious between the two points of view.

Rural Fire District residents, please pay attention. Do you want an active fire station north of the bridge? Do Big Arm residents want to keep their fire fighting equipment? Do residents south of the bridge want brush and grass fire fighting equipment on the south side?

Please contact your trustees. Please attend the next trustee meeting. Let your voice be heard.

Roger Rogers, Big Arm