Letters
Saved by our ship
We would like to express our gratitude for the assistance on Flathead Lake this weekend from the Lake County Sheriff’s department. A sudden loss of power had us drifting towards shore on choppy waters, and putting us in a potentially dangerous situation. Little did we know that the first time we saw the new sheriff’s boat in the Memorial Day Parade, that the next time would be to provide help to us on the Lake.
We thank officer’s Miller and Lundeen for the above and beyond assistance they both gave in getting us back to safety.
With much appreciation,
Gayle and Helen Siemers
Polson
Us versus Them
Over fifty years ago I heard that our great country was divided by Us versus Them. At that time Us was ninety per cent and Them was ten per cent. About twenty years ago it shifted to where Us were ninety-five per cent and Them were five per cent. In the past year or two it has become Us are the ninety-nine per cent and Them are the one per cent.
Even though Us keeps increasing in numbers, we have never gained in power. That is the way it was and the way it will alway be unless the ninety-nine per cent remove the ability of the one per cent to buy the politicians.
Public financing of national elections is the only pathway to level the playing field between Us and Them. Eventually that will result in lower taxes for everyone because the special considerations given to the one per cent cost us many times over what tax dollars spent on guaranteeing true representative government will deliver.
My message to the Occupy Wall Street people and similar movements is to spend your efforts campaigning for public financing of elections and you may find yourselves on the winning side for a change.
Peter Daniels
Polson
DNRC Disclaimer
Live off the Rez? Not worried about reserved water rights? Well the DNRC is, as you may read below.
“This right is subject to all prior Indian reserved water rights of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes in the source of supply. It is the Tribe’s position that the exercise of junior water rights either within or outside of the exterior boundaries of the Flathead Indian Reservation may affect the reserved water rights of the Tribe within the exterior boundaries of the Reservation. It is the Tribe’s position that the economic investments made in reliance upon this right do not create in the appropriator any equity or vested right against the Tribes. The appropriator is hereby notified that any financial outlay or work invested in a project pursuant to this right is at appropriator’s risk. The issuance of this right does not reduce the appropriator’s liability for damage caused by the exercise of the right. It does not make the Department liable for damage caused by the exercise of the right nor is the Department liable for any loss to the appropriator caused by the exercise of senior reserved water rights.”
No, this is not on the Rez. This is what appears on a water right transfer off the Rez. You can find it on the DNRC web site. Or the Western Montana Water Rights web site.
First line: We are talking about reserved water rights, not treaty or aboriginal rights. Reserved rights are strictly on the Rez. How did the reserved rights get off the Rez, to which your transferred rights are “subject to”? There is no law or ruling defining reserved rights off the Rez, any Rez -- see the Bilodeau Analysis.
Second line: “ ... the exercise of junior water rights either within or outside of the exterior boundaries ...” that would seem to include, among others, upper Flathead basin, Hungry Horse, etc. Surface or ground water? As the Tribe makes no distinction between surface and ground, most likely both. Do you have senior rights ... or thought you had? As evidenced and reinforced by the DNRC, you just may be junior. Again, “... outside the exterior boundaries...”
Read it again. At your risk, without recourse. Not even through the DNRC / Water Court. Does this affect the property values? If you are grandfathered in without the above phraseology, what’s you property’s new value without the “grandfather”. Dumb buyer will never know. Nervous sellers will disclose. Or will they? Realtors beware.
Is this strictly for the Flathead? That’s not where it first occurred. Another county. Not Lake. Please be aware.
Christopher Chavasse
Ronan