Letters - April 24
Fort Connah a local gem
We have a real historic treasure in our valley. It is the historic Fort Connah Trading Post. It sits east of Highway 93, about halfway between St. Ignatius and Ronan. It is a small log building out in the field and is surrounded by two other small log structures. Post Creek gets its name because the trading post was established near its bank.
The British-owned Hudson Bay Company established the post to do trading with the Indians of what is now known as western Montana, north Idaho and eastern Washington. The Indians were mainly Salish, Pend O’reilles, Kalispells and Kootenais.
The post was started by Neil MacArthur and completed in 1847 by Angus McDonald. McDonald was a young Scot in his ninth year of service to the Hudson Bay Company. He operated the trading post for its first five years. He then supervised the operation of it from Fort Colville in Washington. The company purchased braided rope that was made from sinew from the buffalo and hair from the buffalo’s neck and tail. The company also purchased hides from beaver, buffalo, tallow, pemmican and other dressed skins. The purchases were made with trade goods. Favorite trade goods for the Indians were blankets, knives, hatchets, cooking utensils, beads, guns and ammunition.
The post operated for 23 years under several different traders. The last post director was Duncan McDonald, Angus’ son. The post was closed under the direction of Duncan. It was closed shortly after the area was settled as a U.S. territory and not British territory.
The post had the title “Fort”, which was a name the Hudson Bay Company used for marketing. It was never a military post and was never surrounded by a stockade. It consisted of two dwelling houses 25 by 15 feet, a storehouse of 30 by 15 feet and a horse yard of 80 by 60 feet.
The fact that Fort Connah was the first building in our area and the first commercial business in our area makes the fort truly historically significant. One of the original buildings still stands and is probably the oldest standing original structure in Montana. The logs making up the walls are 167 years old.
Saturday, May 3 and Sunday, May 4, an open house and rendezvous will be held at the fort. A small group of people dedicated to the preservation of the fort and dedicated to portraying the life and importance of the early fur traders will be the hosts. They make up the Fort Connah Historical Society. The public is invited to visit the post and partake in the activities. Volunteers will be on hand to talk about the history of the fort and fur trade. They will also host the rendezvous games and portray frontier lifestyle and post activity.
Joe McDonald, Chair
Fort Connah Restoration Society
Kudos to Gale Decker
I am writing this letter to express my gratitude to Gale Decker for bringing his concerns about Ronan School District’s finances to the community’s attention. I, too, am a concerned taxpayer and appreciate the fact that Mr. Decker is questioning the board on these financial decisions. He brings up some valid points. Gale has been consistently asking questions at the school board meetings and in emails to the school board, but fails to get concrete answers or explanations to his questions. Thank you, Gale Decker, for not being afraid or intimidated to ask these questions. More of us in the community need to follow your example and let our voices be heard.
As taxpayers in this district, we all should be more proactive and involved in the decisions that impact our pocketbooks. The school is funded by our tax dollars and you can see how much is allocated on your current property tax statement. Even if you do not have children currently attending Ronan School District, you still have to pay those taxes designated for school funding!
Therefore, I urge you to get involved and have a say in how your money is spent. You can do this in several ways. First, make sure to vote in the upcoming school election. This is a mail ballot and needs to be filled out and returned by May 6. I urge you to get to know the candidate and vote for the person who you trust to listen to your opinions and spend your money appropriately. There will be a candidate forum held on April 23 at 7 p.m. in the Performing Arts Center. This will be a great way to listen to the candidates and hear where they stand on the issues facing our district. Second, you can attend the monthly school board meetings. They are held the second Monday of each month at 7 p.m. in the Ronan High School library. The monthly agenda is posted to the school website www.ronank12.edu or at the district office. Last but not least, you can contact your school board trustee, either by phone, email, or by simply writing a letter.
Once again, kudos go out to Gale Decker for being a strong voice in our community.
Joell Conklin
Ronan
Horning for commissioner
We need elected officials, including County Commissioners, who hold the principle of private property in the highest regard. They should understand that the right to property is essential to individual and societal freedom. James Madison said it clearly: “Government is instituted to protect property of every sort..., that alone is a just government, which impartially secures to every man that which is his own.”
I am supporting Rory Horning in his effort to be elected to the office of County Commissioner. I am convinced that Rory will not compromise our property rights by making wrong assumptions about the role of government pertaining to our property. Wrong assumptions that lead to things like the Lake County “density plan” or collective “land use planning” that violate individual private property rights.
Rory understands that in a free society, individual ownership and control of private property is paramount rather than subservient to the wishes and will of government.
Lets work to begin restoring private property rights in Lake County. Lets elect Rory Horning to be County Commissioner.
Rick Jore
Ronan
Thanks from the PVFD
Members of the Polson Volunteer Fire Department would like to extend their appreciation and thanks to the PVFD Auxiliary for all their time and effort in hosting the Firefighters Appreciation Ball held on March 15 at the Kwa TaqNuk Resort in Polson. The annual event is held to honor and show support of all the volunteers in the fire department. As such, many individuals and businesses donate items for a silent auction as well as attend the dinner and awards. During last week’s meeting at the fire department, the Auxiliary presented a check for $11,000 to the PVFD membership and asked that it be used for PPE or personal protective equipment. This money was raised by the Auxiliary through donations to the Ball over the past several years. The generosity of the donations is well appreciated by the department and will be used in furtherance of protecting the firefighters in serving the public.
In addition, the Auxiliary is looking for additional members. Anyone wishing to become involved in helping out and supporting the fire department should contact the Fire Chief, John Fairchild, at 883-8220.
Jane Clapp
Chair, Public Relations, PVFD
Flathead Irrigation District should reverse its costly decision
On April 14, the Flathead Irrigation District board held its first regular meeting since the breakup of the FJCB in December. Based on the agenda and discussion it’s clear that the Flathead Irrigation District (FID) is going down the lawsuit path not only with respect to the compact but also the recent resumption of project management by the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA).
The BIA is retaking management control over the project because the FID failed to join the Jocko and Mission districts and sign a revised Cooperative Management Entity agreement that would have maintained local control over project management. One speaker during the meeting cited a number of examples of how BIA bureaucratic procedures are having negative impacts on project operations, maintenance, personnel and costs.
But before the Flathead Irrigation District board challenges the BIA decision in court, it should talk to the BIA to see if it would be possible to reverse the takeover if the FID signed the CME agreement.
Dick Erb
Moiese
Concerning senior services
The number of senior citizens in Lake County is rising and is expected to increase drastically over the next ten years. The over-60 years-of-age portion of the county’s population is expected to jump from between 20 and 25 percent to about 40 percent in that time.
The elderly receive a myriad of services from local agencies and senior citizens centers. Those services include home-delivered and congregate meals, transportation for medical and other purposes, nursing home ombudsmen, in-home assistance and a variety of informational and social services. While the demand for those services has steadily increased, funding for them from the federal, state and local levels has generally stayed about the same or decreased.
Financial support from Lake County has remained close to level. For several years the county contributed about the same dollar amount regardless of inflation. Hopefully, with the placement of a mil levy request on the June ballot, that will change. The levy would raise the present county support from the equivalent of a little less than one mil to 2 mils. That would be a dependable source of income that would increase with the value of a mil. The levy would mean an increase in property taxes to owners of a $100,000 home to about $2.62 per year.
The funds would be distributed according to the formula presently in place to six senior citizen centers, the Lake County Council on Aging and the Area VI Agency on Aging. I urge you to vote for the levy and help maintain these important services to our senior citizens who sorely need them. Thank you.
Sincerely,
Mack McConnell
Area VI Agency on Aging
Rosendale for Congress
“Because I believe Matt is the most effective candidate for the job!” is what my daughter said when she told me she was taking a Field Director position for Matt Rosendale’s Congressional campaign.
I had the honor of meeting Matt for the first time last fall at a Meet and Greet event in Polson. One thing that spoke to my heart is that he doesn’t want to be a career politician. Matt views his time in office as shift work and a time to be most effective. Matt truly wants to remove the burden of the federal government from our businesses, our industries, and the citizens of Montana.
I have done some research on Matt’s voting record as a Montana Legislator. He is a strong supporter of property rights, receiving 103% rating from United Property Owners of Montana, gun rights, receiving an A rating from the National Rifle Association as well as receiving a 100% rating from the Montana Family Foundation. Now that I know what Matt stands for and his abilities to lead Montana, I ask you to please join me in supporting Matt Rosendale in the June 3 Primary!
Karen Vergeront
Polson