Young Polson resident says ducks deserve a hearing

Ducks face discrimination in the City of Polson, and Johnny Lapotka aims to change that. The 10-year-old resident of Ward 2 told Polson City Commissioners that ducks – which aren’t permitted under the existing chicken ordinance – are actually superior to chickens in many ways.

“Ducks are similar in size and behavior to chickens, which are allowed. Duck eggs are healthier than chicken eggs, they make less noise, and are more docile than chickens. Ducks are small and manageable pets,” he said while enumerating their virtues.

The existing ordinance, passed four years ago, bans “hogs, cattle, sheep, swine, goats, turkeys, ducks, geese, or other domestic animals or fowl excepting household pets and excepting chickens kept in accordance with this code.”

If Johnny can convince commissioners to tweak the ordinance in his favor, he plans to acquire two call ducks as pets and name them Peanut and Waddles.

“I have always liked ducks and my mom had a pet duck as a kid. That is what sparked my interest in trying to have a duck,” he said, reading from a prepared statement kept in his duck folder and adorned with a drawing of a duck and the word “quack.”  

“Having pet ducks would be my first big responsibility,” he said. And more importantly, he argued that ducks have the potential to “make the community a better place” by providing pest control, eggs “and environmentally friendly fertilizer.”

He urged the commission to place the matter on the agenda at a future meeting.

At least one commissioner, Carolyn Pardini, seemed sympathetic to his cause. Later in the meeting, she suggested taking another look at the permitting requirements of the chicken ordinance, which requires chicken owners to pay for a $100 permit annually.

“Right now, it costs more to have chickens than it does to have an intact male dog in Polson,” she said. “Maybe we could revisit it when we consider adding ducks to the ordinance and see if we can't make it a little more friendly.”

Clean audit, website improvements, traffic study

In his comments to the commission, city manager Ed Meece pointed out the reformatting and navigation tools now available on the city’s website and invited public and commission feedback. He mentioned that a survey will be sent out to city residents next month on behalf of the Local Government Review Commission. He also noted that the city’s auditors gave them the third “clean audit” in as many years.

Meece mentioned that Lake County and the city are jointly asking the Montana Department of Transportation to conduct a speed study on Highway 93 from north side of the bridge to the small incline just beyond Rocky Point Road, as well as a traffic count at the intersection of Rocky Point Road and the highway.

Meece also said that the city and county are jointly conducting a paving project on 13th Avenue, with the city providing materials and the county supplying equipment and labor. Residents in the area will be informed prior to the beginning of the project.

He also noted that the reconstruction project on the first block of First Street West is completed and the street will be reopened this week.

Meece mentioned that summer water restrictions are now in place, and may be reviewed on the city’s website.

Commissioner Pardini voiced concerns about the proliferation of whitetop, an invasive weed, on city property. She called the weed, which is currently in full bloom across Lake County, “a major economic issue in the Mission Valley.” She was especially concerned about its invasion of the sewer lagoon and other areas where the spraying of herbicides is prohibited and mowing offers the only avenue of control.

Farmers Market location

Commissioners also discussed the location of the Polson Farmers’ Market, which was relocated to Riverside Park during the reconstruction of First St. E. Commissioner Lisa Rehard described the park location as unsafe for pedestrians.

“It was horrible on Friday,” she said. “The traffic was backed up and people were nearly getting run over.”

Meece said city and chamber of commerce representatives plan to meet with market organizers and discuss future locations. One option might be the Salish Point area, he said, which offers more parking and fewer traffic-control issues.

More murals in the works

Natalie Raffield of Sandpiper Art Gallery showed commissioners mural designs for two buildings at Boettcher Park, which are part of the ongoing Art4Polson collaboration. The first was based on drawings created by students at the Boys and Girls Clubs in Polson, under Raffield’s tutelage, and the second was by professional artist Karla Martinson.

“The theme was creatures of Montana and the children had some really wild ideas,” said Raffield, which were tamed down some “to make it more publicly acceptable.”

Both projects received an enthusiastic and unanimous endorsement from the commission.

In other matters, the commissioners approved the appointment of Karen Meece to the Parks and Tree Board through Dec. 31, 2026; and reviewed the Strategic Plan for 2025-2030, making minor revisions.

    Johnny Lapotka makes a plea to the Polson City Commission to consider expanding the existing chicken ordinance to include one or two ducks. (Kristi Niemeyer/Leader)
  

    Natalie Raffield of Sandpiper Art Gallery displays designs she helped local Boys and Girls Club members create for murals at Boettcher Park. The Art4Polson public art project is a collaboration between the gallery and city. (Kristi Niemeyer/Leader)