Serving Proudly As The Voice Of Valley County Since 1913
Serving Proudly As The Voice Of Valley County Since 1913
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After the U.S. Senate passed the Inflation Reduction Act, Senator Jon Tester (D) took time to discuss the bill and its intended effects with the Courier. The Senator’s staff highlighted three major impacts of the bill as related to Montana residents: invest hundreds of billions of dollars to pay down America’s debt, lower costs for working families and unleash American energy production. As with many farmers, the discussion started by touching on the weather and the grasshoppers this year. Tester, who lost a field of barley to the hoppers thi...
During their Discussion and Decision meeting on Aug. 3, the Valley County Commissioners in attendance, Commissioner Paul Tweten and Commissioner John Fahlgren, voted to provide Valley View Home another $500,000 appropriation to help keep the nursing home sustainable. Commissioner Mary Armstrong was absent from the meeting. The money being appropriated by Valley County comes from American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) money which the county received from the federal government during the COVID-19 pandemic. The amount provided to the Home during the Aug...
After initially meeting on July 20 and then postponing the final decision until July 27, the Valley County Commissioners voted to put Resolution No. 19-2022 on the November ballot, which would present to voters the question of a three percent excise tax on the sale of medical marijuana and adult use marijuana. The vote by the commissioners was not unanimous, with Commissioner Paul Tweten and John Fahlgren voting in favor while Commissioner Mary Armstrong opposed the resolution, expressing her desire to remove the medical marijuana option and...
During their Discussion and Decision meeting on July 20, the Valley County Commissioners postponed making the decision to put a three percent local-option marijuana excise tax on the sale of medical and non-medical marijuana in Valley County on the Nov. 8 ballot. Valley County Commissioners who were in attendance, Paul Tweten and Mary Armstrong, both voiced support for Resolution No. 19-2022 but wanted to have Commissioner John Fahlgren present as well as provide the opportunity for the public to give their comments, before moving forward with...
After spending the past month touring Valley County, Valley View Home’s administrator Wes Thompson and Haylie Shipp, with the Vote Yes Valley View campaign, stopped at the Cottonwood Inn in Glasgow on May 19 to discuss the upcoming ballot measure to extend the previously approved $300,000 annual levy for three years for the skilled nursing facility. If approved, the funds would be used to maintain operating expenses. Absentee ballots have been mailed out and as of May 23, 540, 16 percent, of the absentee ballots sent out for the June 7 P...
The following letter written by the Valley County Commissioners was sent to Field Manager Tom Darrington at the Bureau of Land Management Malta Office on April 13. Tom Darrington, Field Manager Bureau of Land Management Malta Field Office 50 I South Second Street East Malta, Montana 59538 4/13/2022 Dear Tom Darrington, The Valley County Commissioners protest your Notice of Proposed Decision concerning APR’s grazing applications in southern Phillips County. We believe your decision is in error because it would establish a precedent for p...
Members of the Valley County Pool Campaign committee, Glasgow City Council, including Mayor Rod Karst, all three Valley County Commissioners and resident of Hinsdale Jerry Arnold, met in the Courthouse Community Room on March 22 to continue discussions on how all three entities could potentially work together to obtain funding for a new pool in Glasgow utilizing an interlocal agreement between the city and the county. The Commissioners had met on March 9 and opposed a tax levy on county property owners for the purpose of constructing a new...
The Valley CARE Coalition held their annual meeting on March 22 at the Glasgow Evangelical Church to remind the community what they do, what they have accomplished over the past year and discuss what the future could hold for the group with input from those in attendance. According to event organizers, nearly 30 people were in attendance, ranging in all ages, background and profession. “I really loved seeing LCPC [Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor] another counselor in the community and a licensed addiction counselor there that have a...
The Valley County Commissioners advised that the proposal they submitted for Duck Creek Road improvements to the Montana Federal Lands Access Program (FLAP) has been approved for $4.7 million. The original proposal included a $50,000 match from Valley County; however, the match has been eliminated so there will be no Valley County funding required for the project. The scope of work includes rebuilding, widening, and repaving the current paved portion of Duck Creek Road from Highway 24 to the Poverty Ridge turnoff, straightening the portion...
The Valley County Commissioners met on March 9 to discuss whether or not to impose a tax levy on county property owners in order to assist with the construction of a new swimming pool in Glasgow. The meeting was held in the Courthouse community room due to the large crowd the commissioners were expecting to weigh in on the issue. However, when the meeting came to order, there were only six members of the public in attendance, none of which included a representative from the city or the Valley County Community Pool Campaign. After hearing...
While Valley County currently no limitations on the types of marijuana businesses allowed, some residents of smaller communities have voiced concerns about allowing businesses to set up shop. "My understanding was there was some concern specific to Hinsdale," County Attorney Dylan Jensen said during the regular Feb. 2 commissioner meeting. "There is no way to petition the commissioners specifically to decide whether they would put it up for a vote. They would just decide they could provide...
During their regular meeting Jan. 26, the Valley County Commissioners threw a much needed lifeline to Valley View Home of Glasgow, a licensed 96-bed nursing home facility. Both Board President John Fahlgren and Commissioner Paul Tweten voted in favor of providing $500,000 to the nonprofit facility from American Rescue Plan Act Funding (ARPA) acquired by the county. Mary Armstrong abstained from the vote due to a conflict of interest. Valley View has been facing potential insolvency due to...
Data gathered from our state and nation continues to show that 1 in 5 persons deal with behavior health problems that interfere with a normal functioning life. This data means that about 1,500 citizens in Valley County have or are dealing with the presence of such problems, either directly or with a family member. The 2021 Montana School Risk Survey results show that nearly 42% of high school students reported having had times of depression in the last year – i.e., two weeks of noticeable i...
In Valley County, it is no longer the case of smoke it if you can find it, but smoke it if you want it. As of Jan. 1, Montanans age 21 and older can legally purchase and use marijuana for recreational purposes. In Valley County, legal marijuana is available for sale at CannaOrganics, 54315 Highway 2, on the outskirts of Glasgow. Rod and Debra Lambert, co-owners, first opened the shop as a dispensary for medical marijuana patients in Feb. 2019. Now, they can legally sell marijuana for...
Biden Intends to Rescind Keystone XL Permit JAN. 20 - In yet another setback to TC Energy and the building of the Keystone XL pipeline, CBC in Canada was first to report on Jan. 17 confirmation of President-elect Joe Biden's intent to rescind the KXL pipeline permit. Biden campaigned on canceling the Canadian pipeline project, which will run through Valley County, after having opposed it during his time as Vice President under President Barack Obama. Obama punted the controversial political...
During their regular meeting Wednesday morning, County Commissioners Mary Armstrong and Paul Tweten voted to ease fire restrictions. Chair John Fahlgren was away on county business. Valley County has been under Stage 1 Fire Restrictions due to the excessively dry conditions since July 1. A motion was made by Commissioner Armstrong and seconded by Commissioner Tweten to transition from Stage 1 Fire Restrictions to Fire Season effective at 12:01 am on Friday October 1, 2021. Co-Fire Wardens, Bob Hansen, and Robert Brunelle recommended the move... Full story
Valley County Sheriff's Office has a new chaplain who will provide faith based support to members of the law enforcement community, first responders and citizens at large. "I covet your prayers so I can serve in the manner the Lord would have me, and that is a help to the community," VCSO Chaplain Owen Childers said after being sworn in Wednesday, Aug. 11 at the sheriff's office. "That is my goal." County Commissioners, County Attorney Dylan Jensen, VCSO deputies and Chaplain Warren Hebert of...
The three Valley County Commissioners have identified the top ten infrastructure projects needing to be addressed in the near- to mid-future as part of the five-year Capitol Improvement Plan (CIP) adopted earlier this year. This is the first CIP the county has ratified. The CIP includes improvements to roads and bridges, parks, buildings, office space, vehicles, solid waste facilities, large equipment and computers. All of these must be purchased, maintained, and replaced on a timely basis or...
The usage of fireworks this 4th of July weekend has been banned due to extreme fire hazard due to ongoing drought and extreme heat conditions blistering Valley County. During their meeting Wednesday, June 30, the three Valley County Commissioners voted unanimously to enact the restrictions. Valley County is currently in STAGE 1 fire restrictions, which are designed to help land management agencies reduce fire risk and prevent wildfires during periods of high to extreme danger. During the... Full story
The Three Valley Commissioners have approved a resolution opposing the federal government’s “30x30” land preservation goal. President Joe Biden signed an executive order on Jan. 27 he said would help restore balance on public lands and waters, create jobs and provide a path to align the management of America’s public lands and waters with the nation’s climate, conservation and clean energy goals. “We are concerned because we have this sudden goal with huge changes,” Chairman John Fahlgren said during the regular commission meeting May 1...
The three Valley County Commissioners have lifted the burn ban, allowing farmers to burn their fields with a permit from the fire department. “A burn ban means we won't give any permits for burning,” said Chairman John Fahlgren. “With our recent rains, we've had people call us with situations where it looks like a totally safe thing to do. When we lift the burn ban, what happens is they still have to get approval through dispatch.” Dispatch all weather information before giving approval on any permits. “One of the reasons I will vote to lift t...
LOCAL NEWS Valley County Free Tree Day 1,000 Trees Donated Thursday, May 13 ws another successful Valley County Free Tree Day. Resilient friends, supporters and volunteers turned out to get in on the action. One thousand seedlings in the five different varieties of trees were handed out, again in record time. A little over two hours depleted the supply. What a great project. Be proud of what you can to beautify the community. Signed, Linda Sibley. Disaster Assistance for 2021 Livestock Forage Losses Disaster Assistance for 2021 Livestock...
Community ire over the recent disbanding of the former Valley County Refuse District Board was on full display during the April 28 County Commissioner meeting. "To dissolve a board is your last resort," said Kristi Brabeck, Valley County Airport commissioner. "I understand everybody has personality differences. It is like a divorce. You have parents, and you have your child, which is Valley County. So, as a board who works under your guidance at will, I don't understand why it came to this....
Brian “Auzzie” Austin has been chosen to fill the new position of Valley County Refuse District Manager. Austin was formerly the Valley County Landfill manager, a position eliminated in effort to tackle massive indescrepencies with how customers countywide are assessed for refuse removal services. “Brian is doing an excellent job of managing the actual landfill part,” said Commission Chairman Paul Tweten during a public meeting April 28. “ It was not in his job description to manage the finances in the refuse district.” The three Valley Coun...
The Valley County Refuse District Board, in operation since 1973, is no more. During their regular meeting April 21, the three commissioners voted to disband the refuse board — effective April 23 — based on legal counsel indicating the nine member volunteer body has not had any actual legal authority in almost 25 years. “Functionally, the refuse board is an administrative orphan and there is nothing that actually creates you as board members,” Dylan J. Jensen, County Attorney, said during the meeting. “My recommendation to the commissio...
