Serving Proudly As The Voice Of Valley County Since 1913
Serving Proudly As The Voice Of Valley County Since 1913
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I'll say it again, if we can't pay attention to the details and understand the fundamentals of government at the lowest levels, how can we ever hope to get a grasp on the national level and understand the real problems we're facing? Last week I talked a little about the responsibility to pay attention to the government and exercise your rights to know what's going on. The easiest way to get involved in government is to go to the meetings. I know what most people think: How will you ever find time to squeeze a meeting in? I've got kids to feed,...
Humble and uncomfortable with extra attention, it's only a few words that friends and families described of one local volunteer. Words about being friendly, helpful and part of the family were heard on Monday at the Cottonwood. Marlene Yoss was honored at a luncheon, where county commissioners, clients, program directors and representatives from Sen. John Tester came to recognize the hard work of one woman. Yoss was noticed after 14 years of work as a senior companion, taking part from the...
It’s been a tumultuous road for development at St. Marie. A decision made by a judge late last week could make an impact for St. Marie Development Corporation of MT. U.S Bankruptcy Judge Ralph B. Kirscher ruled Thursday, June 5, that the filing for bankruptcy would be dismissed for various reasons. The Valley County commissioners last month discussed trying to have a Chapter 7 bankruptcy filed, versus a Chapter 11 that some property owners wanted – but all of it was dismissed. An argument issued in the order was a requirement of insurance on...
By Bonnie Davidson The Courier The Valley County Commissioners have met with developers and others interested in a new development near the Park Grove area of Fort Peck. The project that started in 2006 has already broken ground and is well on the way to completion. Jed Kirkland, who’s also a professional engineer, took the task on for his parents on 145 acres of land his parents owned. They decided to put a subdivision, called Kirkland Estates, in to find a better use for land that was in a way boxed in by other developments. The acreage w...
Dear Editor: One of the most important election decisions that will come before us in Valley County is that of county commissioner. Our commissioners represent our best legal line of defense against state and federal overreach. I believe that our county's welfare will depend on choosing a candidate that is dedicated to protecting water rights and private property rights and to ensuring that both the state and federal governments follow the law and coordinate land use decisions with the commissioners and the county plan. Sierra Dawn Stoneberg...
In response to your article “County Discusses St. Marie Bankruptcy” (May 7, Page 1A), the properties in question are not Pat Kelly’s, but St. Marie Development Corporation of Mt. (SMDC), a corporation that was formed for the creditors of Terry Parks’ bankruptcy. At the time of Terry Parks’ bankruptcy, people rightfully said that the stock had no value as there was no market for the properties. SMDC under Marv Bethea sold the few marketable properties of SMDC for ridiculously low prices. The 120 storage units, which Bethea currently owns, net...
Maybe you heard. Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks (FWP) was planning a bison discussion meeting for April 15 and 16. The meeting was cancelled late Saturday, April 12. Personally, I found out less than 24 hours before I was set to leave for the gathering. So what does this cancellation mean in the ongoing discussion of whether or not the right to self determination applies to Eastern Montanans? I just can’t tell. Make no mistake. Simply having the discussion is a huge improvement. Under the past administration, the approach was: There is no s...
By Bonnie Davidson The Courier Crunching numbers is part of the annual tradition of audits for city and counties nationwide. It's part of the process to keep governments in check and to ensure that tax dollars are being used properly. While it might not be the most sexy topic, it a very important part of the checks and balances in the country. Both Valley County and the city of Glasgow audits were completed and the findings received in the last month. Documents and financial statements from the...
St. Marie property owner Pat Kelly filed for bankruptcy earlier this year. While the process is only beginning in the courts, Marvin Bethea joined the commissioners in a discussion on what would be best bankruptcy to file – Chapter 7 or Chapter 11. The discussion took place April 23. Bethea, a St. Marie property owner, explained that a Chapter 11 would be more beneficial to the county and St. Marie residents. He explained that a committee would be formed, appointed by a U.S. trustee. Bethea said that support from others in St. Marie was for r...
The bridge spanning Beaver Creek on the Milk River Road west of Hinsdale was built in 1915 and has been re-planked a few times over the years, but not much else has been done to it in the past 99 years. Countless school bus trips have traversed this structure carrying hundreds of school children into Hinsdale. Ranchers and farmers have used this bridge to move some of their smaller farming equipment, and the occasional herd of cattle from one side of the creek to the other. The Hinsdale...
Dear Editor: Commissioner Pippin’s report that the Valley County Detention Center had become profitable at a recent public meeting was further expanded on by Commissioner Reinhardt in last week’s Courier. I am not in a position to debate the issue, because I do not have all the numbers and some of Commissioner Reinhardt’s numbers were represented as estimates and probabilities. However, I might suggest that the commissioners use a different form of accounting and business practice than I am accustomed to. They are not considering the time...
While the building of the Valley County jail was finished three years ago, some kinks are still being cleared up. The county commissioners were surprised at one point by the water/sewer rates and were looking for a way to lower the bill. But what ended up happening, created more of a mess for both the county and the city. City officials said the building’s 3-inch meter was removed without proper approval, and the replacement meter was reduced in size in hopes for a smaller bill. The action went against city ordinance, which gives the city the r...
The deadline to file for the upcoming election has now passed. With candidates set, the race is on to campaign. Valley County Clerk Lynne Nyquist explained that the high number of candidates was enough to call for a primary on June 3. A few last minute filings for the county justice of peace added up to six candidates for the position. Christine Gamas, Dave Gorton, Christina Hillman, Ronald Kulczyk, David McLean and Mary Strand will be in the race. After primaries in June, it will only be left up to two candidates on the final ballot. Another r...
To Concerned Citizens: Having just read The Glasgow Courier’s article on Sunshine Week (“Good Day, Sunshine” on the March 12 Opinion page), I would like to make a comment. In Valley County, and all of Montana, all meetings are open to the public with a couple of exceptions, such as discipline matters. All records associated with our meetings are open to the public as well. Which means anyone may come and inspect any documents, or use the public computer to find information. We expect you to search on the computer for the information you want,...
The Valley County Refuse Board is facing a little pressure after discovering that T&R Trucking, which picks up trash in the county, hadn’t been billed for nine months. Minutes from their meeting in January include a discussion of some financial problems the board faces. Dan Carney, chairman of the board, explained that the previous bookkeeper hadn’t been doing the job, and the billing fell behind. “Our board meets one hour, one time a month,” he said. “The commissioners, the auditors and the treasurer office looked at it and no one said anyt...
Another two names have been added to the race for Valley County Commissioner District 1. Russell Dahl filed for the seat last week, and Paul Tweten filed to run on Friday. Both are running against Dan Carr. Commissioner Dave Pippin announced at the end of last year that he would not be running again for his position. The county justice of the peace position has three candidates campaigning for the seat. Ronald Kulczyk, David L. McLean and Christine Gamas have all filed. This contested position in 2010 was won by Linda Hartsock with 44 percent...
While many will remember the last few decades of fresh produce being offered at the "Red Rock Plaza," they might not have realized they were walking on contaminated ground. The park located at 135 3rd St. S. has been in the process of remediation and is now looking at a more permanent future. While it wasn't radioactive, and it wasn't a disaster area, it did create enough of a mess to bring in Shelli Isle of Great Northern Development (GND) to seek grants for removing two old tanks and do an...
By Bonnie Davidson For those in attendance it was a hot topic that was discussed with concern. With several changes in the healthcare industry, community members showed their concern with possible changes at the Valley County Health Department. The public meeting took place on Wednesday, Jan. 29, at the Valley County Courthouse in the conference room. Over a dozen attended, including County Commissioners Bruce Peterson and David Reinhardt, and Jane Smilie, administrator for the state public...
The three-year anniversary to the construction of the new jail is coming up in March. The project took months to finish and cost thousands of dollars. Valley County Sheriff Glen Meier explained that they've seen success. The newest addition to the jail comes this month as the installation to a new cooler is completed. The new cooler is about twice the size of the old cooler and is located in a safer proximity to the new facility. The older cooler is currently located in the basement of the...
Joe Horn will run again against Valley County Sheriff Glen Meier in the upcoming election. Horn lost to Meier in 2010 with only 35 percent of the votes. This is Meier’s third term as the incumbent in his seat. He lost only in the Frazer district in the previous elections. Another race for Valley County justice of the peace will include David L. McLean and Christine Gamas. This position was also contested in the 2010 election with Linda Hartsock winning the race with 44 percent of the votes against two challengers. Hartsock was halfway t...
The public is invited to attend the Valley County Health Department board meeting on Wednesday, Jan. 29, at 3 p.m. in the community room of the courthouse. Jane Smilie, the state administrator of the Public Health and Safety Department, will be in attendance along with Bureau Chief Jim Murphy. Anyone interested in the future of the Valley County Health Department should attend, as county commissioners, the health department and the hospital have looked into the role that the health department holds in the county and what the future might look...
July • The airline that provides Essential Air Service to Glasgow and other small cities in Montana has decided to leave the state. Silver Airways notified the U.S. Department of Transportation that it will not bid for another two-year contract and will stop flying scheduled service in Montana on Sept. 27. Part of the reason for Silver's departure is the upcoming termination of EAS subsidies to Lewistown and Miles City on July 15, leaving only five cities in the program: Glasgow, Wolf Point, G...
January • The winter storm that hit northeast Montana on Thursday night, Jan. 10, wasn't a surprise. It had been making its way across the state, heralded by the forecasters. But its intensity on Friday brought on the winter grumbles. The storm deserved the term blizzard, with heavy snow that was blown by winds up to 41 mph, causing white-out conditions and drifts reported up to 9 feet deep. The low temperature of 1 degree above zero Friday night translated to about 29 below wind chill. A r...
Health prevention is becoming a bigger focus in the medical industry. Many of the mandates in the Affordable Care Act (ACA) have hospitals and healthcare professionals focusing on prevention strategies to keep people from becoming a diabetic or to educate on sexually transmitted diseases (STD) before it happens to a patient or client. The Valley County Health Department has had that focus for several years. One of its main focuses has been education and prevention. Discussion among county commissioners to possibly change the way the county...
A new addition has been welcomed at the Valley County Sheriff's Office in Glasgow. Deputy Christopher Richter began work for the county on Monday, Dec. 16. County commissioners approved his employment at their meeting that took place on Tuesday, Dec. 17. As Richter settles in, he said he’s excited to work for this department and glad to be part of a smaller community. He said that he had really hoped to work for a smaller department in a deputy position and Glasgow fit for him. Serving in law enforcement wouldn’t be a surprise to most who kne...
