18 minute read
Valley Views
from 03-09-22 issue
valley views Library book sale starts soon
Spring has sprung and we are gearing up for a busy March at the North Lake County Public Library. The book drop is always available as is our online catalog and Montana Library2Go with eBooks, audiobooks and magazines.
The big news is the much anticipated Friends of the Library Book Sale happening on March 25 and 26 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the library meeting room. This is the first book sale since 2019 and there are thousands of great books and other media just waiting for you to buy. Come and support the library and take home some treasures.
Sierra’s tech class for March is “Learn How to Upgrade Your Cybersecurity.” With data breaches, a million passwords, malware and all kinds of other techy things going on in the world, it is more important than ever to be sure you are protected. This program will take place on Tuesday, March 15, at 2 p.m. in the library meeting room.
We have a special family program scheduled on Saturday, March 19, at 10 a.m. in the library meeting room. Felicia is hosting our first Interactive Movie Experience with Disney-Pixar’s “Brave.” Follow along and play a game. Pretend to shoot a bow with Merida, sniff for a bear with Fergus and follow the wisps. We will have some St. Patty’s Day fun too.
Don’t forget, Mother Goose Mondays at 9:15 a.m. for the 0-3 crowd and Story Time Thursdays at 9:15 a.m. for the 3-5 group. Participation by parents and caregivers and older siblings is always encouraged and welcome. This month the themes include: colors, bath time, St. Patty’s Day, spring and babies. Deanna Mydland from Montana PBS will join us on March 10 with something special.
We have extended the checkout on hotspots to 14 days, but there are some stricter penalties in place if they are not returned. This has been an immensely popular service and we hope to be able to make it fair and accessible for everyone.
We have the IRS Instruction Booklets and 1040 forms for the April 18 tax deadline. You can also print your own from: www.IRS.gov/ forms-instructions. The State of Montana does not print or send us any forms or booklets. Those can be found at: www. mtrevenue.gov. Both entities encourage e-filing and direct deposit as the fastest way to file and get a refund.
The library’s regular hours are Monday – Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. with 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. on Wednesdays and Fridays reserved as high risk hours (please wear a mask during this time). Curbside pickup is available for everyone during open hours. Please call us at 406-883-8225 or email us at: polsoncl@polson. lib.mt.us with questions or to request curbside pickup.
View from the
Library Abbi Dooley,
North Lake County Public Library District
Spread the word for Snowbird
Ayear ago, we launched the Snowbird Fund to help families and friends of missing and murdered indigenous persons by offering immediate cash assistance (no questions asked) to search for their loved ones.
Since then, the fund has not only survived but it has doubled its cash amount and increased its funding capacity – all during a pandemic and tough economic times.
Meanwhile, through the tenacious efforts of native communities and families around the state and country, the issue of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons has gained more attention from tribal, local, state and federal officials, including U.S. Interior Secretary Deborah Haaland, the first Native American to serve as a cabinet secretary.
But this cancer continues to spread, and routinely we learn about another missing indigenous person whose loved ones are bereft and left to search for them and find answers to their disappearance.
Montana’s Missing Indigenous Persons Task Force, the statewide collaborative network that includes participation from each of the state’s eight federally recognized tribes, state and federal agencies, and law enforcement, notes that Native Americans are four times more likely to go missing than non-native residents.
Teaming up with the Montana Community Foundation, we launched the Snowbird Fund in February 2021 to directly support Native families by providing immediate financial assistance – a tool that previously was not available to families – to search for their missing loved ones in urban and reservation areas. The fund was the first of its kind in the country.
Direct payments of up to $1,000 are made to individuals to offset the considerable expenses families and friends incur while searching for their loved one. Assistance can cover anything from gas money, meals, hotel stays, cell phone payments, tools like metal detectors and drones, hosting a community vigil and conducting a targeted awareness campaign.
In its first year, the Snowbird Fund gave 11 cash awards for: family support during searches; family unification; travel and lodging; search and rescue efforts.
We provided financial
Valley Views Ivan MacDonald Anna Whiting Sorrell Marilyn Zimmerman Whitney Williams
see page 11
LETTER POLICY
Letters to the editor are welcome. The content is the opinion of the letter writer and not the newspaper. The decision to publish letters is made by the editor.
Letters must be 350 words or less. A writer will only be published twice per month.
Letters may be edited for content or length, or may not be published if considered libelous, in poor taste, spiteful, self-promotional or of limited interest to the general readership. Space limitations also dictate when or if letters are published.
Letters must be signed by the author and name, address and phone number must be included – phone number is for verification purposes only. Letters from organizations must include the name of at least one author.
Please limit “thank you” letters to four people/organizations or less. Deadline is 5 p.m. Friday to publish the following week.
Opinions expressed in this section are not necessarily those of the newspaper.
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assistance in these communities: Polson – 1; Browning – 5; Dutton – 1;
Box Elder – 1; Hardin – 1; Lame Deer – 2.
We’re encouraged that others are engaging with this issue. Tribal, Blackfeet Community College and state officials have launched an online portal to report and track MMIP data and provide useful resources.
While tribal, state, and federal officials work together through the MMIP Task Force to overcome reporting and communication shortcomings and increase law enforcement response to this issue, we’ll do our part to help families in their most fraught time by providing immediate cash assistance for their search efforts.
We recognize the need for increased community outreach about the fund, especially in tribal communities. So, we’re identifying more ways to connect with individuals, agencies, and organizations working directly with those who are conducting searches so we can better provide this resource to those who need it, when they need it.
It’s the least we can do – and the most that we can hope for is that our assistance helps give a little bit of support and a lot of hope.
We hope you’ll join us and spread the word so that together we can put an end to a crisis that has gone unrecognized for too long.
To apply, go to mtcf.org/ grants/apply-for-a-grant/ snowbird-fund. Requests for assistance are reviewed by an entirely Native grants committee. Requests for more than $1,000 are accepted and approved on a case-by-case basis. A decision is made by the fund committee and payment for approved requests is made within two weeks.
Ivan MacDonald is an enrolled member of the Blackfeet Tribe, filmmaker and criminal justice reform advocate. Anna Whiting Sorrell is an enrolled member of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes. Marilyn Zimmerman, PhD, (Nakota, Dakota, Ojibway, Newe) is senior director of Policy and Programs at the National Native Children’s Trauma Center at the University of Montana. All three sit on the Snowbird Fund review board.
Whitney Williams is a Montana businesswoman who helped to create the fund.
vj
We need to sit down together
Athree-member arbitration panel recently rendered decisions in favor of Lake County on two of the three issues contested in a lawsuit brought against the Montana Department of Revenue (MDOR), by the County related to the Temporary Tribal Tax Exemption (TTTE), a statute enacted in 2012. The statute provides property tax exemptions for a maximum of five years for properties owned in fee by the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes, (CSKT) on the Flathead Reservation. The County took legal action against MDOR in 2018 after discovering what the County believed to be serious inadequacies in the Department’s handling of exemption applications and the annual certifications from the CSKT that are required by the statute.
The County argued that the mishandling of the statute by the Department was resulting in the shifting of significant tax liability from the CSKT to other County taxpayers.
In January of 2021 the two parties signed off on a Settlement Agreement that resolved all of the issues in the lawsuit except the question of annual certifications. The purpose of the required annual certifications is to verify that exempted properties continue to have valid trust applications pending with the Bureau of Indian Affairs. The County maintained that an annual certification was required for tax year 2013 as properties had been exempted in 2012 and were moving through the trust process. The Department agreed that properties had been exempted in 2012, but that the exemptions had not been approved by MDOR’s Central Office in Helena and therefore a certification was not required for tax year 2013. The arbitrators agreed with County’s position and unanimously concluded that a certification was required for 2013.
The County also successfully argued that if a required annual certification is not submitted to the MDOR for a tax year, exempted properties should return to taxable status for that year. The Department stated that if the arbitrators chose to do this it would be an “extreme remedy.” Again, the arbitrators ruled against the Department and referenced the Administrative Rules written by the Department to implement the statute as the
Valley Views basis for their decision. The decision will return about 50 Gale Decker of the 75 properties exempted Lake County Commissioner District 3 in 2012 to taxable status for tax year 2013. The remaining properties have acquired trust status according to Department and County records. The County unsuccessfully argued that the annual certifications for those years after 2013 should not have been approved by the MDOR as they were prepared by the Flathead Agency, BIA, not the CSKT as required by the statute. The panel determined that although not prepared by the required party, the information provided to the Department was sufficient. Numerous attempts were made by the County to settle the annual certification controversy before going to arbitration, but the Department was determined to continue litigation at taxpayer
see page 12
CHARLO SCHOOLS Kindergarten Round Up
Charlo School will be holding Kindergarten Round Up for children who will be turning five (5) years old before September 10, 2022 on Friday, April 1, 2022. You must bring a copy of their birth certificate and immunization records. Please call Ginger at 644-2206 for an appointment.
from page 11
expense. A tentative agreement was reached by the Department’s legal staff and the County in 2019, but the MDOR Polson Office Director rejected the agreement. A year ago the County Commissioners offered to travel to Helena to meet with the Director of MDOR and again try to hammer out a settlement that would end the ongoing litigation. There was no response from the Department on the offer. Tens of thousands of dollars of taxpayer money was spent by the Department on litigation when an agreement could have been reached beforehand.
The arbitrator’s decisions regarding the annual certifications closes the chapter on the debate over those, but other problems persist as the MDOR continues to apply the statute in Flathead Reservation counties. Numerous CSKT properties eligible for the five-year exemption provided by the statute have either not received the full five-year exemption or have had exemptions extend beyond the five-year window. Properties that have been in Tribal trust and exempt from property taxes for years have applied for and received exemption by the Department. The Department, in many instances, when removing the property taxes levied on the property also removed fees for services such as irrigation and solid waste, that should have remained on the tax statement. Several districts have lost significant revenue needed for the operation of the district.
The only viable solution to correcting the property records of all exempted properties is for the County, CSKT Lands Department, and MDOR to sit down together and examine the tax records of the affected properties. The Department has shown little interest in pursuing this path forward.
vj
Now is the time for education
Adecade of carrying innovative education legislation resulted in my selection to the National Council of State Legislature’s International Education Study Group charged with studying the world’s highest performing education systems. For several years this group has systematically examined education practices across nations from Canada to Singapore and states from Massachusetts to Hawaii. Bottomline: America’s Public Education system that fueled the world’s most powerful economy for over a century, including winning two world wars, is becoming dated, now steadily falling behind other more modern industrial countries, especially in mathematics and career technical preparation.
Today laptops diagnose car and tractor problems, GPS guidance directs precision agriculture, restaurants take orders on smart device, and large logging machines cut timber. The expanding level of automation found everywhere requires higher employee technical skills, even at entry levels. Covid accelerated the already rapid rate of technology adoption and forced parents and employers to engage directly in education.
A growing number of parents are not satisfied that the public education system is preparing their children for success in the 21st century workplace or with the tools to be good citizens. Employers are desperate for better skilled graduates. Despite often heroic efforts, teachers are frequently finding yesterday’s methodologies ill-suited to provide sufficient education opportunity today. School Trustees are struggling to define stable modern learning processes that offer the requested enhanced student outcomes in career and college readiness.
The “Chaos of Covid” revealed to this broad group of stakeholders our current education model’s shortcomings. Parents, teachers, school trustees, employers, and lawmakers, together now, are all very motivated to move education toward better student outcomes. Education practices that work in other nations and states will never directly translate to Montana. But proven “best of practices” for producing high student outcomes will work if these practices are adopted thoughtfully, respectful of Montana’s unique culture. These modern “best of practices” do not require new buildings or huge additional investments, but they do require that parents, teachers, employers, trustees, and lawmakers focus on the common goal of redefining and refueling America’s education engine to lead the world once again. The unavoidable truth is that the current U.S. and Montana education model must update to remain competitive with the newer
Valley Views systems adopted across the modern industrialized Representative Llew Jones Chairman House world. The stakes have nevAppropriations er been higher, given the global and domestic threats facing our nation. Now is the time to engage to ensure our youth are competitive in the workforce and are well prepared to be the informed citizen backstop of this great representative democracy. Just as the Sear’s model of retail ultimately gave way to the Walmart model then to the Amazon model, America’s public education engine must modernize for our nation to again lead economically and stand once more as the world’s most powerful beacon of freedom and opportunity. Now is the time.
letters
Stand up for democracy
Editor,
The U.S. has successfully spearheaded an extraordinary international response among nations to support Ukraine as it suffers unprovoked attack by Russia. Why the support? Ukraine is a democracy. It voted out its former authoritarian government and began a democratic government. The U.S. and many other nations support democracies.
Not only are many nations standing up for Ukraine, but many private companies are doing the same, including U.S. companies Boeing, Nike, Ford, FedEx, and Harley-Davidson to list a few, who cut business ties with Russia.
Where’s our US congressman Matt Rosendale in this? He said the U.S. shouldn’t be involved, and that Montanans are more interested in protecting our border with Mexico. That’s a distraction, a non sequitur. Maybe he can’t multitask. Rosendale was one of only three congressmen to vote against a statement of U.S. support for Ukraine. Don’t be fooled. Rosendale does not stand up for democracy.
Stephanie Brancati Big Arm
National efforts
Editor,
Once upon a time, Republican and Democratic politicians endeavored to present a united front to other countries
see page 13
during times of conflict, regardless of political differences. But Steve Daines has joined the ranks of other Republicans, including Marjorie Taylor Green, Mathew Gaetz, and Jim Jordan, in accusing President Biden of being “weak on Russia,” seeking to undermine him in this time of the worst instability the globe has witnessed in 80 years. Rather, the President is strategic, working with members of NATO and both EU and nonEU nations to mete out sanctions, isolate Russian banks, and freeze Russian assets. The decline of the value of the ruble and Russian stock market indicates these measures are causing serious pain to Russian consumers and businesses. Career State Department diplomat Aaron David Miller said: “So far, Biden has done a masterful job of leading and maintaining both E.U. and NATO unity.”
Likewise, Mat Rosendale believes we have no moral/legal obligation to help Ukraine. Really? He’s on the wrong side of global sentiment. And yet, he was one of three House Republicans who voted against a non-binding House resolution supporting Ukraine and repudiating Putin’s deadly aggression and land grab.
Montana’s Republican Congressional representatives are undermining national and international efforts to keep an authoritarian thug at bay. Shame on them.
Caryl and Tom Cox Polson
Power rates
Editor,
As the largest electric power user on the Reservation, I am interested in hearing the position of the Tribes regarding the new tier rate approach and the substantial rate increase proposed by Mission Valley Power. I believe it is very important that other users of MVP hear as to the way the Tribes will budget and expend that budget with the substantial increase proposed. In this way, we users can budget and expend our money accordingly. It is my understanding that MVP had a large surplus in its operating budget over the last few years and no one seems to be able to access information as to how that surplus will play into the rate increase.
In fact, one cannot access any information from the MVP website that would give the consumers the ability to digest and calculate the effect of the new rate proposals.
The Tribes exhibit a strong environmental awareness and are eco-friendly in operations. Are you aware of the MVP policies that discourage and disincentivizes the creation of green energy? Part of the rate increase proposed by MVP, adds on a new fee for reading the meter of customers who have solar arrays. I believe it is $2.50 per month. This is in addition to the proposed increase in the base fee for all users. Does it really cost that much to read the meters from the office and to print it on a bill?
Thank you for your attention, please advise us on your position on the rate increase.
Richard Gebhardt Ronan
Engineering hall of fame nominations open
News from the MSU News Service
BOZEMAN — The Montana Society of Engineers is once again inviting nominations for the Montana Professional Engineers Hall of Fame, which celebrates outstanding contributions to the engineering profession and to the public welfare of Montana.
Active, retired or deceased engineers are eligible for the award, which is traditionally given annually at the Joint Engineers Banquet in November. Nominations will be accepted through March 31. The only requirements are that nominees have been professionally licensed in Montana and have had a direct impact on the state.
The nomination form and additional information can be found at mtengineers.org/montana-pe-hallof-fame.
Inspiring thoughts
Editor,
Deviating from my usual style of letters, here’s one that offers some inspiring thoughts. Hope you find them meaningful and even perhaps helpful in these present very trying times for us all.
Offered by Dr. Debasish Mridha of Saginaw, Michigan, a physician, philosopher, poet, and author:
The following is a special prayer our mother would repeat every night with my older brother John and me when she tucked us in as very young little guys.
Bob McClellan Missoula
Meet. . . Foltest
This is Foltest. He is a 7 month old DLH. Foltest is a shy boy who secretly loves being petted.
contact Mission Valley Animal Shelter Call 883-5312
or visit our Facebook page!
Pet of the week
Foltest
Sponsored by Wright Real Estate Co.
63228 US Hwy. 93 Ronan, MT
(406) 676-8610
www.westernmontanaland.com Editor,
I would like to address Senator Daines.
I was horrified as I watch the news showing a Ukrainian man kneeling in front of a Russian tank trying to stop it and a Ukrainian woman sweeping the broken window glass in her apartment from Russian bombing while singing the Ukrainian anthem. It is heartbreaking.
What is wrong with you that you would find it more important to blame our current president than to denounce former President Trump who sings the praises of Putin. Putin is a monster who sees nothing wrong with the slaughter of Ukrainians who only want their freedom.
I am sick that you are my Montana Senator. wShame on you.
Suz Rittenhouse Polson
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