15 minute read
Ronan city meeting
from 11/02/22 issue
Ronan city council passes animal control ordinance
Story and Photos by Taylor Davison Valley Journal
RONAN — At their last meeting on Oct. 26, the Ronan City Council addressed the local animal problem by passing an ordinance that will go into effect 30 days from approval.
Animal Control ordinance number 2022-05 is meant to address local problems with loose, vicious dogs. While an emergency ordinance regarding animal control had been passed by the council in a prior meeting following a dog attack on a resident, this ordinance expanded upon some of the parameters specified and has no expiration date.
A key feature of the ordinance was the addition of fines for unlawful acts regarding animals. These acts include owning or harboring a dog or other animal that attacks, bites, or injures a human being, keeping a dog over six months of age without annually registering and licensing the dog with the city clerk and permitting an animal to run at large upon the streets and public ways of the city, or on private property in which the owner of the dog does not have some property interest. Fines for violating these and other listed unlawful acts can result in up to $250 in fines and a personal appearance before the Ronan City Judge upon the third offense.
In a statement regarding the motion, mayor Chris Adler read, “This will ensure the safety of Ronan’s citizens and rights of animal owners as well as clear definition to law enforcement and court officials. We’re also working with Lake County, CSKT, and Mission Valley Animal Shelter, as well as other local governments towards an agreement to be shared valley-wide in an effort to combat this problem.”
The ordinance passed unanimously and Adler clarified that this ordinance could be subject to change should they begin work with other local municipalities to come up with a valley-wide solution to the loose, vicious dog problem. “We’re hoping that everybody in the other municipalities will come into one agreement … that way for the guys with the badge, there’s no guessing,” Adler stated.
“It’s just our attempt to get some of those (parameters) in place,” commissioner Calvin Hardy agreed.
Citizens can contact their local officials with any input or concerns they may have regarding the ordinance. A copy of the ordinance can also be obtained at City Hall.
In other news: — Another ordinance was passed unanimously during the meeting prohibiting large trucks from operating on Third Avenue Northwest between Round Butte Road and Highway 93. To diminish wear on the street, vehicles in excess of 10 tons gross weight are prohibited from operating along that stretch of road, except for local deliveries within the specified area. Signage will be put in place at both ends of the road clarifying this to drivers and violations will constitute a misdemeanor with a fine of up to $100. — The implementation of a business license and possible zoning requirements is being discussed. Currently, Ronan only has a solicitor and liquor license requirement. Examples of business licenses from other small towns throughout Montana were brought to the council in which prices ranged from $25 to $50 per year for all business types.
“I’m all for it, even as a business owner I think it’s good to kind of see what’s coming into our town,” commented Commissioner Lindsay Myers.
The Public Improvement and Planning committee, consisting of commissioners Hardy, Ryan Corum, and Myers will meet to establish more specifics and present on the proposal in a future meeting.
courts
Stories by Jeff Smith of Anderson Broadcasting for the Valley Journal Johnson pleads not guilty to sex abuse
POLSON — A Polson man is accused of attempting to solicit a 13-year-old girl, allegedly for sex, as she was walking home from school recently.
Scott William Johnson, 59, entered a plea of not guilty at District Court in Polson on Oct. 26 to felony sexual abuse of children.
According to court records, on Oct. 5 a deputy with the Lake County Sheriff’s office responded to a report that a man attempted to solicit a 13-year-old as she was walking home from school. The alleged victim told the deputy that a man in a white work truck stopped near her and stated, “you look like a fine young lady, look all grown up” and that her “body was all grown up.” The girl told the deputy that this made her feel uncomfortable, so she replied, “thank you” and continued walking away. She said the man continued with his soliciting, so she began recording the conversation on her mobile phone. The man allegedly offered the girl $100 if she could come over to his house around 7 or 8 p.m. The girl told the man she was a child and not of legal consenting age. She said the man began to drive away from her, but stopped and came back and asked if she was recording him. He also allegedly asked the girl to not tell anyone and keep everything quiet and again said if she came over, he would pay her.
The deputy was able to locate Johnson at his residence. Johnson allegedly admitted that he talked to a girl earlier that day.
Judge Molly Owen set the case for trial April 3. Johnson is at liberty after posting a $50,000 bond.
News from Dana Grant
LAKE COUNTY — Heroes in the movies often appear larger than life. They have special abilities and wear some outrageous outfits. Not to mention teleportation, mind melding, and all the rest. Local heroes might not have the same fashion sense or unusual skills, but they do share a dedication to helping others have a better life.
In recognition of National Domestic Violence Awareness Month, SAFE Harbor, the victim services agency for the Flathead Reservation and Lake County recognized individuals making a difference for those dealing with violence. The 2022 NDVAM Community Honorees include Polson Police Officer Aaron Sutton, SAFE Harbor advocate Jolene Schmitz, community member Carl Rohr, Providence-St. Joseph Medical Center Dr. Jamie Straub, attorney Diana Garrett, Polson City Court Clerk Nora Walter, Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribal Victim Assistance Program advocate and coordinator Trisha Johnson, community activist Meghan Upton and Sister Sallie’s Thrift Store volunteers. SAFE Harbor recently honored this group for all they have done to support the community.
“It is always exciting to see who is nominated,” said SAFE Harbor Executive Director DeeAnn Richardson. “So many people are doing such important work, it is always a challenge to decide the finalists.”
Officer Sutton was selected for “going the extra mile” in supporting victims. Jolene Schmitz received the honor based on her commitment and dedication to helping clients, no matter what it takes. Carl Rohr has been a local supporter of SAFE Harbor for a decade, donating his original quilts to help raise funds for the agency. Diana Garrett was chosen for sharing her professional knowledge and mentorship of new attorneys. Nora Walter has been helping victims and their families through her work as the court clerk, showing empathy and understanding. Trisha Johnson’s nomination noted her nearly two decades of service to the field. Meghan Upton, an Arlee High School senior carried out a special project collecting personal care products for victims. The volunteers at Sister Sallie’s Thrift Store share their time and energy on a daily basis to help keep the operation going.
“Every one of these people is a role model,” Richardson noted. “Each of them reflects the best in humanity, helping in their own way to carry out SAFE Harbor’s mission to assist survivors in our community.”
COURTESY PHOTO
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Dr. Kelli Larson, M.D.
Board Certified in Family Medicine With Obstetrics Clinical Interests: Obstetrics, Women’s Health, Preventative Medicine, Pediatrics
- Dr. Kelli Larson
Serving at: St. Luke Community Clinic - Ridgewater 107 Ridgewater Dr. | Polson, MT | (406) 883-3737
Updated: How to vote in Montana’s Nov. 8 election
News from Alex Sakariassen Montana Free Press
MONTANA — The 2022 general election is Tuesday, Nov. 8, and as absentee ballots have already gone out, odds are that scores of Montanans are already busy filling in their votes. If you’re not registered yet, are planning to vote at the polls, or are still confused about what election laws may or may not be in effect right now, Montana Free Press has endeavored to make things a little easier with our 2022 Election Guide. And since the legal landscape has been such a moving target this year, we’re taking the added step of posting answers to some basic questions right here to help make sure everyone has the most up-to-date information at their fingertips.
WHEN ARE THE 2022
ELECTIONS IN MONTANA?
Montana’s 2022 general election is scheduled for Nov. 8. Polls open at 7 a.m. and will remain open until 8 p.m. Note: Polls in precincts with fewer than 400 registered voters aren’t required to open until noon, so check with your county election office about timing in those locations.
DO I NEED TO BE REGISTERED TO VOTE?
Yes, you do.
HOW DO I DO THAT?
First off, go to the Montana secretary of state’s My Voter Page and make sure you aren’t registered already. If you aren’t, you can stop by your county election office any time during regular business hours to pick up an application. After you’ve filled it out, you’ll need to get it back to your county election office in person as the deadline for mailing in registration applications has passed. At the election office, you’ll have to provide a photo ID or the last four digits of your Social Security number. If you happen to be applying for a Montana driver’s license or identification card before the election, you can register to vote at the same time.
CAN I REGISTER TO VOTE ON ELECTION DAY?
That’s one of the million-dollar questions this year. As of Sept. 30, yes.
Montana had allowed Election Day voter registration since 2006, but a new law passed by the Legislature last year ended that practice. That law was the subject of lengthy litigation, but on Sept. 30, a district court judge issued a final ruling in the case, declaring the law unconstitutional. So, in short: Yes you can register to vote at your county election office any time on Election Day, Nov. 8, provided you’re in line by 8 p.m.
HOW DO I KNOW IF
MY REGISTRATION IS
ACCURATE AND CURRENT?
Go to the Montana secretary of state’s My Voter Page and enter your first name, last name and date of birth. The page will list your voting status, legislative House and Senate districts, and the location of your polling place. There’s even a map with directions.
WHAT TYPE OF ID CAN I USE?
This is another timely question. Last year, the Legislature revised the types of photo identification voters are required to present when registering and casting their ballots. The Yellowstone County District Court on Sept. 30 overturned those changes, declaring the law that implemented them to be unconstitutional. The current acceptable forms of identification if you’re voting at the polls include a current Montana driver’s license, state-issued photo ID, tribal or military photo ID, a U.S. passport or a student ID. If you don’t have a photo ID, you can use a utility bill, a bank statement, a voter confirmation card or any other government document that shows your name and address.
IF I’M MAILING MY BALLOT, HOW DO I MAKE SURE IT’S RECEIVED?
You can track your ballot using the My Voter Page, which will tell you when the county election office receives it.
CAN’T I JUST VOTE ONLINE?
Nope, that’s not an option in Montana.
ARE THERE ANY SITUATIONS WHERE I’M NOT
ELIGIBLE TO VOTE?
According to state law, you can’t vote if you’ll be under 18 on Election Day, are not a U.S. citizen, or have lived in Montana less than 30 days. Convicted felons who are currently incarcerated in a penal facility and people whom judges have ruled to be of unsound mind are also ineligible to vote. Otherwise, you’re good to go.
I HAVE A FRIEND OR FAMILY MEMBER WHO ISN’T ABLE TO DROP OFF THEIR BALLOT. CAN I DO IT FOR THEM?
Yes, you can. While the Montana Legislature did make some changes to ballot collection laws in 2021, those changes only affected paid ballot collection, and those changes aren’t currently in effect anyway due to the Yellowstone County District Court’s Sept. 30 ruling.
Montana Districting, Apportionment Commission to meet via ZOOM
News from the Montana Legislative Branch
ZOOM — The Montana Districting and Apportionment Commission will meet on Nov. 10 at 2 p.m. in a videoconference meeting to discuss possible legislation for the 2023 legislative session.
The draft bills under consideration relate to: — the data needed to reallocate prisoners from the prison facilities where they are counted for the Census to their last known addresses prior to incarceration; and — the sizes of election precincts that are established by county officials.
An agenda and copies of the three draft bills are available on the commission’s website.
The agenda includes instructions on how to provide written or verbal public comments on the draft bills. The meeting will be streamed live at the Montana Legislature’s website if you want to watch but do not plan to provide verbal comments.
Please note: The commissioners will not be discussing the draft legislative district maps that were the focus of August and September public hearings. Those discussions will take place starting in late November. Information on the planned November and December work sessions and public hearings is also available on the commission’s website.
Commission website: mtredistricting.gov Commission staff: Joe Kolman or Rachel Weiss at districting@legmt.gov or 406-444-3064.
Secretary of State targets nonprofits that won voting rights lawsuit
News from Upper Seven Law
HELENA — On Thursday, Oct. 27, the Commissioner of Political Practices dismissed three complaints that Secretary of State Christi Jacobsen filed against nonprofit organizations that had recently prevailed in a voting rights lawsuit against her Office. The complaints, filed last Friday, Oct. 21, lacked any basis in evidence and were nearly identical.
The Commissioner dismissed all three complaints as “frivolous” because they were “unsupported by evidence,” “indefinite,” and “unsubstantiated.”
About each complaint, the Commissioner wrote: “The underlying allegation in this matter lacks any evidentiary or legal support,” and the Secretary of State’s claims were “frivolous, unsupported and untrue.”
“The Secretary of State should be focused on the election, not retaliating against nonprofits in Montana who are helping her do her job by promoting the right to vote,” said Rylee Sommers-Flanagan, who represents the Forward Montana Foundation and MontPIRG. “As the Commissioner recognized, these complaints were completely frivolous and a waste of taxpayer resources.”
The Commissioner also noted that by using the formal complaint process for issues that either had been already resolved or easily could have been resolved informally, the Secretary’s Office caused the expenditure of significantly more resources and an unnecessarily time consuming process.
In September, a Yellowstone County court ruled against the Secretary and struck down three voter suppression laws that violated the Montana Constitution. The court permanently enjoined the Secretary from enforcing the laws, as well as a fourth law invalidated in July.
The Secretary’s complaints to the Commissioner for Political Practices came less than a week after the organizations—which include Forward Montana Foundation, MontPIRG, and ACLU of Montana Foundation—and their co-plaintiffs threatened to pursue a temporary restraining order to prevent the Secretary from continuing to spread inaccurate information about the availability of Election Day Registration and the types of acceptable voter identification.
While the Secretary agreed to pull inaccurate ads from the radio and to correct misinformation on her website, she refused to issue a correction to the voter information pamphlet, even though the office issued a printed correction as recently as 2018.
“Our organization is committed to ensuring that Indigenous communities in Montana are able to access the ballot box,” said Caitlin Borgmann, ACLU-MT’s Executive Director. “By filing a frivolous complaint based on untruths the Secretary of State appears to be seeking to silence the voices of those that would advocate on behalf of Indigenous communities. Our voices will not be silenced, and our advocacy will not be deterred.”
“We are proud of our work educating and registering thousands of Montanans. And we are grateful for the hard work of local election officials who keep our elections open and secure,” said Kiersten Iwai, Executive Director of Forward Montana Foundation.
“These complaints are purely retaliation against us for pushing the Secretary of State to comply with a court order. But we will not stand down,” said Adrian Cook, Board Chair of MontPIRG.
Forward Montana Foundation, MontPIRG, and the ACLU of Montana Foundation each filed a response to the complaints on Friday, Oct. 21.
BONNEVILLE POWER ADMINISTRATION
PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENT:
Saddle Mountain land acquisition to protect sh and wildlife in western Montana
The Bonneville Power Administration is working with the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes to acquire a 40-acre property located about 3.75 miles northwest of Arlee in Lake County, Montana. When the purchase is complete, the CSKT would own and manage the property for sh and wildlife conservation purposes, and the U. S. government, through BPA, would hold a conservation easement to ensure permanent protection of the habitat on the property.
BPA’s funding of the property purchase would support conservation of Endangered Species Act-listed species considered in the 2020 ESA consultation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on the operations and maintenance of the Columbia River System. It would also support ongoing e orts to mitigate for the e ects of the Federal Columbia River Power System on sh and wildlife in the mainstem Columbia River and its tributaries pursuant to the Paci c Northwest Electric Power Planning and Conservation Act of 1980.
Information describing BPA’s environmental review requirements under the National Environmental Policy Act is available at www.bpa.gov/learn-and-participate/publicinvolvement-decisions/categorical-exclusions. A map and fact sheet mailed to local area landowners will be available to the public upon request once the transaction closes.
For more information, call BPA project manager, Cecilia Brown, at 503-230-3462 or email ckbrown@bpa.gov. You can also call the BPA Communications department toll-free at 800-622-4519; please refer to the “Saddle Mountain” land acquisition.
