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SEELEY LAKE – Chinook Winds brought a breath of fresh air to the students and the valleys as they kicked off the official 2 Valleys Stage 2017-2018 season with their concert Sunday, Sept. 17 at Swan Valley School. The resident wind quintet of the Great Falls Symphony related music to all ages with their vast repertoire and explanation of music fundamentals. This is not the first time the Chinook Winds have been a part of the 2VS season lineup. They closed out the 2014-2015 concert series with a...
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Sewer District Board voted at a special board meeting Sept. 14 to accept Rural Development’s (RD) new conditions for funding that includes an extra $1 million in grants and $1.3 million in loans. The extra funding to cover the increase in construction estimates for Phase I of the collection system and the treatment plant brings the funding package to a total of $15.6 million. Board member Bob Skiles questioned if Manager Greg Robertson had reviewed the letter. Robertson was not at the meeting but Robertson had s...
SEELEY LAKE – Doug Janison was short just one ingredient he needed to host an ice cream social for the firefighters at the Rice Ridge Fire Camp. Janison, managing partner of Houston's Too Catering, had 30 gallons of ice cream, caramel and chocolate sauce, plain M&Ms, Oreo cookies, Spanish peanuts, rainbow sprinkles, whipped cream and cherries. However, he needed people to serve. After reaching out to Seeley-Swan High School, the Leo Club stepped up to the plate. It's not every day a local s...
SEELEY LAKE - The cooler temperatures and moisture in the form of rain and snow were welcomed sights this past week. With the change in weather, fire managers and law enforcement lifted all evacuation warnings for for the Rice Ridge Fire around 6 p.m. Sept. 18. Effective 12:01 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 20, Stage I and Stage II fire restrictions were rescinded on federal, state and tribal lands. Private lands in Missoula and surrounding counties remain in restrictions until County Commissions issue...
SEELEY LAKE - I want to say a big THANK YOU to the community of Seeley Lake for voting Good Times the best place to buy a gift. I am honored, thankful and humbled for the recognition. Sue had a dream when she opened Good Times in 1982, and I am dedicated to preserving that dream. I know she is smiling down from above with a big glass of wine in her hand and saying “Cheers, My Dear! “ God Bless you all, Dena Turner Seeley Lake, Mont....
SEELEY LAKE - It is probably general agreement that the summer of 2017 in Seeley Lake will be remembered as the summer of the fire, as opposed to the summer of sunny skies, fresh mountain air and experiencing a variety of recreational opportunities. As we all know, and it bears repeating, that “The Fire” has had significant impact on this community personally and economically, the extent which is yet to be determined. Although this fire season is (hopefully) coming to an end fairly soon, we must not forget to resurrect multiple factors con...
SEELEY LAKE - A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity is just that: a possible event which offers enormous gain but will never be re-offered and if not seized will leave decades of regret in its wake. The federal government, whose purse strings are rapidly closing, is offering Seeley Lake a $8,000,000 (!) grant, the largest award ever to any community, to construct a sewer system. This will solve a problem that threatens the very economy and way-of-life of Seeley Lake: ancient septic systems are contaminating our ground water and polluting our beloved...
SEELEY LAKE - This is the third time of my writing on the Seeley Lake sewer issue. Each time visiting the subject, more troubling issues arise. First off, who are these people who are able to go against the wishes of citizens who have voted down financing the sewer? They are able to hire lawyers to find some loophole to get around the voting of residents. The capper is WE are charged to pay the lawyers. How is this possible? Is this some sort of totalitarian hidden government whose ugly head arises only when their lawyers are paid? I have also...
SEELEY LAKE - As relative newcomers to the Seeley Lake community, please allow us to provide our perspective on the municipal sewer issue. Three years ago we purchased a seasonal (summer) cabin on Boy Scout Road. Our time here during the summers and occasional winter snowmobile trips convince us that we want to build a year-round home on our property. Discussions with builders and Missoula County officials have shown that we may need to upgrade our existing septic system. This additional expense may be necessary because we are slated for Phase...
SEELEY LAKE - The underlying issue of the sewer proposal is Seeley Lake’s ability to sustain itself as a community. We have seen most private land around Seeley revert to government ownership, so the growth potential of the community is capped. Forces continue in play to depopulate the town. Forest management is decreasing, making it harder to manage large wildfires. Rivers run through them the color of chocolate milk. The impact of current septic systems on the lake seems speculative. Depends on whose definition of unacceptable impact you u...
SEELEY LAKE - First, a solid majority voted in a certified, legal election against the sewer initiative last December. That speaks volumes about peoples’ no-growth wishes for Seeley Lake and for their inability to shoulder the heavy financial burden the proposal represents. Majority rule is an age-old democratic principal, even in remote Seeley Lake. Second, business is at a standstill in Seeley Lake by Missoula County Health Department fiat. In gestapo-like fashion it has changed the septic regulations regularly over the years without a p...
SEELEY LAKE - I’m thankful to live in a community and nation that respects opinions. I respect the opinions of those arguing against a sewer system for Seeley Lake and know they have the best intentions for our community. We must, however, deal with facts when making a decision that will significantly impact our future. Some facts regarding sewer systems and sewage: • A couple of excerpts from the six-page Wastewater section of the 2017 Infrastructure Report Card (easily found via on-line search) -- The nation’s 14,728 wastewater treat...
SEELEY LAKE - In the Aug. 30 Pathfinder, the article written about the public sewer meeting brought up a plan by [District Manager] Greg Robertson which should make anyone involved with the sewer outraged. Here is some of what the Pathfinder article said that you should sit up and listen. The Pathfinder said on page 11, “For the debt service across the entire district Greg Robertson used the Seeley Lake Regional Plan’s land use designations. Because of this difference there will be a SIGNIFICANT NUMBER of properties that are currently pay...
I believe everyone knows the earth is warming up. So there is no need to throw yourself on the floor kicking and screaming that nobody is listening. There does seem to be some controversy over whether man caused the warming or it is just a regularly occurring phenomenon the earth has gone through for millions of years. However, whatever the reason, if we can’t immediately change the situation, shouldn’t we take the necessary measure to protect ourselves as best we can? Given this situation, why wouldn’t our environmental friends want to see t...
SEELEY LAKE – Seeley Lake Elementary is looking for adults who are interested in connecting with junior high students on a whole new level. SLE is hosting their third Phlight Club for Seeley Lake and Swan Valley seventh and eighth graders at Camp Paxson Thursday and Friday, Sept. 28-29. They are inviting adults in the community to stop by, check it out and get involved. Phlight Club is an event where adults and student interact through cooperative learning, trust and teamwork activities. The int...
SEELEY LAKE – Though Seeley Lake Elementary School (SLE) got off to a slow start, having canceled the first four days of school due to fire danger, students and teachers are back and plunging into the 2017-2018 season. Superintendent Chris Stout said changes in personnel and activities are minimal this year. The only new teacher is music instructor Kristen Cottom. Cottom will be dividing her time among SLE, Swan Valley School and Seeley-Swan High School. New staff member Heather Mincey replaced...
The topic of wildfire raises the level of awareness of our forests. Some of this is good. People become aware and then they are compelled to act. Unfortunately, I’m not sure if they are going to act in the right manner. Wildfire in the West In the fire-prone forests of the Intermountain West, fire is part of life. These forests have adapted to survive regular fire intervals for centuries. Ponderosa Pines and Western Larch are prime examples of species that are specifically capable of withstanding significant fire. Unfortunately, some of our act...
Fires alter wildlife’s food, water and shelter forcing animals to either adjust or find new homes. In an intense fire, the complex humus layer on the forest floor gets charred, depleting nutrients and causing soils to repel water. Erosion is greater and the compromised soil produces less nutritious food for the animals. Despite the hit it has taken, nature starts healing. In the spring, broad-leaved plants such as Rocky Mountain maple, dogwood, willow and aspen sprout from their roots and flowers like fireweed get established. Their leaves begi...
SEELEY LAKE – Despite concerns from near-by landowners, Greg Poncin's Type 1 Incident Management Team initiated a 7,000 acre burnout north of Cottonwood Lakes Road (Forest Road 477) Sunday, Sept. 10 on the Rice Ridge Fire. By Thursday, Sept. 14, ignition was complete and the objectives were met; bring the main fire 2.5 miles south to the shaded fuel break and Cottonwood Lakes Road while moderating the fire behavior to reduce the tree mortality and minimize spot fires. The majority of the s...
SEELEY LAKE – The Rice Ridge Fire rehabbing process began Thursday. Firefighting crews started wrapping up 135 miles of hose, collecting the 224 pumps and 1094 sprinkler heads and collapsing the large orange portable tanks called pumpkins. Montana National Guard units helped with roadblocks and also were put to work shuttling the equipment to the Incident Command Post south of Seeley Lake and rolling the hose. This season the Missoula Fire Cache has sent out more than 900 miles of hose to f...
SWAN VALLEY - The Swan Valley Regional Planning Committee worked through the final sections of the Housing Element and completed the Transportation Element of the Growth Plan at their meeting Sept. 13. The SVRPC addressed the goals, policies and actions of the fourth element entitled Housing. The committee voted to change the word “ensure” to “support” having adequate housing now and in the future in the first goal. They voted to accept the edit to the second goal which referred to adding affordable housing in the new development review...
I’ve struggled to feel the blazing flame of Christ lately. Sure, I still attend church – and my faith in Him hasn’t faltered – but I haven’t felt the fire quite like I have in the past. I think routine has become the killer. Whether that routine includes regular worship or not – it’s as though I’m going through the motions without getting in the fight. Each relationship I build – or each relationship I lose – acts as kindling for my fire. Every piece of scripture I read and every worship song I sing adds some wood to the pile. And at the en...
SEELEY LAKE – Kristen Cottom is looking forward to bringing her energy to the music classes of Seeley-Swan High School, Seeley Lake Elementary and Swan Valley School this year. A first-year teacher, she looks forward to encouraging the students to work hard and give them a good music foundation while honing in on the talent that already exists. Cottom was raised in Dillon, Mont. "I just knew as a little kid that I wanted to be a teacher. I loved my teachers so much that I wanted to be a t...
MISSOULA – Twenty-five years ago the movie "A River Runs Through It" was released. The film was based on Norman Maclean's novella of the same name and the river was the Blackfoot. Taking its cue from descriptions in the novella, the movie displayed spectacular scenes of the pristine waters of the Blackfoot River, fly fishing on the Blackfoot River, running the rapids on the Blackfoot River. The irony is that none of those scenes were filmed on the Blackfoot River. Patrick Markey the film's p...
SEELEY LAKE - After the Seeley Lake Sewer Board’s special meeting Sept. 14 where the board voted to accept Rural Development’s new conditions, the Pathfinder compared the new Letter of Conditions with the previous letter. The comparison revealed a handful of changes not discussed at the meeting. RD did not respond to the Pathfinder’s request for additional information and clarification on changes to the Letter of Conditions by the press deadline. Letter of Conditions dated Sept. 11, 2017 versus Letter of Conditions dated Aug. 17, 2016: • The...
