Sorted by date Results 153 - 177 of 455
POTOMAC – The Potomac School Board worked through their strategic planning at their Nov. 9 meeting. They all agreed that the seven focus areas would be retained with just a shift in the implementation of priorities. The board also received an update from Principal John Rouse regarding upcoming extracurricular activities and from the eighth grade class regarding their class trip. At the beginning of the strategic planning discussion, Chair Cliff Vann explained this is an annual discussion that provides an opportunity to reshape the direction o...
SWAN LAKE - Lake County Commissioners said they would engage in further discussions to avoid closing the Porcupine Creek Solid Waste Site following public comments at a meeting on Wednesday, Oct. 28 in the Swan Lake Community Center. Several residents came to argue against the closure after the county's Solid Waste Board recommended closure of the site due to illegal dumping, gate damage and vandalism from contractor use. A member of the public presented a petition with over 100 signatures from...
SEELEY LAKE – At the Oct. 22 meeting, the Seeley Lake Sewer District Board continued on its path toward holding a bond election. The Board was presented with a draft resolution to hold a bond election. The District’s Bond Council Dan Semmens said that if the Board wants to move forward with an election date in February of 2021, it should adopt the resolution at its November meeting. There would be two types of bonds. A general obligation bond would pay for the treatment plant, force main and lift stations and a revenue bond would pay for Pha...
SEELEY LAKE - Seeley Lake Elementary Superintendent Josh Gibbs provided updates on Board Strategic Planning results and other aspects of the school during the Board of Education’s regular meeting Oct. 19. Gibbs said they are still not ready to approve the School’s Strategic plan. However he wanted to give the board members an idea of what concerns, causes and solutions the document addresses. He said currently the timelines and budgets are missing but he intends to plug those in by the next board meeting and have it ready for approval by Novemb...
SEELEY LAKE - The Forest Service held a virtual meeting Thursday, Oct. 15 to gather public input and describe the details of the Westside Bypass Wildfire Resiliency Project on the Seeley Lake Ranger District. The project is located two miles north and northwest of Seeley Lake. Its intent is to improve forest health by addressing the future impacts of insects and diseases as well as mitigate hazardous fuel conditions that increase the potential severity of wildfires. The project proposes using commercial and non-commercial vegetation treatments...
SEELEY LAKE - Missoula County Commissioner Josh Slotnick addressed affordable housing issues in Seeley Lake, Lolo and Frenchtown during Seeley Lake Community Council’s meeting Monday Oct. 12. The Council also received updates on countywide COVID numbers and received an update from Seeley Lake schools. Slotnick said money is available in the county budget to have a staff member exclusively focus on affordable housing beginning in January. He or she will determine ways on how more housing can be created in communities like Seeley Lake. Said h...
POTOMAC – Potomac School Board offered their support for the continued planning of the eighth grade trip, the basketball season and Missoula Children’s Theatre (MCT) at their Oct. 12 meeting. They also refined their mask policy and voted to support teachers’ stipends for continuing education. Potomac eighth graders presented their three options for their eighth grade trip. Two of the three options required travel outside of Montana. While educational opportunities have not been fully explored for the three options, they told the board they unde...
SWAN VALLEY - Swan Valley resident Steve Card led a meeting Oct. 6 at the Swan Valley Community Hall to discuss residents joining together to look after the safety of their neighbors. He listed steps that residents can take to safeguard the community against threats to property and lives. Missoula County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Ryan Dunster spoke to those present about how residents can help themselves when threatened with harm. Card presented information from the Neighborhood Watch web page. He then shared some of the recent crimes in the S...
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Elementary School Board of Education unanimously approved their student and employee handbooks during their regular meeting Monday, Sept. 21. Superintendent Josh Gibbs also discussed the progress on SLE’s strategic plan. The handbooks contain several policies and procedures for students and staff including dress code, harassment consequences and appropriate behavior in various circumstances. Regarding masks, Gibbs said if a student refuses to wear one, then following additional conversations they would go to remote...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Sewer District Board continued discussing holding a bond election and rejected an ordinance reinforcing a resolution mandating connections at its Sept. 17 meeting. The Board also received a proposal that would keep the District from having to pay $350,000 in legal bills to defend the District from Don Larson’s lawsuit. In other business the Board approved paying its past due legal bills after negotiations, the Board gave a landowner a letter stating it wouldn’t initiate annexing their property and Director Pat G...
POTOMAC - The Potomac Elementary School Board unanimously approved the Montana School Board Association fall policy updates during their virtual meeting Monday, Sept. 14. They also discussed the first COVID case at the school. The primary reasons for the policy updates were language changes around sexual harassment policies and procedures which required a re-confirmation of all of the listed policies. Students can no longer report sexual harassment anonymously to decrease the potential of false claims. The other policy updates outside of...
SEELEY LAKE – Members of the public continued to express their concerns surrounding the Seeley Lake Fire Department leadership and board oversight at the Fire Board meeting Sept. 15. While some of the concerns have been addressed, there are others that the public feels the board should investigate further. Lavonne Dunster and Cristine Matheny spoke during public comment. Both of them emphasized that they want to support the department and help it get better. That is the main reason they feel they need to speak up. They also said they have n...
SWAN VALLEY – Swan Valley School opened with in-person learning Sept. 8. The school board received an update on the first day of school and discussed the face covering requirement that evening at their monthly board meeting. Swan Valley School Principal Ralph King said the first day of school was successful. They have 25 students enrolled this year. All of the students returned to in-person learning except four students chose to do half days and four students who are completely remote. They are taking measures to ensure that if they need to swi...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Elementary School Board approved the re-opening plan for the 2020-2021 school year at their Aug. 17 meeting. SLE will be welcoming all students back to school in person Sept. 8. Families do have the option for 100% remote learning with a deadline to submit the SLE Family Onsite instruction opt-out form to SLE by Aug. 28. The board also received resignation letters from junior high teacher Bridget Laird and sixth grade teacher Sharon Teague. They approved several hires and are still accepting applicants for one c...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Sewer District Board had a marathon meeting stretching over four hours on Aug. 20. The board covered many topics ranging from a cash shortfall, potential bond election, mandating hookups, legal bills, water testing results and other regular business. District Manager Jean Curtiss informed the Board that the District has around $34,000 to operate in the coming months after paying this month’s invoices. The first half of this year’s property tax bills are not due until the end of November so the District won’t...
SEELEY LAKE – At their Aug. 18 meeting, the Seeley Lake Fire Board hosted more than 25 members of the public who voiced their concerns, frustrations and praise for the Department. Prior to opening the meeting for public comment, Board Chair Scott Kennedy read a letter from the board that addressed concerns brought up by Alyssa McLean at the July meeting. Regarding the Fire District employee that contacted McLean’s supervisor, Kennedy said Chief Dave Lane will address the situation since it was a personnel issue. Kennedy said there is no pen...
MISSOULA – The Missoula County Public School Board of Trustees approved Superintendent Rob Watson’s recommended reopening plan on a split vote at their Aug. 11 meeting. MCPS schools will reopen Aug. 26 in Phase 1 - Hybrid model and Seeley-Swan High School will reopen Sept. 1 (pending board approval Aug. 20) in Phase 2 – Modified Schedule. Students will also have the option to choose the MCPS Online Academy for 100% remote learning beginning Sept. 8 until the District reaches Phase 3. Watson presented a phased approach for a return to schoo...
POTOMAC - Potomac School is preparing for students to return Aug. 26 since remaining closed after spring break in March. Principal John Rouse presented the re-opening plan and recommendations to the School Board at their Aug. 10 meeting. They agreed to open in-person with the opportunity for parents and students to engage in online at-home learning. The board also addressed several topics regarding the re-opening plan including face coverings, athletics and the eighth grade trip funds from last year. Rouse created a Safe Learning Plan which...
SWAN VALLEY – At their meeting Aug. 11, the Swan Valley School Board voted 3 to 1 to approve Principal Ralph King’s recommended guidelines for reopening Sept. 8. The Swan Valley School will begin face-to-face instruction five days a week with preschool suspended until further notice. The school is also working on an avenue for families that want to keep their child home due to the current health situation. The Opening Guidelines are subject to revision at any point should the directives from the Governor or Missoula City-County Health Dep...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Sewer District Board voted to stick with a market value excluding improvements method for spreading the cost of the annual District operating budget at a Special Board meeting Aug. 3. Then they set the assessments at a hearing Aug. 6. The Board held another special meeting following the hearing, where they voted to continue seeking information regarding a bond election that could change how the District pays for the proposed sewer system. At the Aug. 3 special meeting Manager Jean Curtiss presented the Board w...
SEELEY LAKE – At the Seeley Lake School Board meeting July 20, new superintendent Josh Gibbs presented options for returning to school, suggested staff changes following the resignation of Jama Mauldin and Rachel Bemis, discussed transitional kindergarten and addressed SLE equipment and check out options. Reopening Plan Gibbs presented a phased reopening plan that he’s developed incorporating input from regional superintendents, the governor’s office, the Montana School Board Association and local health officials. “It is always adjusti...
SEELEY LAKE – At their July 21 meeting, the Seeley Lake Fire District Board welcomed two new members to the department and learned about a shift in dispatching procedure with Missoula Emergency Services, Inc (MESI) and Life Flight. They also heard from a member of the public who questioned the professionalism of the department staff. Nathan Bailey and Marcelo Gonzalez were sworn in as members of the department after finishing their probation. "This welcomes you to our family," said Chief Dave L...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Sewer District Board covered a wide range of topics at their July 16 meeting. They signed a resolution recommitting to move the project forward while considered a different method of financing, discussed appealing the denial for attorney’s fees in the lawsuit against the District and reconsidered the annual fee assessment methodology. The District also received an invoice from Beal Law Firm for nearly $15,000 for the lawsuit filed and then withdrawn on behalf of the District against newly elected President Tom Mor...
MISSOULA - Missoula County Public Schools plans to bring back students for the Fall 2020 semester. In the July 14 board meeting, officials addressed what the district can do to keep students in the classroom without furthering the spread of COVID-19. Plans will be finalized in August before students return to school. “We are committed to some type of in-person learning,” said MCPS Superintendent Rob Watson. MCPS published guidelines for students to be back in classrooms based on Gov. Steve Bullock’s Safe and Healthy Schools in Montana plan,...
SEELEY LAKE – At the Seeley-Swan Hospital District meeting July 14, Partnership Health Center (PHC) executive director Laurie Francis gave her normal report and offered further explanation regarding dental services at the Seeley-Swan Medical Center. The board also received an update on the proposed RV Park and welcomed new board member Georgiann McCoy. Francis explained that almost every dental intervention is an aerosolizing procedure that spreads droplets all over. While manual cleanings can be done that is not the way it has been done. In l...
