Sorted by date Results 176 - 200 of 455
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,... Full story
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...
SWAN VALLEY – The Swan Valley School Board discussed their options for returning to school in-person in the fall at their July 14 meeting. They agreed to solicit teacher, parent and community input via a survey before making their decision in August. In other business, they hired C&K Custodial owned by Chris and Kellie Auchenbach to do the maintenance and cleaning duties at the school and renewed Principal Ralph King’s and secretary Katie Gleason’s contracts for the 2020-2021 school year. The main point of discussion was the 2020-2021 schoo... Full story
POTOMAC - During the June 29 school board meeting via Webex, the Potomac School Board approved a series of policies that will give the school district the flexibility to address whatever conditions and/or requirements the school district will face in August as they prepare to return to school for the 2020- 2021 school year. Potomac School Principal John Rouse said, “Our intention is to provide quality in-person classroom instruction unless required to do otherwise by the Governor’s office, the health department or our local school boa... Full story
SEELEY LAKE – At their June 16 meeting, the Seeley Lake Fire District Board of Trustees approved pay increases for Fire Chief Dave Lane and District Administrator Lynn Richards. Captain Michael Richards also shared details about the Fire Foundation Pancake breakfast that is scheduled on the Fourth of July in compliance with the Missoula City-County Health Department regulations. Lane proposed a seven percent raise for Lynn Richards. This is twice the increase recommended by Missoula County and would be nearly a $2,500 increase for the year. R...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Sewer District Board held a meeting June 15 where it seated its newly elected Board members, elected new officers, selected the market value approach to spreading assessments to pay for the administrative budget and set a new time for regular meetings. The Board also discussed hiring a new attorney for its regular business. Directors Tom Morris and Jason Gilpin who were elected in May were seated at the meeting. They were not sworn in during the meeting because Morris and Gilpin had already completed their Oath o...
POTOMAC – Potomac Principal John Rouse set up a classroom with six feet between desks, hung signs as reminders about handwashing and hand sanitizer use and had a package of masks available to use for the June 8 school board meeting. This was an effort to visually show the board what returning to school in the fall could look like as they launched into the Montana School Boards Association (MSBA) 1900 Series Knowledge-Based Decision-Making Template. In other business, the board approved signing the annual lease with the Potomac Greenough C...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley-Swan Hospital District received updates from Partnership Health Center’s new chief medical officer and discussed the community artwork on display at their June 9 meeting via conference call. As of April 1, Dr. James Quirk was hired as PHC’s new Chief Medical Officer. He has done site visits as well as has seen patients in Seeley Lake since starting at the Medical Officer. He said that the staff at the Medical Center has been doing an excellent job and has helped lead the way for PHC with their thoughtfulness on how t...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Sewer District Board passed a budget for the 2021 fiscal year at their June 4 special meeting that is a little more than double last year’s budget. They tabled the decision on how to spread the assessment over the landowners. In other business the Board didn’t take action to authorize the project to go to bid because there are still a handful of things that are incomplete. District Manager Jean Curtiss presented the Board with a proposed budget between $224,329 and $283,329. The $59,000 difference was what was b...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Sewer District Board discussed a plethora of topics at its May 21 regular meeting including more than doubling the annual District operating budget, project updates, hiring a new attorney, drilling new test wells and performing an income survey. The meeting was recessed in the middle to hold a public hearing on a grant application for Phase 2 of the collection system. As the meeting started President Pat Goodover asked the directors in attendance, including newly elected but not seated directors, their thoughts o...
SEELEY LAKE – The issue of when directors terms end and when to seat newly elected directors reared its head again in a special meeting May 21 that was held ahead of the regular meeting and also spilled into the regular meeting. The special meeting had just one item, litigation strategy, under new business on the agenda. Director Beth Hutchinson questioned how the meeting was scheduled on 48 hours notice explaining that the by-laws require 80 percent of the directors to agree to it. She said she was not asked. District Manager Jean Curtiss expl...
SEELEY LAKE – With three newly elected board members seated at the Seeley lake Elementary School Board May 19, two letters of resignation were accepted and all teacher contracts were approved despite two being recommended for nonrenewal by Superintendent Daniel Schrock. Since one of the nonrenewals was for the preschool teacher, the board discussed offering preschool next year. They agreed they all wanted to see it available and requested more information regarding funding options to be presente...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Sewer District (SLSD) held its April 16 meeting four days later on April 20 after a glitch in their online meeting software prevented the login instructions printed on their agenda from functioning. While the Board eventually was able to join into the first meeting, they delayed it to ensure the public was able to participate. At last month’s meeting the Board held off paying an invoice from Beal Law Firm that covered charges from March through December 2019 totaling nearly $48,000. The charges were for Dis...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley-Swan Hospital District Board met April 21 via teleconference for their April meeting. Partnership Health Center’s Executive Director Laurie Francis provided an update on PHC innovations and the Seeley-Swan Medical Center operations in light of the coronavirus pandemic. The board received an update on the RV Park and trustee elections. Francis said that of the 290 people employed by PHC, 72 are working from home. None of these employees have been furloughed or laid off even though their patient load is down due to lim...
POTOMAC – With more than 30 staff, parents and board members participating in a Zoom meeting, Potomac School Board unanimously voted Monday, April 27 to declare an Unforeseen Emergency through June 30 based on the risks presented by the coronavirus pandemic. They will not return to the classroom for the remainder of the year and finish the 2019-2020 school year with distance learning. All of the board members shared feedback that they received from parents and staff. The staff agreed they w...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Sewer District (SLSD) held its March 19 meeting via teleconference call to avoid congregating people per recommendations to limit the spread of coronavirus. The District finally received a bill from their attorney for regular Board business for ten months of work in 2019. In other business the District received word that a grant for Phase 2 is no longer available and the Board voted to reapply. The 42-page invoice from Beal Law Firm covered charges from March - December 2019 and totaled $47,860.57. The D...
SEELEY LAKE – At their March 11 meeting, the Seeley Lake Elementary school board discussed COVID-19 preparations, the 2018-2019 test scores and unanimously approved running a general fund levy. The General levy will appear on the May 5 mail-in election. During his superintendent report, Daniel Schrock said that he ordered a cordless disinfectant fogger for $700. It will not arrive until April 30. It takes an average of three minutes to clean a room. Until then they are promoting good hand washing techniques, frequently wiping down commonly t...
SWAN VALLEY - Missoula County Building and Development Programs Manager Nicole Whyte along with Missoula County Commissioner Juanita Vero attended the Swan Valley Community Council meeting March 2. Whyte informed the more than 20 attendees about the proposed increase to the County building permit program fees. The attendees brought up suggestions, criticisms and frustrations with County taxes. Whyte said that the 2018 building codes that the state adopted Dec. 7, 2019 went into effect in the County March 7. Whyte explained the reasons for...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Rural Fire District board of trustees discussed fire and EMS billing as well as the county lease at their monthly meeting Feb. 18. They also addressed comments from the public who is concerned about the lack of responders showing up on incidents. Seeley Lake Fire Chief Dave Lane reported to the board that since they changed their billing procedures and switched their billing company, they have received more than $4,000 and have more than $2,600 in progress that is expected to be paid for fire calls. “All of the...
SEELEY LAKE – Missoula County Building and Development Programs Manager Nicole Whyte attended the Seeley Lake Community Council meeting Feb. 10 to discuss changes to the County building permitting program including adopting new codes and a fee increase. Whyte said that following the Building Forum put on by the Council last year, several County agencies that were involved in different areas of permitting got together to discuss how they could better streamline the permitting process for both contractors and homeowners. Out of that meeting c...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Elementary School Board voted at their Jan. 21 meeting to not renew Superintendent Daniel Schrock’s contract but invited him to reapply for the job. Ahead of the decision, the Board preformed an evaluation of Schrock. He waived his rights to privacy allowing the public to remain in the meeting. Schrock was awarded a one-year contract last August to replace former Superintendent Chris Stout, who resigned in June. The Board must renew or not renew the superintendent’s contract by February. More than 20 people atten...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Fire Board received updates from Fire Chief Dave Lane and voted for him to handle a patient hardship request at their Jan. 21 meeting. They also answered questions regarding the accident involving the command vehicle. Lane said the call volume for 2019 was 305, up 44 calls for 2018. They have a few new applications in for new members and more people are picking up applications to join the department. He felt this was very positive and looks forward to getting the new fire fighter recruits through their probation p...
SWAN VALLEY - Volunteer Grizzly Bear Advisory Council member and Swan Valley Connections employee Jonathan Bowler talked about the need for public input concerning grizzly bear management. He also talked about the purpose and the work of the GBAC at the Swan Valley Community Council meeting Jan. 21. Grizzly bear populations continue to expand in Montana and even into areas that have not seen them in decades. It is creating management and conflict challenges demanding solutions. In April 2019 Montana Governor Steve Bullock directed the GBAC...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Sewer District Board had another light agenda Jan. 16 as the District works on final details leading up to the proposed project going to bid. In other business, temporary construction easements were discussed, the Board approved moving three properties to adjacent sub-districts and the Board voted on another section of the District’s by-laws. District Manager Jean Curtiss said the plans for the proposed sewer project are currently waiting for approval from Montana Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ). Uni...
SEELEY LAKE – Karen Hughes with Missoula County Community and Planning Services presented the Climate Ready Missoula draft plan at the Seeley Lake Community Council meeting Jan. 13. They are accepting comments on the proposed draft plan through Feb. 3. Hughes explained that Climate Ready Missoula is the result of an 18-month process of meetings, workshops, open houses and online surveys led by Missoula County, Climate Smart Missoula and Missoula City. It was developed with the help of local projections for climate available through the M...
