Community Briefs

Swan Valley AARP Meeting April 4

SWAN VALLEY - Come and enjoy a fascinating trip to Antarctica is the program planned for the Monday, April 4 meeting of the Swan Valley AARP. Local residents Mary Meistner and Doug Anderson will share photos of their recent trip.

Members are to meet at noon for a potluck at 1:30 p.m. The program will begin at 1:45 p.m. The hosts are Joe and Barbara Raibel. The public is invited.

Annual Bob Marshall Wilderness Complex Public Meeting

KALISPELL – The public is invited to the annual Bob Marshall Wilderness Complex (BMWC) Public Meeting Saturday, April 2 starting at 10 a.m. at the Stage Stop Inn in Choteau, Mont.

 “This is a great annual opportunity to meet with the National Forest Wilderness Managers and Montana Fish and Wildlife staff,” said Deb Mucklow, Spotted Bear District Ranger. “The challenges of managing wilderness are often not understood. Historically the participants at this annual meeting have helped with solutions or ideas that we as managers may incorporate. Specific updates will be shared from the Fire Season of 2015, the Wilderness Stewardship Performance program, and specific trail needs/projects, wilderness issues and more.”

All of the participants will be encouraged to interact with the managers present and have time for one on one questions.  Managers will also be asking how they value the wilderness we have today and what the expectations are for the future. In addition, updates will be provided on specific activities and projects and ongoing monitoring across the Bob Marshall Wilderness Complex. The monitoring and actions are a piece of the Limits of Acceptable change for the Bob Marshall Wilderness Complex (BMWC).

 The BMWC plan was developed by interested individuals, partners and agency representatives. The Bob Marshall Wilderness Complex is comprised of the Bob Marshall Wilderness, Great Bear Wilderness and Scapegoat Wilderness,which are a combined area of more than 1.5 million acres. This is the third largest wilderness complex in the lower 48 states. The complex is managed by four national forests (Flathead, Lolo, Helena, and Lewis & Clark) and five ranger districts (Spotted Bear, Hungry Horse, Seeley Lake, Lincoln, and Rocky Mountain).

 Recently the Forest managers and Fish and Wildlife staff prepared the annual BMWC newsletter which is available on the Flathead National Forest Web page under Special Places (http://www.fs.usda.gov/attmain/flathead/specialplaces). This newsletter gives background and highlights of information that may be shared at the public meeting.

For additional information, please contact the Spotted Bear Ranger District at 406-387-3800.

Missoula County Growth Policy Public Hearing April 13

MISSOULA - The Missoula County Growth Policy has been scheduled for a public hearing before the Missoula County Board of County Commissioners Wednesday, April 13 at 1:30 p.m. (Please note there may be other items on the agenda. The agenda will be posted on the project website when it is available).

At the hearing the Commissioners will accept public comment and also will consider the February 2016 draft along with the recommended changes the Missoula Consolidated Planning Board (MCPB) made at their hearing on March 1. The February 2016 draft Growth Policy and the MCPB’s recommendations are posted on the project website: http://www.mcgrowthpolicy.us

A Request for Commission Action along with attachments including the various draft documents, summaries of the public input sessions, a public involvement log, minutes from Planning Board meetings, etc. will be posted on the project website by April 1. The Commissioners will be receiving briefings about the history of the project and the draft document and recommendations from Planning Board at upcoming administrative meetings, including the Community and Planning Services update meetings March 28 and April 11 at 9:30 a.m. in Room 206, Missoula County Administration Building, 199 W Pine, Missoula. (There will be other items on these agendas.)

Community and Planning Services and the Board of County Commissioners continue to welcome public comment on the draft 2016 Missoula County Growth Policy through the close of the public hearing. Written comments should be emailed to caps@missoulacounty.us or sent to the following mailing address: Missoula County Community& Planning Services, 200 W. Broadway, Missoula, MT 59802.

Questions on this project can be directed to Karen Hughes, 258-3425.

Missoula County Sheriff’s Office Call Activity 3/14/16 – 3/27/16

3/15, 2:07 a.m., Highway 83, Lake Alva: Accident - Injury.

3/14, 9:43 a.m., 1XX Grandview Court, Seeley Lake: Intimidation.

3/14, 1:54 p.m., Morrell Creek Road, Seeley Lake: Suspicious Activity.

3/14, 3:11 p.m., 1XX Morrell Creek Drive, Seeley Lake: Theft.

3/15, 9:24 a.m., Highway 83, Lake Alva: Slide in - No Property Damage.

3/16, 8:28 p.m., Highway 200, Clearwater Junction: Accident - No Injury.

3/17, 8:10 a.m., Highway 200, Greenough: Accident - Injury.

3/18, 11:38 a.m., 4XXX Highway 83, Seeley Lake: Vandalism.

3/20, 11:23 a.m., 40XX Highway 83, Seeley Lake: Assault.

3/23, 9:34 a.m., Highway 200, Clearwater Junction: Accident - No Injury.

3/23, 2:22 p.m., 27XX Hole-in-the-Wall Road, Potomac: TOP Violation.

3/23, 8:03 p.m., 32XX Highway 83, Seeley Lake; Theft.

3/27, 10:18 p.m., 12XX Potomac Loop Road, Potomac: Disturbance.

Seeley Lake Rural Fire District February Call Activity

18 Medical Calls

3 Vehicle Accidents

3 Fire Alarms

Total calls February 2016 = 24 compared to 15 in February 2015. 

Total calls in 2016 = 37 compared to 27 in 2015.