SEELEY LAKE - To retain our clean, transparent water in the Seeley -Swan watershed we must FIRST have clean, transparent government...We have not enjoyed that in the divisive sewer proposal discussion. Here are some examples of shady, secretive government:
The Missoula County Commissioners have repeatedly said they have “no control” over the goings-on of the Seeley Lake Sewer Board but they have approved nearly $800,000 in County taxpayer dollars for this project....before it ever gets off the ground. And they never asked us if we wanted to shell those dollars out...
The Commissioners have contributed nearly $200,000 in county employees’ time to the project, securing permits, rights of way and leases, to name a few services.
The Commissioners loaned the Board $100,000 and last month converted it to a “grant”...giving the taxpayer dollars (again) to the Sewer Board.
And finally...the Commissioners have agreed to “donate” $500,000 in engineering inspection services to the Board for the construction phase if the protest fails and the project proceeds. Shady, bad local government, folks.
Then, the Missoula County Health Department unilaterally, WITHOUT A PUBLIC HEARING IN SEELEY LAKE, declared the core downtown Seeley area a “special management area” which virtually prohibits any new development. But the Health Department and Commissioners in the meantime approved a 30-unit subdivision in this SMA. Shady, bad local government again, folks.
Then the Sewer Board…Until this past year after voters defeated its sewer proposal, it consistently browbeat and badgered citizens who protested or appeared to question its proposal. It never seriously entertained any other viable, less-expensive options for the area. Instead of focusing on a watershed-wide proposal for protecting our waters, it settled on an expensive, small central sewer system which encompasses only a small percent of the creek, river and lakeshore properties which most directly affect water quality.
Again, rather than inclusive government, the Board has acted exclusively, has never seriously considered the needs and desires of the greater residential population. Shady bad, local government folks…Some of us will argue the Board has consistently followed its own personal business interests in this discussion.
What’s the answer? Let’s defeat this proposal, elect a new sewer board and demand cooperative, sane septic regulation from our County Government. We all agree protecting and improving water quality is an admirable goal to pursue.
Reader Comments(0)