Start behaving yourselves

SEELEY LAKE - The community voted two-to-one to replace three of five Sewer Board members. Two of the new members quit out of frustration, leaving the other neutralized. The will of the community wanted an attitude change. That will has been overturned by the old guard.

I encouraged consensus. I even volunteered for the board. I contacted all players for input. I have been increasingly shunned and ignored, many phone calls not returned and my candidacy bypassed without discussion or vote.

I wish the Larson suit hadn’t been filed and that repressive attitudes hadn’t instigated it. A countersuit would be the community suing itself. It’s not Larson’s fault the Board inadvertently bypassed the concerns of a majority of voters. A common perception is that the concerns were deliberately bypassed and the voters lied to. It could all have been easily avoided.

Recent meetings have been peppered with harassment, bullying, intimidation, personal attacks and repeated disruptions citing Robert’s Rules of Order, the Bylaws, the minutes being too thorough, agenda adherence and other ploys oppositional to the new members. These procedures are evidently optional for the old guard. Public comment appears to have been co-opted by planted surrogates to advance these disruptions while masking who is behind them. Radicalism in action.

I don’t know what’s driving this behavior. I’ve heard that businesses want the system, developers have resort and subdivision plans, and Crown of the Continent interests would turn our community into an environmental theme park. Any of these pursuits is legal and may enjoy community support if promoted in a transparent manner. In my opinion, whoever is importing friction and pulling strings is not doing so out of concern for nitrates in the groundwater.

The old guard in their hubris seems oblivious that radical subversion of public government can constitute basis for a criminal complaint. Anyone can file with the sheriff, and an investigation will likely ensue. If it can’t be handled in-county, it goes to the Investigations Bureau in Helena. I don’t know where an investigation would lead, but I know how to find out.

So, to all you folks, elected or appointed, operating under color of authority, I caution you directly and openly. I’m doing you a favor. You need to start behaving yourselves.

Civil and criminal actions do not benefit our community. I hope the Board will facilitate a sewer system while ensuring equitable District assessments.