Monthly Archives: November 2014

Well, folks, the deed is done. Once again, greed, complicity, self-promotion, and lack of any interest in preserving the integrity of the Bitterroot have won out. Soon we’ll be known as the Bitter-rot rather than Bitterroot. Lee Foss was awarded his permit for the site on Blood Lane south of Hamilton. He claims he has no knowledge of any store interested in purchasing the site, stating “People can’t afford to pay a bunch of money for land on a maybe.” So, he has invested $10,000 on the permit, and state officials say consulting fees could run $30,000. 

In the November election, voters decided we wanted to have a say in the direction the County would be heading in the next 10 years. We voted for the Government Study—one of only a few entities in Montana to do so. This says a lot about the character of the people who live in the Bitterroot. The next obvious step is for those of us to voted for the Study to attend the various meetings that will be held throughout the Valley. Let’s have civil conversations with those elected over what is important to us. Hopefully they will listen closely when people start offering suggestions and will look for ways to accommodate a bit of everyone’s input. Not wishy-washy compromise where everyone ends up feeling shorted; rather, a coming together which leaves attendees with a sense they played a part in advancing what is best for the County.

The scheduled meeting with the DEQ on the permit for a “big-box store” treatment facility was interesting but unproductive. DEQ had not visited the site until the day of the meeting (September 18th), depending on the developer for all information regarding the piece of property. Lee Foss did not attend. I would assume so he wouldn’t be put on the spot when asked questions. Foss is only requesting a residential permit with a treatment facility processing between 5,100gpd and 6,400gpd maximum, Monthly SELF-monitoring is all that is required, with the DEQ saying they might be checking it out on a yearly basis. A 35gpm (50,400gpd capability) well has been drilled and approved. If I lived near the site, I’d be worried about my well. It was evident DEQ had no information on ditches and water table.