Citizens push planning changes

Citing a lack of transparency in neighborhood planning and the way county expenses are handled, former Flathead County Commissioner Dale Williams on Wednesday suggested the commissioners ask Planning Director Jeff Harris to resign - or fire him if he doesn't resign.

Williams also recommended the county begin an immediate audit of the Planning Office.

He was one of several people who took the county Planning Office to task over a number of issues, including neighborhood planning, a lack of documentation for county spending and questions about how past development applications have been handled.

"In all my years of public service, I've not witnessed such callous disregard of public trust," Williams told the commissioners.

Pointing to alleged violations of open-record laws and the private Yahoo Web site used by the Lakeside Neighborhood Plan Committee and county planners, Williams called for a moratorium on both the Lakeside plan update that's under way and the Somers neighborhood planning effort that's just getting organized.

He is equally concerned about what he sees as a lack of details when expense claims are submitted by county employees for travel and food reimbursement.

"On all claims, the who, what, where, why and when of an expense" should be questioned, Williams said, adding that if pertinent information is missing a claim should be denied.

Williams said his understanding of county policy is that employees can't use county credit cards for food items. Yet he cited several examples of food expenses that were charged on county credit cards - one with a $70 tip - and in some cases it was unclear if the food was for private citizens or public officials.

He also took exception with the upgraded hotel rooms for planners who attended a professional conference in Reno. He checked the hotel's base rate, which showed it was $85, yet the receipts showed the cost about $50 higher than the base rate.

"Why should we lap them in luxury?" he asked. "I'm absolutely aghast."

Williams further questioned postage for certified packages sent to Canada and England, and wondered why the Planning Office was allowed to spend $4,300 to develop a logo for the department.

Kalispell attorney and mayoral candidate Tammi Fisher questioned inconsistencies in the planning process as it related to a gravel-pit application by Bruce Tutvedt and a batch-plant application by Gary Krueger.

"[Jeff] Harris acts as judge, juror and executioner of planning," Fisher said. "He's the filter through which all information is provided … we have no predictability with this office.

"The reason for the divisiveness is not fringe thinkers," she told the commissioners. "The loss of public trust is palpable. They now turn to you. They expect this body to right a wrong."

Russ Crowder of the American Dream Montana property-rights group said he brought questionable documents to the commissioners last October, advising the county to "get their own house in order, but our pleas ended up in the black hole of the County Attorney's Office."

American Dream Montana on Monday began circulating a petition calling for an independent investigation of the Planning Office and Harris. The petition further calls for the immediate suspension of Harris without pay until the investigation is complete and asks for a moratorium on destruction of planning documents until the investigation is finished.

Mayre Flowers of Citizens for a Better Flathead also addressed the commissioners, citing numerous studies that show planning is needed to sustain qualities that create economic development.

A recent lawsuit filed by Somers and Lakeside landowners and newspaper advertisements placed by American Dream, "appear to be an over-reaching effort to use a few public-process violations, that are unfortunate but correctable, and turn them into a blanket attack on the county planning director and an attempt to shut down planning in the county," Flowers said.

She maintained the county has provided the leadership to improve transparency in planning, and noted Citizens for a Better Flathead has "worked tirelessly for greater transparency in local government" for more than 17 years.

The commissioners took no action on the various presentations, but said they would take the concerns under advisement.

Features editor Lynnette Hintze may be reached at 758-4421 or by e-mail at lhintze@dailyinterlake.com