County Agency on Aging vote sparks online battle
The Flathead County commissioners’ 2-1 vote on Wednesday to halt the grant application to partially fund a new Agency on Aging facility drew both applause and sharp rebukes online from readers, most of whom comment anonymously.
In order to demonstrate the range of comments, and the rancor of many commenters, the Inter Lake has decided to take the unusual step of reprinting with minimal editing some of the comments in the print edition despite their anonymity.
In a related column on this page, Managing Editor Frank Miele discusses the pros and cons of allowing unlimited online commenting.
RIGHTOFCENTER
Thank you Commissioners Holmquist and Krueger for standing up for the taxpayers of Flathead County who do not want millions of our money spent on a new building that will only benefit a couple hundred people. Thank you for making sure that we have the money to fund it first before proceeding. Thank you for taking your time and making sure it is the right decision for ALL THE CITIZENS of Flathead County. Thank you for standing up for our Fairgrounds and protecting it from these people who want to turn our Fairgrounds into an office complex. From what I have heard this has been nothing but a small minority group of loudmouths trying to get the taxpayers of Flathead County to pay for an expensive meeting hall for themselves. I am so proud of County Commissioners Holmquist and Krueger for not being intimidated by the low down bullying tactics of this small little loudmouth mob.
averagejoe
Another 50k a year rent to the Lapps for a building that probably should be torn down. I guess their support of Holmquist and Krueger is paying off, literally. Just a taste of what’s to come, Flathead County. You elected Holmquist and Krueger; there’s no going back now.
whatthe
Looks like it will be really hard for a Republican to win a county seat next election with the lack of Republican leadership in the county right now!
lone walker
Bravo!
There are far less expensive solutions for accommodating this agency that will meet their most basic needs if the criteria isn’t so limiting for selecting sites and the design isn’t so extravagant.
Keep it simple and affordable.
clone
Lone walker you are so correct. This was a great decision by our two conservative County Commissioners Holmquist and Krueger. It sure is nice to have elected officials like them that are looking out for the taxpayers. We should all thank them for doing the right thing, especially in the midst of an out of control mob and smear campaign that wanted a way too expensive building at tax payer expense. Thanks Gary and Pam for standing up for us taxpayers and doing the right thing. I am so proud I voted for both of you, keep up the good work. The 99% of us who will receive no benefit from this expensive AOA bullding fiasco are extremely grateful that you didn’t let this mob rule mentality intimidate you into squandering millions on a building that has no plan, was not shown to be needed and would have destroyed our Fairgrounds as we know it.
Billy
Have you ever noticed how easy it is to spot restaurant reviews written by the owners?
Slim Jim
A few years ago there was another option. The armory building by Peterson School. The federal gov was giving away the building. AOA was first in line to receive it until ... the homeless shelter [found out] about the deal. Apparently federal law required homeless shelters to get precedence in any building transfer. So with less than a week to go AOA was bumped from the list in favor of the homeless shelter. Have you driven by the old armory building and noticed any activity? It is being used as office space for two of the directors of the homeless shelter. I believe federal law will not allow a homeless shelter within a certain distance of a school so they can only use it for office space. Maybe the county could provide office space for the two directors of the homeless shelter in exchange for use of the building for AOA. Just sayin.
ONTHEMARK
The comments thanking Commissioners Krueger and Holmquist are “ON THE MARK” exactly. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! The majority of the taxpayers of Flathead County DO NOT, i repeat DO NOT want millions and millions spent on a new building that will benefit less than 1% of our population. The majority of citizens in Flathead County do not want our Fairgrounds turned into an office complex. We want our 100 year tradition at our Fairgrounds protected. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU FOR STANDING UP FOR THE TAXPAYERS COMMISSIONERS HOLMQUIST AND KREUEGER.
ZipTie
Thank you, Commissioners Holmquist and Krueger for looking out for us taxpayers and saving our fairgrounds! You did the right thing!
ManChef
This was the right decisions for the taxpayers of the Flathead.
Thank you, Commissioners Krueger and Holmquist! Thank you.....about 2.5 million times!
Brick
Thank God (and I did) we’ve got at least two commissioners who have a brain in their head!
This “mob rule mentality” scheme was dirty from the get go.
The mob attempted to bully Commissioners Krueger and Holmquist into approving nearly 3 million dollars for a building with NO PLAN, NO guranteed funding source, no site selected and ZERO cost estimates known. WHAT A FARCE!
Thank you to Krueger and Holmquist for standing up the school yard bullies!
Bonnie S
As a taxpayer in the county I give a heartfelt ‘THANK YOU’ to Pam Holmquist and Gary Krueger! Thank you, for looking out for the taxpayers, and the bottom line. You did the right thing!
LittlePete
To Commissioners Holmquist and Krueger;
THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!
Thank you, for not caving into this trumped up, low-down dirty scam on the taxpayers of Flathead County!
Well done!
why
It looks like the bullying tactics of this small little loud mob orchestrated by “Pull your Credit Card Out” Cal Scott and former County Commissioner Lauman backfired. There were lies and innuendos spread, intimidation tactics and threats. Now look where this thing is at for the bullies, back to square one. Maybe instead of the dirty tactics they used, they should have tried showing a little respect and worked with our current conservatives on the County Commission, Holmquist and Krueger. Bullying tactics and smear campaigns like this should never be rewarded. Good job on halting this Pam and Gary and doing the right thing for the taxpayers of Flathead County.
flatface
Surprised to see so many mean-spirited and hateful comments about something that serves the elderly in our county. Someone wrote it will “only benefit 1% of the community.” Only 1% of our population would or could use the Agency on Aging’s services? That seems incorrect to me. Pretty ugly stuff here. Flathead County seniors, I’m embarrassed and sorry that you seem to be held in such low regard.
DanglingChad
The 1% is exactly correct. The AOA barely services 1000 people and really only about 300 regularly. A new, 3 million dollar facility for 300 people? NO THANK YOU!!!
Since October of 2012, there has been a concerted effort to rile-up about 20 seniors into the most radical, hateful, nasty mob you’ve ever heard. There were even two senior women involved with this that were overheard threatening bodily harm to Commissioner Krueger. On what planet is that type of behavior acceptable? Seniors or not, it is NEVER acceptable to threaten the health, safety, or welfare of ANY elected official — not even in jest.
These seniors have been whipped up into a frenzy, told lie after lie and led down the pea patch… SHAMEFUL!!!
Thank you, Commissioners Krueger & Holmquist for putting a stop to this dirty scheme. Thank you, for looking out for the taxpayer!
consommespectateur
Flathead County commissioners are tasked with the responsibility of being good shepherds when it comes to public finances. Commissioners must scrutinize every expenditure of public funds, especially large capitol projects such as the aforementioned Agency on Aging (AOA) facility. Commissioners must skillfully maneuver a myriad of concerns on a daily basis, ensuring the public’s voices, funds, and interests are respected and balanced as issues progress to fruition...
All and all, the present state of Flathead’s County Commission is disgraceful. Yesterday’s proceedings not only hurt the elder Flathead generation, but future elder generations as well. Statistics show Montana’s population will continue to age, the great ‘Grey Tsunami’ will be upon us soon and this community will lack proper infrastructure to assist that demographic. Beyond AOA concerns, the damaging actions taken by Flathead County’s Commissioners sets a dangerous precedent going into the future, Flathead County and its citizens will be harmed in immeasurable ways as men of power buy influence from eager politicians clamoring to keep the status quo.
mtdawg
Yeah, the Lapps have been pretty good to the Republicans of this county for a long time. While I would stop short of calling it corruption, it certainly smacks of patronage and cronyism. The commissioners apparently have some type of obligation to continue to put money in the Lapps’ pockets for the foreseeable future. Lapps 1, Seniors 0. So you say the senior center would only serve 1% of the county. What percentage do the Lapps represent?
T-Beau
Shame on you, Pam and Gary!!! You obviously are more loyal to your “friends” than to the senior population of the Flathead. You have been given all of the facts and AOA has done everything you’ve asked and yet you still do not allow them to move forward and get a building that is suitable and safe for the seniors. Ten years is too long to be paying rent for a temporary facility (one owned by your friends — the ones who helped you get elected) that has been inspected and poses hazardous conditions to those who use the building. According to the 2011 census, 15% of the population of the valley are seniors (not 1% as posted earlier). Obviously, Pam and Gary, you don’t realize that one day in the near future you, too, will be seniors and in need of the services of AOA.
RussCrowder
... The reality is that this whole issue is just a red herring by a bunch of leftists using the senior citizens in our community to score political points against the politically and fiscally conservative Republicans on the county commission that cleaned their clock in the last couple elections!
why
The only criminal activity that has been reported in this very paper related to the current County Commissioners is “Pull your credit card out” Cal Scott and his lying under oath saying he had a Civil Engineering degree he does not have. In relationship to AOA, the leasing of the Alpine Business Center occured almost a decade ago. Holmquist and Krueger had nothing to do with it. This is just a bunch of BS and lying akin to Credit Card Cal lying under oath to get an expensive building for a small minority mob of cry babies that has no plan, has not been shown to be needed and will destroy our Fairgrounds as we know it. Thank you Pam and Gary for standing up to this mob that has used outright lies, smear campaigns and lowdown bottom of the barrel tactics to try to dupe the county taxpayers out of millions. This whole diabolical scheme has been orchestrated by Credit Card Cal and former County Commissioner Dale Lauman
Maria C
“Consomme’” sounds a lot like Cal Scott must feel right about now...now that he’s finally realized he’s irrelevant....
The “Gray Tsunami”, (as Mr. Irrelevant puts it), is maybe 80 DEMOCRAT seniors who believe they are entitled to a gov’t funded program — one that the other 90,000 people that live here must pay for.
Any true conservative must make tough choices, even in the wake of loud people who believe their social program entitles them to drive a new Cadillac, when most of us drive used pickup trucks. The “Gray Tsunami” should be grateful that their program remains funded in the wake of a $16 trillion dollar deficit and local road infrastructure that is deficient and in need of repair.
Thank you, Mrs. Holm-quist and Mr. Krueger. Thank you, for looking out for the taxpayer and saving us 3 million dollars! I’m proud to have voted for you!