Park wise to shift gears on buses
It’s not every day that a government agency turns on a dime with a big decision, but Glacier National Park officials did just that recently with a decision to require that its entire “red bus” fleet be maintained by Glacier’s next main concessions contractor.
The park had previously proposed that just 15 of the 33 buses be maintained by the contractor as part of a 16-year contract that will be awarded this year. That sparked alarm among a significant red-bus constituency. What would happen to the other 18 when the contract terms required that they be replaced with alternative fuel vehicles?
The Glacier Park Foundation, one of the park’s long-term non-profit partners, made the most noise. Within a week of receiving a letter from the organization, acting Park Superintendent Kym Hall announced that the contract prospectus would be revised to require that all 33 buses be restored.
It is commendable that the park is spelling out a future for the iconic fleet, rather than allowing them to slip into disrepair over time. The fleet was renovated from 1999 to 2002 after decades of piecemeal maintenance, and it’s preferable not to go down that road again.
Ethics effort falls short
We’re heartened to see the Kalispell City Council has decided to go back to the drawing board and revise its proposed new ethics code.
On the other hand, we were a little disheartened that their initial effort was so paltry and toothless that it was basically skewered by a local lawyer at Monday’s council meeting.
The heart of a meaningful ethics policy should be transparency and disclosure, but the council’s proposed code somehow managed to remove most of those critical elements and leave only “meager disclosure requirements,” according to attorney Jim Cossitt.
If the council members sincerely want an effective ethics policy — and we believe taxpaying citizens deserve one — they need to heed the advice given them on Monday.
Editorials represent the majority opinion of the Daily Inter Lake’s editorial board.