Letters to the editor Feb. 9
Evergreen here to assist
The Evergreen Chamber of Commerce would like to acknowledge our county commissioners’ effort to bring the issue of homelessness to the forefront of community conversation.
Business leaders in Evergreen have been at the epicenter of the homeless issue for many years, and feel that in partnership with the commissioners’ initiative the time is right to form a taskforce to:
- To better understand what makes up the valley’s homeless. Proportionately, what percentage are displaced families who simply can’t afford a place to live? How many are veterans who have not been able to receive the care that they deserve? How many are drug users who would accept help and council if it were made available, or be distrustful or disinterested in getting help.
Apparently the commissioners have been working on this for several months. We would anticipate that supporting data exists, and we ask the commissioners to share it.
- To formulate an action plan that involves community support and reasonable county services to address the above.
The Evergreen Chamber of Commerce would like to contribute to finding a solution to a very complicated problem. We come to the commissioners with open hands and open hearts. We offer the commissioners our time and effort in conjunction with their taskforce with the goal to help find solutions that reflect who we are as a community.
— Evergreen Chamber President Daren Engellant and Vice President Scott Hanson
Let’s discuss the reservation system
It seems Indian lives really do not matter, at least judging by the response in the press and from many of our legislators in Helena to the Resolution for the Investigation into Alternatives to the Indian Reservation system.
This document was developed by the Treasure State Advocates located in Kalispell. It was designed to express, in writing, the many obvious problems existing inside of our state’s reservations today which are so negatively impacting our Montana Indian citizens as well as the rest of Montana’s citizens. Although it is a subject most of our leaders do not want to address, the time has come to recognize those problems publicly and, more importantly, start discussions of how to address them in the future.
But we recognize the reservation system is mired inside of the political world dominated by money, power, control and greed. In that world, it is more important to protect turf then it is to discuss alternatives to change the system coming up with real solutions which would give to our Indian citizens a safer and more productive environment and, in addition, promote better relationships between Montana citizens and the reservations.
The resolution expresses the problems and conflicts that we believe the majority of Montana would agree with if they could ever see the actual document. If these problems are not addressed in a timely fashion, they can only get worse in the future. For example, Montana dealing with seven separate sovereign nations inside of our border cannot help but produce confusion, waste and ill feelings all around.
The resolution is only a call to start discussions, but the political forces in Helena supported by inaccurate reporting quickly moved to quash it before it was even introduced for all the obvious reasons. But Montanans deserve to have full and accurate information even if our news sources choose to bury it. To read the full text of the resolution, go to wp.me/panyC6-3mj. If you agree with it and if you believe our Legislature should agree to call for discussions, contact your legislator.
Some people may wonder why we are doing this. In response, we can only say, to us, Indian lives do matter. And so do the health, happiness and enjoyment of the rest of our Montana citizens.
— Mark Agather, Kalispell