Letters to the editor Feb. 23

Supports park measures

I support Kalispell City Council’s newly adopted park ordinances which preserve public services, maintains a safe and attractive downtown area and limits disturbing and/or illegal activities.

These safeguards are necessary while the City Council establishes sustainable solutions to meet the needs of our most vulnerable citizens and visitors, our homeless population.

As a Kalispell resident who wants to be part of the solution, I took the Warming Center’s volunteer orientation on Feb. 14. The center’s program is entirely supported by local community members and businesses. Support services are provided by Flathead Valley professionals. Food is supplied by the Flathead Food Bank and volunteers who provide hot meals. The facility is welcoming, clean, well organized and available for all those in need.

When I left the facility shortly before 6 p.m. over 30 people were outdoors, quietly waiting in line for the doors to open. Relief from their cold day would be a hot meal and overnight lodging.

— Gail Shay Linne, Kalispell

Pearl-clutchers

It seems that the ranks of the pearl-clutchers are upset about a letter that the commissioners prepared which told the truth. Make things inviting for the ... er ... unhoused, homeless, bums, whatever, and they will come. Once our weather, anti-littering laws, vagrancy laws helped to maintain clean and orderly cities for the benefit of the citizens. It would appear that is no longer the case. No enforcement equals the chaotic situation we see to an extent in the Flathead, but even more so in the once-beautiful coastal cities of Seattle, Portland and San Francisco.

So I have a solution to the problem. Why don’t those who are protesting the letter invite a couple of the unhoused into their own welcoming house and put them up for as long as they want to remain?

— Cy Appel, Whitefish

Plastic problem

Flathead Lake is now polluted with microplastics. I spend a lot of time on the lake and have also seen a significant increase in other plastic pollution such as shopping bags and plastic bottles floating in the lake.

In 2021, Rep. Mark Nolan, R - Bigfork, rushed through HB 407, which banned local cities and municipalities from regulating the use of single-use plastics, the same products that are already polluting Nolan’s own Flathead Lake and Montana’s roadsides.

Why would Nolan want to keep polluting Flathead Lake? Do lakeside communities want plastic pollution in their waters? HB 407 was passed under the rationale that any one-time plastic use regulations should be statewide, rather than under local control. So Flathead Lake communities like Polson, Bigfork and others can’t address the lake’s plastic problem unless far removed communities like Circle or Sidney also want to address plastic pollution?

To correct this, HB 413 has been introduced to repeal HB 407 and return local control to local communities, the very issue the current super majority espouses so loudly.

If you’d like to keep Flathead Lake and other Montana gems unpolluted, and our roadsides free of plastic litter, please ask your elected state officials to support Rep. Stafman’s, D-Bozeman, HB 413.

— Andy Kulla, Big Arm

City services top notch

Having lived in Kalispell since 1971, I feel I am capable of having an informed opinion on the services the city crews provide.

The street crews keep our streets and alleys clear of snow and debris, and in a timely manner. Sewer crews are solving problems promptly, and the parks and recreation departments keep our public areas in good condition.

These people deserve a big “Thanks!” for their efforts.

— Gary and Nadine Eckert, Kalispell