Letters to the editor Feb. 8

Library foundation and board

I am writing today as a donor to the Imagine IF  Library Foundation. I know I am not alone in my discomfort at the blatant attack on the integrity of the Foundation and its executive director by a member of the library board at last month’s board meeting.

Any of the concerns that trustee Carmen Cuthbertson raised could have easily been handled by an email, phone call, or face-to-face meeting. All that is needed is respect and courage. 

It became clear as the diatribe continued, even over the objections of the chair of the board, that this was meant to publicly humiliate and cast doubt on the integrity of the Foundation and its leadership. What kind of a board would literally bite the hand that is currently feeding its programs for youth, and raising money to complete a long awaited and desperately needed building project in Bigfork? 

The fact that the board completely ignored staff input on the changes to the collection management policy, and then moved on to this petty and very personal take down of the Foundation just leaves me speechless. I cannot, as a board member myself of multiple nonprofits over the years, find any explanation for this behavior. 

The board and Foundation must have a cordial and working relationship to serve the community. Serve the community, not individual board member’s personal dislikes and need to wield power in this very inappropriate way. This community deserves better board management and maturity from this Imagine IF Library board of trustees.

— Valeri McGarvey, Kalispell

Racicot’s opinion

Marc Racicot, former Montana governor, you have a lot of nerve to come back to Montana with your political opinions after what you did in 1997. 

Your involvement in electric deregulation caused years of chaos and spiking energy prices. The old Montana Power Company assets were divided up by out-of-state corporations and milked for every cent of profit they could get — most of it out of our wallets.” 

Who cares about your opinion here in Montana.

— Elaine A. Owen, Billings

Disrespect for military

This letter is in response to Melissa Case’s (Feb. 1) letter to the editor regarding “President Donald Trump’s disdain and contempt for our military.” 

As a veteran, I can find both positive and negative comments regarding all presidents, depending on which sources I choose to research — some true and some false.  

The most recent example of utter disrespect for our military, which I witnessed with my own eyes, was when the president abandoned both military and civilians with his untimely and botched withdrawal from Afghanistan. During the dignified transfer ceremony of the 13 dead American soldiers the president was seen checking his watch several times.

Oh wait, that was Biden, not Trump.

— JD Rutledge, Kalispell