Letters to the editor June 11

Library priorities

Just last week there was a story about the library canceling a service in Marion because of the costs.  Now there is another story in the paper about the library wanting to spend upward of $2 million on a new building.

Just think about that incongruity for a second.  Reading development skills are the single most important for our future success and the library board is concentrating on a shiny new edifice instead. Will it have the names of the board members and trustees emblazoned on it?

I note also that the current library is close to an old existing neighborhood with people able to easily walk to read books. Not so with the new proposal near the mall.  

But those wonderful trustees and board members names will be on the new building.

We read in the news and hear on the TV and radio about the decline in reading skills in our school age children over the last several decades.

But the names of the board members will be on the edifice for all to read because they had the wisdom to spend vast sums on a new building.

Will this enhance the shrinking reading skill level of our kids?

I think not.

— George Baldwin, Kalispell

Start pedaling

In response to Bob Hendricks’ recent letter on the “War tax,” I’d suggest a far simpler solution for all people. Get out and ride your bike or a recumbent trike to work.

Pedaling isn’t just transportation; it’s an investment in your own health. It strengthens joints, improves cardiovascular fitness and reduces dependence on costly fuel. For those concerned about distance or difficulty, e-bikes with pedal assist have made cycling accessible to nearly everyone.

Let’s not forget: bicycles were around long before cars. They require no gasoline, minimal maintenance and the cost to charge an e-bike for a year is a fraction of what most people spend at the pump in a single month.

Instead of complaining about rising costs, we could take a practical step that benefits both our wallets and our well-being.

Stop whining. Start pedaling.

— Craig Smith, Kalispell

Citizen-led search

I just wanted to say thank you to Citizens for a Better Flathead, North Shore Water Alliance, and the Upper West Shore Alliance for kicking off a community initiative to help solve our septic and sewage issue. We are rapidly approaching an ecological breaking point, which is why the turnout at the May 26 meeting was such an incredible breath of fresh air.

With a high-risk septic and sewage treatment plant expansion looming in dangerous proximity to Flathead Lake, our community is refusing to sit back.

The newly launched “community treasure hunt” is a brilliant, forward-thinking initiative that shows exactly the kind of leadership we need right now. Turning to the community to crowdsource an alternative, environmentally sound location is our absolute best shot at protecting the lake before growth outpaces infrastructure capacity. We must establish science-backed siting criteria immediately to prevent irreversible contamination to our drinking water wells and pristine waters.

This citizen-led search is a proactive solution to head off long-term ecological risks, but we need everyone on board. The stakes are simply too high to stay on the sidelines. If you missed the kickoff at FVCC, it is not too late to act. Please visit the Citizens for a Better Flathead website or give them a call to learn more and how you can volunteer to help problem-solve this issue before it’s too late.

— Mary Person, Whitefish