MEDA Research Team Helps Set Project Priorities

SEELEY LAKE – To follow up on the Resource Team Assessment conducted Sept. 19-20 by Montana Economic Developers Association (MEDA), four of the team members returned to Seeley Lake Nov. 10 to help prioritize and kick-start the projects deemed most urgent by Seeley Lake community members.

Following a brief review of the topics and issues resulting from the team's September interviews, attendees were separated into five groups of six to eight people. Each group decided which three topics they felt needed the most attention.

The individual groups then reported their results and MEDA Coordinator Gloria O'Rourke recorded each topic on a large sheet of paper. She also jotted down whether a committee or organization was already working on the issue, what additional resources were available to help, who were the main people to contact and what time frame was relevant.

Next, each attendee was given five peel-off stickers with instructions to place them by the topics they felt were most important, locating the sticker close to the particular issue of concern to them. Placing multiple stickers under the same topic was acceptable.

When tallied the results revealed 39 votes for Sewer, 20 for Economic Development, 20 for Housing, 20 for Tourism and 16 for Social Services.

The first group to report named the Sewer as their main concern, with communication and education being the primary issue. Several other groups concurred that the sewer issue needed to be resolved before other concerns such as housing could be addressed.

O'Rourke clarified that it is not the intent of the MEDA assessment to create an alternate committee where one is already in place, as is the case with the Sewer Board. The intent in such situations is to offer support to the existing entity by providing additional resources and the contact information of those who indicate they are willing to help with the issue.

Though completion of an entire sewer system is projected to take five to 10 years, on Dec. 13 voters will decide whether the project will go forward. O'Rourke entered "the sooner the better" (STB) in the timeline.

As group leader Lee Boman expressed it, "The sooner we get a sewer the better the chance for long-term prosperity in Seeley Lake, Montana."

Group leader Carla Schade reported Community and Economic Development as an important topic discussed by her group. In particular they felt there should be a specific group focused entirely on planning and finding funding for community projects.

Schade said, "At present there is no group that does that." She further clarified, "There are people, both organizational and business leaders, who are involved in projects in the community. There just is not an organization that is centralized."

MEDA team member and Economic Development Associate from Missoula Economic Partnership Jenni Graff named her company as a resource and herself as a key person to help. O'Rourke said though MEDA team member Jim Smitham was unable to attend the meeting, he also was an excellent and willing resource person. Smitham is a new resident of Seeley Lake.

Gene Schade reported Housing as one of his group's concerns. They felt there were a number of different avenues for handling housing rentals in Seeley Lake, ranging from self-advertising in the Seeley Swan Pathfinder to vacation rental agencies. The group recommended a comprehensive database be created to keep an accurate and on-going listing of all housing rentals. They identified their time line as "start now."

The next group reported on Tourism, focusing particularly on shoulder seasons and on the proposed recreation development in the Fawn Creek area. Of the 20 stickers for Tourism, 13 were placed next to the Fawn Creek Project.

Group reporter Mike Lindemer said, "We feel pretty strongly that it [Fawn Creek Project] is a way of generating income for the community for events on the shoulder months as well. It is not just a winter place to recreate or just a summer place, it's more of a year round project."

The group noted that the United States Forest Service, Morton Trails consulting firm and Seeley Lake ROCKS have been involved with this project for the past five or six years. Lindemer gave the time line as "Let's go! – Git R Done!"

The final group added Social Services to the Community as an additional topic, focusing primarily on seniors and young people who want to live and work in this area. Issues they mentioned were drug and alcohol dependencies, mental health and transportation.

Group member Jeanne Koester said, "We really do need leadership and community planning for the whole package of how people are doing, especially people who are low income or seniors."

One member of the group also wanted to know whether Seeley Lake had ever considered incorporation.

Curtis Friede replied the issue had been explored in the past and the conclusion was "it was virtually impossible because of the requirements the state has. It's pretty much like a miracle to have it happen."

MEDA team member Debi Davidson said the League of Montana Cities and Towns was a resource to consider.

Jean Dickey asked, "[If we did incorporate], would that then lead to us having a local government that would perhaps be able to lead us through some of the topics we are trying to organize today?"

MEDA team members almost in chorus replied, "Yes."

Condon resident Christi Barr contributed, "As a CPA and former Municipality Auditor, I can tell you that as an incorporated body you have a lot more funding sources for grants than you do as an unincorporated entity. So as you're looking for ways to fund these projects you have to consider, in my mind, incorporating the town because it opens up a whole lot more doors of funding sources for you."

At the close of the meeting, attendees provided their contact information and indicated which projects they were willing to work on. The complete Seeley Lake MEDA report, which includes pertinent resource information, is available at medamembers.org under Resources/Resource Team Assessments.