The Swan Valley Community Council went over emergency preparedness tips, concerns over electricity in the community building and heard from a candidate running for Condon’s state senate district, which will not be the same as Seeley Lake this year.
John Hallman with Swan Valley Emergency Services kicked off the Sept. 19 meeting with a new program to share safety tips for the public. Last week, he discussed basic facts of the department.
Hallman said the volunteer medical and fire department currently has 33 members. The department looks over MM 31 to MM64 on Highway 83, stretching between both Missoula and Lake Counties.
The department costs $75 to $150 per year for landowners, but does not charge during emergency responses.
Other emergency services, like Missoula’s ambulance service, might cost money, Hallman said. Life Flight also costs money, and while some people have insurance for the flight, the helicopter will be called whether someone has insurance or not.
“Life Flight is called based on the nature of the incident, not whether you have insurance or what your name is,” Hallman said. “Based on the information 911 gets, they have certain protocols that they will activate. Some of those are automated, and some of those are manual.”
Hallman said the department will continue to come to meetings, next month will focus on how to be prepared with 911.
One resident said there were concerns with the Swan Valley Community Hall’s electricity. That concerned citizen, who was not in attendance, relayed to the council members that the kitchen could get overpowered by crockpots and other high heat devices.
American Legion Post 63 Commander Ed Klassen said the building was built and deeded to the community by a family in Condon in the 1930s. The American Legion maintains the building, but it is financially supported by Missoula County Open Spaces and Public Works.
Klassen said the areas that actually need fixing are the cook shack.
“If there is something that is a safety issue that needs to be addressed, they have electricians, they have plumbers, they have all these people that work for public works that will come up here and do the job,” Klassen said
Klassen doubted that there was an issue with the kitchen. He said the electricity must be recertified every 10 years, and just was the first time hearing about the issue.
“We put 20 crock pots along these walls for the chili cook off every single year,” Klassen said. “If they have concerns with the circuit breaker not being big enough or the electrical not being big enough, we will have to sit down with them to see what type of equipment they plan to use.”
In other business, Swan Valley Connections Executive Director Rebecca Ramsey spoke about firewood day coming Oct. 6. The event gives needy families and individuals in Condon free split firewood to keep people warm through the winter. The event starts at 10 a.m. at the Condon work center.
“Over the last two years we have delivered about 20 cords of wood into our community,” Ramsey said.
The new taxes subcommittee with Brian Praschak did not have many updates, as it is still waiting for Missoula County to return data on how tax dollars flow to the Swan Valley versus what residents in the area are taxed for.
Back in April the council asked the commissioners to figure out how much in taxes Condon residents pay to Missoula County, and what value of services they get in return. Specific asks include direct spending into Swan Valley, the general fund, public roads and bridges, the detention center, public safety, and county health department.
“We want to see where is that going, and say ’okay, it might now be that easy, but how does that directly or indirectly flow back into our community,’” Praschak said.
Danny Tenenbaum introduced himself as a candidate for Senate District 46. He is currently running unopposed as a Democrat.
He currently works as a judge for the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribe and helps out as a preschool teacher in Missoula
“You know, (the jobs are) different but its a little bit of the same stuff,” Tenenbaum said.
He was also the House District 95 representative from 2020-2022, but took the last session off to take care of his kids. He is running for SD 46, which encompasses Condon, Potomac, east Missoula, and up the west side of the Mission Mountains to Ronan.
Seeley Lake is not a part of the district, which was changed by the state’s redistricting committee in 2022. Seeley Lake is also not a part of House District 92 anymore, but instead House District 76 and Senate District 38.
Tenenbaum said at the meeting his main focus is on housing. He is a member of Gov. Greg Gianforte’s Housing Task Force, and helped pass multiple laws last session that eased building restrictions like Accessory Dwelling Units.
Other members of the meeting talked to Tenenbaum about the issue with the county building permit.
“I am 90 days into a 60 day approval process, even though I have a license by the state to run a food truck,” Klassen, the post commander, said. “So most of the agencies down there, they really don’t treat the community up here very well.”
Talk of building codes and other issues with the county rounded out discussion for the evening. The next meeting, on Oct. 17, will feature more zoning talks with Missoula County, potential results on the council’s tax information request, and potentially Montana State Represenative Mike Hopkins.
Hopkins was originally going to the September meeting, but a council member said his car broke down and he could not attend.
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