February 13- 19, 2020
A bull moose wanders through the forest near Discovery ski area earlier this month. Photo courtesy Lloyd Mullen.
No dam fix from FERC
Representatives from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) met with the Granite County Commissioners last Tuesday in an effort to resolve differences related to the oversight and maintenance of the county owned dam at Georgetown Lake. Douglas Johnson, Regional Engineer, from Portland, Ore., Kenneth Fearon, Deputy Director of Dam Safety Inspections and Civil Engineer Kelsy Adamec, were present at the meeting to represent the federal agency.
Commissioner Scott Adler began the discussion by telling the regulators that the county had no issue with completing the work that was necessary to maintain the safety of the dam.
“It’s the (expletive) cost. The money part. Trying to keep up with all of the regulations. It’s just killing us,” Adler said.
Commissioner Chuck Hinkle explained that the county is only getting 10% of the profits from generating power, which isn’t enough to pay for the expenses.
Water Rights Protection Act impacts Rock Creek
Late last year, Senators Steve Daines and Jon Tester introduced legislation to permanently settle the Confederated Salish & Kootenai Tribes (CSKT) water dispute.
According to the senators, the settlement upholds the United States’ treaty obligations to the tribes, requires the CSKT to permanently relinquish 97% of their water claim rights with prejudice across the state of Montana.
“In Granite County, the settlement provides the Tribes co-ownership of the existing Fish, Wildlife and Parks right to non-consumptive in-stream flow on Rock Creek to protect fisheries,” Sen. Tester said in a statement to the Mail. The seniority date of that claim, 1971, is not changed with the settlement, nor is it expanded to cover additional water.
If Montana Water Rights Protection Act is passed by congress, the Tribes will dismiss their time immemorial claims on 32 streams and rivers within Granite County, according to Sen. Tester’s statement.
Seven Gables' new chef will bring 'slow changes'
The Seven Gables Resort has transferred ownership from long time owner Carolyn Brock to Seven Gables bartender, Dean Foulger and noted patron Robert Muffett, better known there as “Muff.”
Brock never put the resort, which consists of a restaurant with a U bar and casino, plus eight motel rooms, on the market. “She approached me about it years ago before Dean started working here,” said Muffett.
“She came up to me and said if someone wanted to buy the bar, this is what she wanted them to do,” explained Foulger, “I reached out to Robert because I knew I would need a partner.”
Foulger said that his motivation for buying the property was that, “We want to give back to the community. There is a good opportunity for fundraising. We want to make this place fun, throw parties.”
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No dam fix from FERC
Representatives from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) met with the Granite County Commissioners last Tuesday in an effort to resolve differences related to the oversight and maintenance of the county owned dam at Georgetown Lake. Douglas Johnson, Regional Engineer, from Portland, Ore., Kenneth Fearon, Deputy Director of Dam Safety Inspections and Civil Engineer Kelsy Adamec, were present at the meeting to represent the federal agency.
Commissioner Scott Adler began the discussion by telling the regulators that the county had no issue with completing the work that was necessary to maintain the safety of the dam.
“It’s the (expletive) cost. The money part. Trying to keep up with all of the regulations. It’s just killing us,” Adler said.
Commissioner Chuck Hinkle explained that the county is only getting 10% of the profits from generating power, which isn’t enough to pay for the expenses.
Water Rights Protection Act impacts Rock Creek
Late last year, Senators Steve Daines and Jon Tester introduced legislation to permanently settle the Confederated Salish & Kootenai Tribes (CSKT) water dispute.
According to the senators, the settlement upholds the United States’ treaty obligations to the tribes, requires the CSKT to permanently relinquish 97% of their water claim rights with prejudice across the state of Montana.
“In Granite County, the settlement provides the Tribes co-ownership of the existing Fish, Wildlife and Parks right to non-consumptive in-stream flow on Rock Creek to protect fisheries,” Sen. Tester said in a statement to the Mail. The seniority date of that claim, 1971, is not changed with the settlement, nor is it expanded to cover additional water.
If Montana Water Rights Protection Act is passed by congress, the Tribes will dismiss their time immemorial claims on 32 streams and rivers within Granite County, according to Sen. Tester’s statement.
Seven Gables' new chef will bring 'slow changes'
The Seven Gables Resort has transferred ownership from long time owner Carolyn Brock to Seven Gables bartender, Dean Foulger and noted patron Robert Muffett, better known there as “Muff.”
Brock never put the resort, which consists of a restaurant with a U bar and casino, plus eight motel rooms, on the market. “She approached me about it years ago before Dean started working here,” said Muffett.
“She came up to me and said if someone wanted to buy the bar, this is what she wanted them to do,” explained Foulger, “I reached out to Robert because I knew I would need a partner.”
Foulger said that his motivation for buying the property was that, “We want to give back to the community. There is a good opportunity for fundraising. We want to make this place fun, throw parties.”
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Click SUBSCRIBE at the top of this page.
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