Anglers gathered at Bull Lake on Saturday and Sunday, June 23 and 24 to participate in the Pike Strike Fishing Derby.
52 participants registered for the weekend event and prizes were awarded for heaviest pike as well as the heaviest three pike combined.
For the largest pike, first and second place were taken by Kelsey Peltier for her 11 and 9 pound fish. Third place went to Kory Peltier for an 8.9 pound fish.
For the combined category, Kelsey Peltier also took first with 25.9 pounds, Justin Azure took second with 21.2 pounds and Dylan Peterson took third with his three pike weighing in at 19.2 pounds.
Kelsey and Kory Peltier pictured with their prizes at the Halfway House Bar and Grill. Photo courtesy of Jennifer Williams.
RSVP program says farewell and thank you
Submitted by Terry Peck
I have been the RSVP Volunteer Coordinator for Lincoln County for the past three years and have enjoyed every minute of it. I had the privilege of coordinating more than 147 super volunteers over that time.
Presently we have 18 local volunteer workstations which include, Red Cross Blood Drive, Red Cross Disaster Action Team, Cabinet Peaks Medical Center Auxiliary, Community Thrift Store, Libby Food Pantry, Heritage Museum, Kiwanis, Koats 4 Kids, Kootenai Pets for Life, Libby Irish Fair, Libby Memorial Center, Libby Youth Center, Lincoln County EOC, Lincoln County Public Library and U Serve Libby.
I want to thank these volunteers and our workstations for being a part of my life and for all the great things they have done for our community. As a way of doing this, on June 23 all RSVP volunteers were invited to an ice cream social at the Libby Youth Center. This was the last RSVP event in Lincoln County.
The Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) for Lake, Lincoln, Mineral, Ravalli and Sanders counties along with the Flathead Reservation were sponsored by the Western Montana Area VI agency on Aging who relinquished their sponsorship effective July 1, 2018. This is because the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS), the federal agency responsible for administering the RSVP program, has determined that federal budget austerity and the need for fiscal prudence cannot support a replacement sponsor at this time.
Don’t think for one minute that any of Lincoln County’s volunteers or ‘workstations’ will go away or be discontinued. They are not dependent on RSVP.
Volunteers are a BIG piece of the community puzzle. Not only do they bring positive attitudes and hard work, there is a monetary value that is rarely calculated. If you take the Montana minimum wage of $8.30 per hour and multiply by the total RSVP volunteer hours since RSVP has been in Lincoln County (2011), 64,792 hours, the total dollar amount of savings to the county and our non-profit workstations is amazing. The total is $537,773.60. Wow! Even more mind boggling is the fact that RSVP volunteers are 55-plus years old and are probably only a fraction of the total of all the volunteers in Lincoln County.
We will all still volunteer for the jobs we find fun whether it is with our church, non-profit organization, fundraising event or just helping a neighbor, we won’t stop. So, when you see a volunteer in your path, please thank them for the awesome jobs they do and all the time they spend on our community. Lincoln County is a great place because of you – thank you.
Tuesday night men’s golf league
Week seven, June 19 team standings are as follows:
First Pastime Bar & Grill 85
Second Payne West Insurance 73
Third Timberline Auto 57
Fourth Annie’s Cleaning Service 51
Fourth Advantage Seal & Stripe 51
Sixth Fish n Golf 50
Seventh Trojan Lanes 49
Eighth Elks Lodge 36
Ninth Roys 35
Tenth Ortho Rehab 33
Eleventh Northwest Motor Sports 32
Individual low gross: Jonny Cielak 36
Individual low net: Ron Soete 34
Longest putt (#6): Rick Breiland
Closest to the pin (#7): Jared Winslow
Troy City Council discusses water system, school traffic and Pine Tree Plaza
By Zandra Baker
Troy City Council met this month on June 20 at 7 p.m. and opened with the Pledge of Allegiance and public comments.
The council then unanimously approved the financial claims for the City of Troy, and also approved a handful of minutes from previous meetings. Each month the heads of department in Troy give the City Council a report on what’s happening, been completed, and future plans. This month the Montana Department of Environmental Quality out of Kalispell submitted a report on an inspection of Troy’s public water supply system. Providing water to a community the facility is required to have a sanitary survey inspection done every three years.
In summary the Environmental Science Specialist’s report stated “Overall maintenance, management, safety and operation of the Troy public water supply is very good.” It also notes over the past couple of decades the city’s water system has been drastically improved, about 18 years ago in an inspection they determined it had over 80% loss due to leaks. Meter records now show the current amount is around the national average for a water system of this size. Repairs and preservation are key factors to avoid costly damage down the road.
A new business license was scheduled to be approved but was tabled due to attendance.
The annual Operating and Maintenance Contract between Northern Lights, Inc. and the City of Troy for NLI Hydro Facilities, NLI Substation and Dam was drawn up to be approved. It’s adjusted as needed for fluctuating costs, reflected in a 3.7% increase in this 2018-2019 fiscal year’s agreement and unanimously approved by the council. Resolution regarding placing the selling of 2nd street on the November ballot was tabled as the ordinance has not been finalized by the city’s lawyer.
Troy Schools and the City of Troy are working together to come up with ideas for Morrison Elementary. The pick up and drop off zone is often brought up as an area with much room for improvement. There are no distinct boundaries for cars unloading students and it is often congested before and after school.
If you take a drive down 5th Street you’ll notice there are no sidewalks for students. Speed and distracted driving are also a concern in school zones. In a recent safety audit, the school was given a suggestion to add a gate at the 6th street ally to enhance ease of use for the school with no through traffic and security of the campus. Possible enhancement details have not been completed so further action was tabled until they are reached in agreement.
Five years has passed since the Pine Tree Plaza burned and left a crumbling frame on highway 2. The building is a piece of Troy history, but looking to the future the end may be in sight for the remains left standing. On June 14, the owner was served an abatement, and requested to respond by June 28. This is a last resort in reaching a solution for taking care of this building. This abatement ensures if it can’t be done by other means, the county will come in and tear it down. The building is a safety hazard which is starting to affect the properties around it.
The next City Council meeting is scheduled for July 18 at 7 p.m. at City Hall.