Bitter Root Trails IV (BRT IV) is a book about Victor. There have been Trails before this one as the Roman numerals suggest. Bitter Root Trails III covers Hamilton and Corvallis. Bitter Root Trails I and II were about the area from Darby to Grantsdale. The Preface of BRT IV reads:

"Bitter Root Trails IV follows in the historical footsteps of Bitterroot Trails I, II, III. It is a personal history, written and provided by the families and descendants of the earliest pioneers who settled in the Victor vicinity between the 1860's and about 1930" (8).

I feel the historical weightiness of this project as I sit in the moved and restored Victor train depot located on Main Street in Victor. Since May of 1992, this darling building has been the home of the Victor Heritage Museum, a non-profit organization, run by volunteers. I am speaking with Joy Brown Clarke, Joann White Hosko, Helen Hackett Buker, Don and Katherine Hupfer Garrod, Bob and Mary K. Hafer, and Marie Martin Herron, the principle authors, researchers, and lore collectors for BRT IV. This group is quick to point out that they had considerable help from the community. Bob Hafer says, "This is just the core of the corp. If we had everybody who contributed here, they wouldn't fit in this room." One especially helpful contributor mentioned by the group is Dale Burke, whose knowledge of the printing world helped keep the price of this thick volume within range.

When I ask how they became involved in this colossal project, they all answer the same. They were personally recruited (Bob jokingly uses the words "goaded, cajoled, and blackmailed" to describe how he was pressed into service) by a dedicated long-time citizen of Victor, Peggy Thornbrugh. This was in the spring of 1999. Peggy was elected project chairman at a Bitterroot Historical Society meeting held to see who would be willing to work on Trails IV. That fall, Peggy died. The eight volunteers named above, all Victor grads, stuck with the project and spent eight tireless years collecting, writing, researching and editing.

The book is dedicated to Peggy Thornbrugh, for her ability to realize that "time is passing quickly, and we must preserve the stories and artifacts lest we risk losing them." This line from the dedication actually describes the feelings of every person involved. They each have family featured in the book and long-term ties to the area and they each believe in the importance of historical preservation. This group points out again and again that the gathering of historical information is a race against time. Joann says, "I think 50 people died in the eight years we worked on the book." And those fifty people took countless historical details with them; fortunately, some of these details have been preserved in BRT IV.

The first one hundred and thirty-four pages recalls places: the Victor Opera House, the train depot, the schools, Farmer's State Bank, the Curlew Mine, and my favorite place to get ice cream as a child, the Box Elder Cafe, just to name a few places. The next 500+ pages follow family histories by name, families "from approximately Sheafman Creek Road to St. Mary's Road" on both sides of the Bitterroot. One hundred and twenty-three families, from Amos to Young, in alphabetical order, are remembered.

If we could ask Rayond Burow whether he was making notable history the day he got wind that the officials knew about his still, the day he and his buddies drank the evidence and fed the mash to the farm animals ("When the lawmen arrived, the guys, pigs, and other animals were drunk" [196]), he might not agree that this was something he'd like to be remembered for. Then again, judging by Kathleen Burow Henault's colorful account of her father, he might just offer up a wry grin and take the fifth. We can't know because Ray "passed away in February of 1980 at the age of seventy-nine" (199).

Much of this book's mission is accomplished in the simple recording, in one locale, of who begets whom, where they lived, where they expired, and where they were put to rest. "Joy spent a great deal of time walking through the cemetery," reports Helen. Phone books were combed; distant relatives and friends were contacted. Kathy and her husband Don spent countless hours pouring over microfilm, connecting the birth, marriage, and death certificates with Victor families.

This type of information could be tedious if it weren't dressed up with the vivid and humorous details provided by each author. I laughed out loud when I read of how Terry Williamson, one of nine children and May K Williamson Hafer's brother, recalled repeating something to the mailman (Don Hewitt) that he had heard his older brothers say. When Don said, "Here's your mail, young man," Terry responded, "The hell, you beller." Don thought this was hilarious, Mom (Dorothy Frances Williamson) did not.

There is no doubt that setting shapes its characters; the Victor's Trail book has no shortage of characters. Take, for instance, Marie Martin Herron's piece entitled "The Victor Jail". Marie quotes a 1907 article that appeared in the Western News:

"The people of Victor have felt for some time that the town was in need of better protection from rowdyism. The town has practically been powerless to cope against the noisy ones who sometimes gather on the streets and annoy women and decent citizens of the town in general" (56).

Marie tells readers one hundred and fifty dollars was set aside by the county commissioners to build Victor's jail, which was an unheated flagstone structure, ten by ten, with a removable tin roof that made escape easy enough for any savvy residents. "Opinions differ as to whether or not it had a window," writes Marie.

This is the tough part about history, unless there are pictures to corroborate, the stories are left to the survivors and they don't necessarily agree. Joy says, "We got in the middle of a few family fights." She is using name spelling as an example. "Was it M-a-e or M-a-y" Joy wanted to know. "Well, I ought to know, I was named for her," Joy was told in no uncertain terms. However, the touchiest details, the real juicy, scandalous stuff about Victor's history and history-makers can't be found in this book. The authors respected the wishes of those who told stories, but then said, "Don't print that."

What has been printed has been endorsed by the likes of noted historian Harry Fritz from the University of Montana. Dr. Fritz gives a shining report of the book on the back cover and on the front cover are Bitter Root flowers painted by local artist Helen Swanson Strange. Copies are available at Chapter One Bookstore, Farmer State Bank in Victor, Ravalli Museum, and at Victor Heritage Museum. Currently, the Victor Heritage Museum is not keeping its regular hours, but looks forward to another lively turnout for its annual fundraiser, The Chocolate Tasting Party, on December 3rd from 5-9pm. The Museum could also use more volunteers in order to expand its hours; if you are interested, contact Bob or Mary K Hafer at 961-3588. Also, this group is anxious to continue compiling information on Victor residents who have lived in the area for the last 50+ years. Bring your written stories to the Museum, which is open from Memorial Day through Labor Day, Wednesday through Saturday, 1-4pm, or contact the Hafers.

Commissioners consider Interim Streamside Setback Zoning

By Michael Howell

The Ravalli County Commissioners have agreed to move forward with consideration of possible Interim Streamside Setback Zoning regulations, but will likely only approve a bare bones, scaled down version of the lengthy draft submitted by the Streamside Setback Committee.

The County Commissioners established the Streamside Setback Committee this summer to study the issue of potential streamside setbacks in the context of a countywide zoning effort and charged the committee with making recommendations in that regard. Then, at the end of July, the committee was charged with preparing a draft proposal for emergency measures to be put in place while the long term standards are being developed. That draft was produced on September 7. The Commissioners hope to put a final draft together by November 5, at which time another meeting is scheduled.

Right off the bat, at the October 2, commissioners meeting held to consider the draft proposal, Commissioner Carlotta Grandstaff immediately suggested that the committee consider cutting it down to a simple restriction on commercial and residential structures within the streamside zones. She called the document too wordy and said everything about agriculture should simply be removed.

Commissioner Greg Chilcott suggested that the main stem of the Bitterroot River be removed from the draft because it was already covered by floodplain mapping and rules governing development in the floodplain. He also questioned the legitimacy of the need for any emergency regulations at all stating that he did not see the emergency. He said that streamside setback considerations were already included as part of the prospective countywide zoning regulations and have been considered as part of Phase 2 of that effort.

"I don't see the threat," said Chilcott. "I think we have time to do it right. We have time to get the science to give us the information to do it right."

Commission Chairman Jim Rokosch disagreed. He said that there was a clear emergency given the rate of new construction in the valley, although he did not have any clear number.

"I do think that there is a safety concern," said Rokosch. He said that there were safety issues with placing a home too close to a stream as well as health issues related to use of fertilizers and pesticides. He also agreed, however, with Grandstaff that agriculture should be exempted 100 percent from any emergency measure.

Commissioner Alan Thompson stated that there was a lot included in the draft proposal that he did not like. He said that he would look at some control of residential structures along the banks of streams due to safety concerns.

"But there is a lot of excess here that is not an emergency of any kind," he said of the draft proposal.

Public comment at the meeting was primarily against any emergency measure and against the concept of streamside setbacks in general.

Gene Williams, from Darby, challenged the commissioners to define the idea of a "wildlife corridor", a concept included in the zoning measure. He saw it as a taking of private property for ill-defined purposes. He also criticized the "race to regulate". He said that if the commissioners ignored the legalities involved in the "wildlife corridor" concept that it would lead to expensive and needless litigation.

Tom Robak commented that it would reduce property values and the resultant tax values of the land along the streams and river. He urged the commissioners to consider the long term economic effects off the regulation.

Susanna Pyron stated that there were already laws governing activity in streams such as the 310 Law, laws governing potential sanitation problems and insurance company requirements that would mitigate all the safety concerns. She said that a property owner should be able to do what they want on their property otherwise.

Attorney David Markett applauded the exclusion of agriculture from the regulations. He said that the commissioners should be considering what to prohibit along streams and not what is going to be allowed. He argued against trying to define agriculture within the regulation.

Stevensville rancher Jay Meyer spoke against setback regulations stating that, given the variance procedure for agriculturalists outlined in the draft a person would end up getting caught up in a public process that would last a lifetime.

"You would be caught up in a public process till you are in your death bed, and you still wouldn‚t win," said Meyer.

Chairman of the Streamside Setback Committee Clay Defleftsen defended the aims and goals of the committee. He said that a large committee of 17 people from all walks of life was convinced that some setback regulations were in order. He invited all those concerned to participate in the ongoing efforts of the committee.

"We were charged by the commissioners to consider some setback regulations and all 17 of our members found that we need to do something," said Defleftsen. "If nothing else, we have sponsored a thought process."

Family transfer/subdivision dispute settled

By Michael Howell

A dispute over a family transfer of land that, according to neighbors, turned into an illegal subdivision has been settled out of court in an agreement between developer Terry Nelson and the affected neighbors.

The neighbors began complaining to the county commissioners in 2004 about a family transfer of land that had gone awry, in their minds, and blossomed into a subdivision that had never undergone legal review. According to state law a person may divide their property by deeding portions to family members without going through the subdivision review process. Nelson did that to a 14-acre parcel of land when he filed 6 family transfer deeds conveying those lots to various family members including his wife and children in 2004. However, neither Nelson nor any of his family ever lived on those lots and all 7, including the remaining lot, were sold to third parties instead within a year or two.

The Commissioners considered filing a lawsuit against Nelson for "unjust enrichment" as he benefited from the development which was an evasion of subdivision law. Instead, the commissioners decided to send a letter of demand to Nelson requesting that he pay the pro rata share for road improvements that would have been required if he had undergone subdivision review and a payment in lieu of parkland.

That letter was never sent, however. Deputy County Attorney Alex Beal told the commissioners that he was doing overflow work on criminal cases from the County Attorney's office and just could not get the letter written due to overwhelming demands on his time.

One of the neighbors, Marie Arnott, told the commissioners that they had been trying for three years to get some action on the issue and that something needed to be done. She said that the road involved was in disrepair and suffering continued use by vehicles working on the new residences under construction.

Commissioner Chilcott appealed to Nelson and his neighbors to work out some solution that did not involve litigation. He reiterated the claim that the development fell within a loophole of the Family Transfer law that was only corrected after the incident.

Nelson agreed to negotiate directly with the neighbors if they were willing. They were. They initially asked that a few commissioners join the negotiations to act as objective mediators, but that offer was eventually declined. The neighbors were able to negotiate an agreement with Nelson in private to make some road improvements, according to one of the neighboring landowners.

Hamilton enacts transportation fees

By Michael Howell

The City of Hamilton enacted a transportation fee to be assessed new construction in the city. The city already assesses new construction fees to support the water and sewer systems as well as for providing fire and police protection. But, like the county, the city is now looking to charge developers a fee for impacts upon the transportation system. The fee has been set at $2,816 per residence based upon the calculated impact of a single residence on the city‚s roadways. The cost for construction of condominiums, apartments and other multiple-family dwellings is based on a cost per unit measure.

The question of fees for commercial construction was referred to committee for consideration. Consultant for the city Dan Harmon of HDR Engineering was critical of the calculated impact fees for commercial development calling them out of line with fees elsewhere in the nation.

The city council also gave the go ahead to J5 Construction to proceed with construction based upon a previously budgeted $22,200 to enlarge the fire hall to accommodate a new fire engine.

The Council also approved changing the name of the Parks and Recreation Committee to simply the Parks Committee.

The council approved November 1, as "Bully Free Day".

The council also approved a resolution opposing military involvement in Iraq.

Stevi approves Infrastructure Access Fees

By Michael Howell

The Town of Stevensville has determined that, since the town's water system has been built over the years from funds, grants, and revenue bonds that have since been paid off, that all new development should be required to "buy-in" to the system. The cost is calculated to be $3,850 per "equivalent dwelling unit", or EDU for the year 2007. That fee value was arrived at by dividing the value of the existing water system, estimated at $3,660,000, by the number of dwelling units serviced, 950.

The sewer system has an estimated value of $4,002,000, but a pay-off value of $1,932,000 remains on existing bonds. The difference divided by the 2,000 EDUs brings the calculated infrastructure access fee to $1,035 per residential unit. Developments that require larger connections than the average residential unit pay proportionately larger fees, up to $48,850 for a 3 inch connection.

The Town of Stevensville‚s 2007-2008 mill levies have been calculated to be 89.36 for the General fund, 2.25 for Zoning and Planning, and 6.5 for Fireman's Disability for a total of 98.11 mills. The mill has been calculated at $2,213.21.

The Town's budget is balanced at $107,513.11 in cash carry over, $250,800.00 in anticipated tax revenues, and $268,583.00 in other revenues for a total of $626,896.11 in revenues with an equal amount budgeted in expenditures.

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