Ledger Looking Back 25 Years: 1/14/1998

JANUARY 14, 1998

The Whitehall water project court case was center stage at the Montana Supreme Court at a hearing on January 13, 1998. What was supposed to be an 80-minute hearing stretched over two hours as the Supreme Court justices and attorneys discussed and debated the multiple facets of the case.

Whitehall attorney Patricia Day-Moore, representing a group of Whitehall residents who oppose the water project, began the hearing by arguing the MT Constitution gives its citizens broad rights and powers, and state laws should not be allowed to limit those rights and powers. Day-Moore said the law that limits a public referendum to strictly legislative acts is not constitutional. The Town of Whitehall has argued the passage of Ordinance 4.00 was an administrative act, not a legislative act, and only legislative acts are subject to referendum.

Demolition of the old middle school building and a proposed new school facility use fee schedule dominated the January 7 school board meeting. The board discussed the demolition of the old middle school building but took no formal action on the issue. The board did agree to determine the cost of removing asbestos from the old building before proceeding with demolition.

Several residents voiced opinions of what the building should be used for if asbestos can be removed, including Terry Reiff asking the board to consider converting the old middle school into a performance arts center, Ron Jung also voiced his wish to save the historic building.

A group of 30 residents also attended the meeting to discuss the first reading of a proposed new policy dealing with school use by non-school groups. Superintendent Stremick said he proposed the new policy as a starting point for discussion because of inequities in the existing policy.

In other school board news, the school board rejected rehiring Mike Battaiola and Mike Welch as high school track coaches but may reconsider. The non-rehire motion came as a shock to the superintendent but said the board has ultimate hiring and firing authority.

WHS athletes of the week were volleyball players senior Heather Smith and junior Kietra Mabbott for their good play in the big Timber Quad Tournament earlier in the month. Smith is the daughter of Rich and Pam Smith; Kietra’s parents are Brent and Sandi Mabbott.