An Unuseable Arena...How Did We Get Here? PART II

On Saturday, August 24, 2024, the Whitehall Saddle Club (WSC) removed the majority of the Whitehall Recreation Complex’s arena, with the understanding that certain properties were theirs, the remainder the Town of Whitehall’s. This comes after over two years of argument between the WSC, the Town, and the Whitehall Recreation Complex Board.

Many residents said they were unaware of the disagreement occurring; many were shocked by the removal of the property, and many more had questions.

Why? WHY and HOW did it come to this? This is part two of a two-part series aimed to shed some light on the history of this matter with the information presented by the Whitehall Ledger to the public via Recreation Board Meetings, Town Council Meetings, Letters to the Editor, and more. The dates of these editions are also provided; these articles have also been set on the Ledger website as FREE, so anyone (even those without a subscription) may access them.

As the Ledger tries to remain as neutral as possible on all topics - hopefully these articles will help those who missed the many meetings and discussions make an informed decision on where they stand on the current situation.

9/20/2023 (Town Council Meeting): At the September meeting of the Whitehall Town Council, held Monday, September 18, Whitehall Saddle Club (WSC) representative Doug Salsbury stated that the WSC was rejecting the recommendation of the Rec Board to the Town Council to offer the WSC $20,000 (paid in two installments over a two-year period), 5% of the gage fees on town events for ten years, waived user fees for ten years, installation/upkeep of a historical marker dedicated to the WSC, and verbiage in the MOU stating the Rec Center will contain a rodeo grounds for the entirety of its lifetime.

Salsbury, who read the letter below, stated that the WSC had completed an appraisal and that the panels alone were valued at $175,000. He and WSC member Lonna Johnson also noted that the WSC has put over $400,000 into the Whitehall Rodeo Grounds over the last 30 years. Due to this appraisal, they believe the original MOU would get the Town and WSC to a point where they can discuss an adequate buy-sell agreement.

“The Whitehall Saddle Club is asking the town to sign the final MOU as edited by the town attorney. Approving this MOU will allow both parties to move forward to plan for the new facility and schedule upcoming equine events.

“If the council accepts this MOU and the list of equipment and properties as is, the Town will benefit when filling out grants. Anything can then be donated by the WSC to the Town and will work as an in-kind match for grants. This would include all items attached physically, such as the warmup arena, office/cows next, and cover for grandstands. This will give the Town the first match of its grant applications and will strengthen its position in competitive grants.

“WHEREAS, the parties hereto desire to detail procedures to ensure the Project is executed smoothly and in accordance with the grant and fundraising plan as developed by the Town; the WSC will leave the Property at the Complex for the term of the Memorandum; the Town will pay to the WSC an annual sum of $100, payable by July 1st of each year; the Town will pursue sufficient funding for the Project and implement a strategy to replaced or purchased the Property.

“We have stated in the past that once the MOU is signed by all parties then we can move towards an MOA and/or a buy-sell agreement. If the Town Council decides to move forward with the Rec Board’s motion, the WSC will decline that offer, and as such, we see no reason to continue the Rec Board’s recommendation and instead tabled the issue to allow the WSC time to provide an itemized list of who owned what, what the WSC appraised value was, and present once again to the Rec Board and Council.

10/18/2023 (Letter to the Editor): Dear Editor, I attended last night’s Whitehall Town Council meeting and was deeply disappointed at the unanimous vote to confiscate the Whitehall Saddle Club’s portable panels.

The Whitehall Saddle Club is one of many non-profit organizations in Whitehall. Over the years, all of our improvements were made by private donations, grants, and volunteer help. Our lease on the ground was canceled at the beginning of the year, mainly to get rid of the WSC clubhouse. We have tried working with the Town by suggesting to rent them the portable coral panels for $100 per year.

If the Town can do a better job running a rodeo ground, I wish them the best. Hang on to your pocketbooks, Whitehall residents.

Doug Salsbury, Whitehall, Montana

10/18/2023 (Town Council Meeting): At the October meeting of the Whitehall Town Council, held Monday, October 16 at the Town Hall, the decision was made by the Town Council to negotiate no further with the Whitehall Saddle Club (WSC) in the ongoing debate of who-owns-what at the Whitehall Rodeo Grounds and to not sign the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that has been a point of contention between the two groups for over half a year.

“After several months of negotiations, the matter of the Rec Complex and WSC disputed property seems to be at a standstill. The following are reasons as to why I will not sign the current MOU, as we don’t have an understanding,” Councilman Bill Lanes stated.

“A few months ago, we inquired about a buyout of items. However, the WSC has denied requests to provide any proof of ownership. The Town Council’s questions as to proof of ownership is not out of line. Standard business practices and legal obligations should be followed. I’m sorry handshakes and word-of-mouth agreements of the past do not suffice today.

“Ethically I have further concerns now of putting the taxpayers of our town in debt on possible properties that already have been purchased with tax funds through metal mines money or other grants. A buy out in my opinion should no longer be on the table.

“Last month the SC proposed a range of $175k-$250k of their submitted property list. Those figures are well beyond our reach and again I see this as an ethical problem. An amicable resolution to this matter is much better for our community,” Lanes said.

Councilman Roy McBride made a second motion, adding that “we are back to square one,” after the approval of not signing the MOU. In his motion, he stated, “I think we have been doing this for too long. We need to move on. I want to make a motion to sit down and come up with an agreed-upon list of what is attached to the ground, what legally stays with the complex, and what the WSC can take. I also think we need to come up with an agreed-upon date after this list is complete and allow 30 days when the WSC can take those items and a town official should be present during that time.”

The motion passed unanimously. No comment from the WSC members in the audience was made.

10/25/2023 (Letter ot the Editor): Dear Editor, People and especially businesses in Whitehall - you are about to lose a very important piece of infrastructure that brings many dollars into our town, the rodeo grounds.

For whatever reason the Whitehall Town Council decided to not renew a lease with the Saddle Club to continue to use the property that contains the arena, pens, chutes, and other items needed to operate.

Without doing their due diligence the council opted out without considering what it would cost to replace all these items that are in place and needed to hold equine events, not to mention what the business community will lose. These events bring untold dollars into our community and especially the businesses.

Now the Council realizes that they cannot financially replace $350,000 plus dollars of fencing and pens. The Council has forced the Saddle Club to remove all their equipment, the City Council will tell you they aren’t forced but the Saddle Club has too much time, sweat, and money involved to just leave the items behind that they are financially responsible for.

Whitehall needs this facility, stand up and make the Council do the right thing and save our rodeo grounds.

LARRY FEIGHT, Whitehall, Montana

5/1/2024 (Rec Board Meeting): At the April meeting of the Town of Whitehall Recreation Board, held on Monday, April 29th, at the Town Hall, summer was on everyone’s minds.

The Whitehall Pool’s tentative opening date is June 19th; however, manager Kelley Seccomb said that the pool still needs at least two more lifeguards. Anyone interested in the lifeguard position may apply at the Whitehall Town Hall.

Rodeo representative Tim O’Donnell said that several investors in North Dakota are interested in bringing a PRCA Rodeo to Whitehall the weekend before the annual Frontier Days celebration. The cost would be between $25,000 and $32,000; however, O’Donnell said that financing options are available through the investors. Board chair Roy McBride suggested bringing the proposal to the Town Council’s next meeting to keep them apprised of the situation. O’Donnell said that the investors had toured the Whitehall Rodeo Grounds and said that the complex is able to host the PRCA to their specifications.

The Youth Rodeo is a go for organizer Bobbie Neumann and her family, who created the rodeo after the B-Y’s said they could not do their annual event. The Youth Rodeo will be held on May 19th.

A fundraising event for the pickleball/tennis courts and the Bulls, Broncs, and Barrels Frontier Days Rodeo will be held at the Whitehall Community Center on May 18th. The Dueling Pianos event is being chaired by Gina Ossello (406-491-4462 for tickets), with A&W/KFC as a main supporter. Tickets, which include appetizers and two drinks, are $130 per person, $250 per couple, or $800 for a table of eight.

There were no reports from the Whitehall Saddle Club, Whitehall Baseball, or the Whitehall School District.

6/12/2024 (Rec Board Meeting): The Whitehall Rodeo Board is seeking sponsors for not one but two July rodeos!

On July 19-20, Whitehall’s first PRCA rodeo will hit the Whitehall Rodeo Grounds, followed by the Bulls, Broncs, and Barrels series over Frontier Days on July 26-27. These events showcase the rich tradition of rodeo and provide thrilling entertainment for attendees of all ages.

The Whitehall Rodeo Board is offering various sponsorship levels to accommodate the diverse needs and preferences of sponsors. Each level comes with its own set of benefits and opportunities for brand exposure.

By becoming a sponsor of these events, your organization will not only gain valuable exposure to a wide audience but also demonstrate its support for the local community and its traditions. Your contribution will directly contribute to the success of Whitehall’s rodeo season and help ensure its continued growth and impact.

To become a sponsor, please visit http://www.townofwhitehallmt.com/whitehall-rodeo-grounds.

7/31/2024 (Rec Board Meeting): At the Monday, July 29th meeting of the Whitehall Recreation Board, held at the Town Hall, there were no new updates from the Whitehall Saddle Club (WSC) regarding the lease of their property to the Town and whether or not the property will remain on the Rodeo Grounds indefinitely. The lease between the WSC and Town for the equipment expires at the end of July. During legal discussions, it was concluded by both entities’ legal representation that the WSC owns the property not permanently affixed to the ground at the Rec Complex’s Rodeo Grounds.

Rodeo chair Tim O’Donnell said they did not want to waste any more time waiting around and needed to know one way or another. He asked WSC member Bridget Morse, who attended the meeting, if the WSC would be willing to answer as soon as possible—hopefully within the next month.

“We need closure. We’re fine either way, but we need a decision,” O’Donnell said, adding that improvements would be made to the facility regardless—but knowing what would stay and what would go would be helpful.

Monty Klistoff of Next Gen Entertainment in Butte proposed holding a demo derby at the Rec Complex, possibly by the end of August. Discussions included whether the facility had enough bleachers for the expected crowd and whether the derby would damage the ground.

“We’ve put a lot of work into making those grounds safe for horses—safety comes first,” O’Donnell said. O’Donnell also said that, when speaking with the Rodeo Board on this proposed event, the Board was against having a demo derby on the grounds. Board member Curtiss LaFountaine said that he was up for it—that it would be something new for the town—and the Board agreed to bring it to the Council for discussion.