Dillon Tribune Examiner (Dillon, Mont.) 1982-1989, September 28, 1982, Image 1

U'S<) C U M P '•ION .iic'V i T ANA I I I S 1 . l- C. n-x-tmy-* ■-: t b 9f)01 r.~ . .‘i t'. S S e r v in g S o u t h w e s t e r n M o n tan a S in c e 1881 *1-1 f P c __ X ^ z d y ' E x a m i n e r Vol. 98, No. 90 Tuesday, September 28,1982, Dillon, Montana 25c Biggest in decade? WMC students may top 950 Western Montana College may have its largest fall student head count in more than a decade if enrollment projections hold true. WMC president Bob Thomas said he is “confident” the student head count will exceed 950 for the fall semester, but will probably not top the 1,000 mark. Last year's fall semester head count was 880. That count was 952 in 1980. The largest head count prior to that time was the string of flush enroll­ ments in 1968,1969, and 1970. He said the evening classes appear to be the area in which Western picked up many students for the head count. Head count is not the official tally used by the Regents and state Legisla­ ture for funding purposes. The state Equally divided 'relies on the PTE (full time equivalent) for that. “I have a strong feeling that our FTE will also be strong,” Thomas said. “But we’re still running our audit procedures and are not sure yet.” The cutoff for student enrollment was last Wednesday and the head count for FTE figures should be finalized by next week. “We are all certainly feeling a lot better than we were for a while,” Thomas added. “We had been running 15 to 50 ahead of last year's pace on a day by day basis, but we’ve been 50 to 75 ahead the last few days.” Thomas estimated that WMC’s head count this fall may be the fourth largest in the school's history. Forest eyes comments Potato harvest Photo by JuUe Simon Skone and Connors workers began their potato harvest on the home ranch south of Dillon last week. But wet weather.is holding the operation up. Bill Cottom of the company said the ppt*toes are looking \just fair*’ this year. Contractors, city still disagree on UBC adoption, enforcement By BRUCE McCORMACK Editor Building contractors clashed with the dty concerning enforcement of the Uniform Building Code in Dillon last week and the issue remained unresolved after a lengthy and sometimes heated discussion. Builder Clayton Hildreth told the city council the inspection fee on a $50,000 house would be about $283. Amortized for 30 years at 12 percent interest, he said the homeowner would end up paying more than $1,000 for that fee. He said the building industry in Dillon “is in the dumps” and inspec­ tions will contribute to the high interest and material costs contractors already face. Beaverhead and Ravalli districts may merge The possibility of combining the Beaverhead County and southern Ravalli County House districts into a new Senate district will be among the topics of discussion when the Montana Districting and Apportionment Com­ mission meets Tuesday, Oct. 5 in Helena. The commission is charged with redistricting the legislative and congres­ sional districts after the federal decennial cencus. Any two contiguous House districts can be combined to form a Senate district, under the commission’s guide­ lines. One possible pairing discussed when the commission met earlier in Missoula was the district 101 (Beaverhead Coun­ ty) and district 102 (southern Ravalli County) combination. Other pairings being discussed are Powell County and the Big Fork district, or Big Fork and the majority of Glacier County. Hildreth suggested the city not use the UBC, but rather adopt HUD's FHA minimum property standards, which he said “are more reasonable.\ “There are more than 30 contractors in Dillon and the competition is very keen,” he added. “Within that competi­ tion, quality is the key factor.\ Mayor Connie Nicholas reminded the contractors that the UBC was adopted by the City of Dillon two years ago. “I fed the city has been negligent in not enforcing it all this time,\ she added. CITY ADMINISTRATOR Bert Ramer, who took much of the heat from the contractors, asked the assembled group how many had copies of the UBC. Only two people raised their hands. Asked how many had read the UBC, only one person raised his hand. “You are running scared about something you don't even know about,” he said. Ramer, contradicting the builder's position, said there is no conflict between the UBC and HUD standards. The discussion then centered on what Reimer would inspect and what he would accept as approved from other agencies. He said he would accept plans approved by HUD, VA or FmHA, but would still inspect the construction. “If you are going to accept that, why do you still need to inspect construc­ tion?' he was asked. \Because design and planning is a vejy different thing from construc­ tion,” Reimer replied. Councilman Dan Carpita finally cut off the discussion, suggesting the build­ ers get together and make the council a proposal concerning enforcement of the UBC, \since it appears that the code is mandatory.\ Councilman Clay Edwards told the builders the council was not happy when it was forced to adopt the UBC. “We sat on it for eight months because we didn't want it either, but we finally had to adopt it,” he said. “The complaints you are making tonight should have been made three years ago in Helena.” Headded that Reimer would be “sen­ sible\ in his enforcement of the code. Mayor Nicholas said Monday she has not heard any response or suggestions from the builders since the meeting. Beaverhead National Forest officials say the 195 comments they received on their proposed management plan were divided between persons wanting more development on the 2.1 million acre forest and those wanting thelands left largdy alone. The deadline for public comments on the 214 page proposal and a 354 page Draft Environmental Im­ pact Statement (DEIS) was Sept. 16. “I think it would be fair to say that we had nearly eqUal numbers on both sides of the fence,” said Joe Wagen- fehr, forest supervisor. “But at the aame time, although we had both sods at tfce spsctrajn of ’ the points of view weren't extreme. Eveiyone seemed to recognize the need for multiple use although some people saw a need for, say, more intensive logging in one part of the forest or maybe more emphasis on wildlife in anotifcr part.” Comments were light compared to the 950 the forest officials received on their 1978 management plan. “But although we had fewer comments this time around, I think we actually got as much or more 'meat' to work on,\ he said. The supervisor said the 1978 plan prompted hundreds of comments about the wilderness issue. '‘And many of those comments were gut reaction one-liners. This time people really took the trouble to study the proposal and comment on specific areas.” Wagenfehr said those specific com­ ments will be the most valuable ones to forest officials as they begin their analysis of public thoughts on the pro­ posal. Of the 195 responses, 105 were from local area residents living in counties including Beaverhead, Deer Lodge, Sil­ ver Bow, Madison and Gallatin; sixty-one were from persons living in the rest of Montana and Idaho; and 25 were from national commentors. Thirty two of the comments from business and industry represen­ tatives or groups; 31 from environ­ mental, dvic and conservation organiza­ tions; 114 from private dtizens and the rest from a variety of federal, state, local and academic viewpoints. Wagenfehr pointed out the Forest Service is including in its analysis all comments postmarked by Sept. 17 because office's thought some letters might have been mailed late enough on Sept. 16 so as not to have been post­ marked until the n«xt day. 10 tmttvirfiials who esflsd their comments in and that those ideas will also be considered. What happens to the comments now7 Wagenfehr said comments from each letter are being extracted and placed with similar comments from other lettos. What the public has to say will then be consolidated and presented to forest decision makers for their consid­ eration as they shape their final plan. “In addition to being responsive to public comment, decision makers must also consider legal and fiscal con­ straints, available technology and re­ source capability,” Wagenferh said. The supervisor noted he and the Regional Forester will also have to work together to blend the forest plan with the regional plan. “This ensures that the Beaverhead plan’s goals and objectives are in har­ mony with those of the region and that the forest contributes its ‘share’ toward the regional plan,\ he said. Wagenfehr said it will probably take until next summer to analyze the com­ ments, rewrite the plan and have it printed. He noted although the DEIS must remain technically-oriented be­ cause of the demands of federal laws, that the proposal will be revamped so that it is easier for the average person to understand. ~s$ Parkview Acres Canine pal: Just what their doctor ordered By JULIE SIMON Staff Writer \Wdl hello Niki! You remember me, don’t you Niki?” called Elizabeth Hopkins as a large Golden Retriever trotted towards her, tail wagging. A woman who a minute before had been frowning at the tdevision set in Parkview Acres Convalescent Cen­ ter’ s day room looked up and smiled. And suddenly everyone else in the room seemed to be grinning too. “That’s the way it always is,” said Pat McNeill, a registered nurse who ha3 been bringing Niki to Parkview Acrra Convalescent Center since a local doctor suggested the visits last year. It all started when Dr. Ron Loge started worrying about one of the nursing home residents, a woman who seemed depressed. Mrs.'McNeill explained Dr. Loge thought the company of a friendly canine might do the woman, who was fond of dogs, a world of good. “Dr. Loge'commented to me that it would be nice if the rest home could rent a dog,” Mrs. McNeill ex­ plained. \But I didn't think that would be necessary since my family had Niki.\ So, Dr. Loge wrote out the order calling for the visits and Niki's volunteer career was launched. “I’d bring Niki once a week on Fridays while I worked at the nursing home,” explained Mrs. McNeill who is now employed at Barrett Memorial Hospital. “Since I went to Barrett I haven’t brought him here as often, but the residents still remember him and seem to enjoy him. As niki trotted around the day room greeting everyone in turn, Mrs. McNeill explained her dog likes visiting the rest home as much as the • residents like him. “They spoil him terribly,\ she smiled. “One resident even saved food for him and stuffed him every visit.” A 3-year-old Niki is more than willing to do tricks for residents for a treat or for a pat on the head. “It’s amazing how his presence seems to take people out of them­ selves,\ Mrs. McNeill said, some of the residents like to take Niki for wallts while others are content just to pet him. \I think the reason the residents like him i3 that he’s friendly to everyone,\ Mrs. McNeill said. “He likes the residents and pays attention to them. Everyone enjoys that kind of treatment.” Elizabeth Hopkins is ono of Niki’s biggest fans. The GcHcn Dct:ir.-cr I.rw been malting regular rest home rounds to Parkview A cict Center. ‘ .. ......