Evergreen has an impressive new monument to community spirit, and everyone is invited to visit on Saturday as the Evergreen Fire Rescue department proudly shows off its new station.

Voters in the fire district approved a $4.4 million levy to build the new fire hall in December 2008, and with careful guardianship by the board, the project was able to come in under budget. CTA Architects designed the 19,200-square-foot building, and Swank Enterprises was the general contractor.

It is spacious enough to adequately serve Evergreen’s needs for many years to come, and also has room for training sessions that were not possible in the old facility.

The open house will be from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. Snacks will be served and fire crews will perform demonstrations that highlight the new facility. Tour guides will be present to show guests the station.

Everyone involved deserves congratulations and will have the thanks of the community for many years to come.

THE KALISPELL CHAMBER will follow the lead of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce to encourage free enterprise as a key ingredient of growing the economy out of its current slump.

The local chamber heard from Renee Radcliff Sinclair at its monthly luncheon. Sinclair, who represents the U.S. Chamber’s “Dream Big” campaign, said that the Flathead Valley needs to aim high and create about 5,000 jobs over the next 10 years to overcome the recession and then keep up with the growing population.

While Sinclair pointed to a variety of government incentives, she said that innovation within the small-business community is the key to economic growth.

“We all know it’s the private sector that creates jobs,” she said.

That message has to get back to Washington, where up till now billions and billions of dollars have been spent by the federal government in an effort to “stimulate” the economy. What we seem to be getting instead of a healthy economy is more government jobs.

It’s time to get back to basics. Free enterprise works.