The Flathead City-County Health Board tabled action Thursday on a variance request to develop a host site pad at the Old Steel Bridge Fishing Access on the Flathead River.

If granted, the variance requested by Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks would allow installation of a holding tank for sewage in an area designated as flood plain. Regulations don’t allow permanent holding tanks at new development sites or in the flood plain.

Ryan Mitchell, an engineer with Robert Peccia and Associates, represented Fish, Wildlife and Parks at the meeting. He said that the agency decided to install a host at the access to provide maintenance and security to prevent ongoing problems of drug use and lewd behavior.

He said the state agency needs to provide a septic hookup to attract hosts. Without one, the hosts would have to move their trailer or RV every few days to dump its holding tank.

He said Evergreen Water and Sewer District had no interest in expanding its system to serve the host pad and that the tank involves a very limited area of the flood plain. He said the only other option was to build a drain field site.

“That would require placing fill in the flood plain,” he said. “Our big concern is still the nutrients into the river. The proximity is real close.”

The proposal includes an auto-dialer that would start calling employees when the tank hits a certain depth and keeps calling until someone responds and does something. Other safety measures would include an audible alarm and light at the site.

He called it a robust sealed tank with manholes rather than just a septic tank set in the ground.

County Health Officer Joe Russell called Mitchell’s plan “well-thought out” but recommended against granting the variance to avoid setting a precedent by allowing a permanent holding tank at a new development site.

“Although I understand why  Fish, Wildlife and Parks would like to develop a host site down there, I have very grave concerns about starting into this ongoing, permanent holding tank scenario,” Russell said.

Health Board member Dr. David Myerowitz said he agreed that a variance given to a state agency would set a precedent that would force the board to grant the same variance to private citizens.

“You are no different than anyone else on this earth,” he said. “If we allow you to do it, we have to let everyone else.”

Myerowitz also questioned the wisdom of putting “grandma and grandpa at risk for an encounter” with the people mentioned earlier involved in drugs or lewd behavior.

He suggested an armed officer seemed more appropriate than the usually retirement-age campground hosts.

County Commissioner Pam Holmquist, who sits on the board, said recreation areas usually become safer places when they are cleaned up and staffed.

“Everything changes,” she said. “I think it would be good for the public and the county.”

Board members discussed other ideas but decided to table the variance request until they received a written opinion from the county attorney’s office.

Also at the meeting, board members questioned Wendee Jacobs of Environmental Health about problems with Swan River Inn’s restaurant which received a C- on an inspection and only a C+ on a follow up.

In contrast, two other restaurants on May’s low grade list earned an A and an A+ at the follow up.

Myerowitz said he was nervous that the Bigfork restaurant was still serving people after inspectors found hamburger that was “brown and smelled bad.” The report said meat in a drawer was 16 days out of date and milk in the refrigerator was six days out of date.

Other report items included visible mold in the ice machine, food not stored in clean, covered containers and counters throughout the kitchen that needed cleaning.

Jacobs said that the department has placed Swan River Inn on a plan of compliance which requires accelerated inspections along with food safety training and follow-up testing. Russell said the department has briefed the county attorney’s office in case the situation does not improve and requires court action to close the facility.

In other business, the board voted to send a letter opposing a certificate of need to allow another home health care agency in Flathead County.

A Bigfork agency is seeking the certificate required to start a new home health care service.

Russell said his goal was not to squash private enterprise. He said the county’s home health agency had the capacity to take care of more patients.

According to Russell, Flathead County’s agency does not turn any patients away so it depends on handling a mix of high- and low-demand patients to keep above water financially. He was concerned that a new agency might accept only the most profitable patients, causing the county to lose the margin required to stay solvent.

He said the Montana Department of Health and Human Services still is considering the request. Board members voted to submit a letter objecting to a new certificate of need for another home-health business.

Reporter Candace Chase may be reached at 758-4436 or by email at cchase@dailyinterlake.com.