The Plains Business Association (PBA) met for its annual strategic planning for 2017 last week. Approximately 20 business owners met Tuesday Jan. 24 at 7:00 p.m. to discuss what will be kept, changed, or added this year. The board retained many of its officers from last year and is looking for one member. There were three presentations during the meeting, one by Kenton Pies, one by Karen Thorson, and the third was from John Thorson.

Pies discussed his idea for creating several large steel horses, similar to the ones near Vantage, Washington.

“The cost for each horse would be $4,800.00,” Pies said. “Each one would be 10 feet by 16 feet and made of rebar and steel, then placed into cement. I have spoken to Bob Johnson, who owns land on P Hill, and it may be possible to get the land there.”

The board agreed that the idea was good and that they would be supportive of Pies efforts, though they indicated they could not offer him the finances to begin the fundraising.

Karen Thorson, president of the Sanders County Arts Council (SCAC), discussed how performing artists deserve more support in the area. Karen Thorson detailed how the art council could be utilized within local businesses. Among the ideas she suggested was that performing artists could be in the businesses after the Artists in Paradise event held in the summer, a First Friday could be held where the artists are in businesses to perform live, and businesses could be open late for shoppers and feature one or more artists.

Karen Thorson assured the board and business owners there would be no costs to businesses and the SCAC would handle much of the details. There was no formal announcement about how performing artists could become more involved and recognized, and it will be discussed in future PBA meetings.

John Thorson, from the Paradise Center, mentioned there is a group called the New Old Chautauqua which does educational workshops, vaudeville style performances, as well as a community project while spending three days in the community.

“They do ask the community to raise $3,000 to help with the costs,” he said.

The board and John Thorson discussed how that could be something to be looked at and planned for either 2018 or 2019 with the Paradise Center and the communities of Paradise and Plains.

The board members and business owners discussed the overall plans for 2017, including what events and activities would be kept, what could be changed, and what would be discontinued.

The PBA bucks program will continue this year. The hanging flowers on the light posts along main street will be discontinued, as there was not enough volunteers to water them on a regular basis. Banners were discussed as a possible replacement for the flowers. Plains Day was discussed as possibibly being moved to a later date in June or early July to have it held in warmer weather and perhaps having it coincide with an all-class reunion, which has been discussed on Facebook for several weeks.

A full-moon float down the Clark Fork River was discussed as a possible event during the summer. Several members of the board and business owners mentioned the dangers of being on the river after sunset and the potential liability issues with such an event. That event will be explored more before any decision is made. The Clark Fork Adventure Challenge, 3 on 3 basketball, coed softball, Hometown Holiday, and Halloween are all being kept and will be done this year.

There was much discussion about a trifold brochure and where to locate it for visitors interested in Plains. Jill Hermes mentioned that she could take the brochures to the Missoula airport and the St. Regis Travel Center and possibly have them located there. Many of the items discussed will be worked on during the upcoming meetings.

The next meeting of the Plains Business Association will be held March 21 in the Clark Fork Valley Hospital Event Center, Building One. For more information, call 406-544-8493 or visit http://plains-mt.org.