Lawsuit filed over lack of Flathead Conservation District representative on county planning board
HANNAH SHIELDS | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 4 months, 1 week AGO
The Flathead County Courthouse in Kalispell on Thursday, June 22. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
RURAL GOVERNMENT REPORTER, REPORT FOR AMERICA Hannah Shields covers rural government and accountability reporting for the Daily Inter Lake and Northwest Montana weekly papers as part of the national Report for America program. Her reporting focuses on transparency, public spending and the impact of local government decisions on small communities. Shields has covered issues ranging from school district finances to development disputes and rural infrastructure projects. She regularly uses public records and investigative reporting to examine institutions that affect local residents. Her work helps bring greater oversight and visibility to rural government across Northwest Montana. IMPACT: Hannah’s work strengthens transparency and accountability in rural communities that often lack consistent watchdog coverage. | April 14, 2026 12:00 AM
The Flathead Conservation District filed suit against county officials on March 20 after its spot was left vacant on the county planning board this year.
A lawsuit filed in Flathead County District Court alleges county commissioners and the county Planning and Zoning Department violated state law by failing to appoint a conservation district supervisor to the planning board.
Conservation District Supervisor Michael Kopitzke served on the county planning board in 2025 and was nominated by the conservation district’s board of supervisors to serve again in 2026. State law requires county planning boards formed on or after July 1, 1973, to include a member of the conservation district.
The district oversees management of soil and water conservation work within the county, excluding Kalispell and Columbia Falls, as a local government entity fulfilling the state’s policy to conserve soil, water and other natural resources of the state. A supervisor from the district represents its interests on the planning board as a voting member.
Since 2003, the county Planning and Zoning Department has asked the conservation district for a recommended supervisor to sit on the county planning board.
But last fall, the planning department took a different approach, according to court documents. Instead of asking the conservation district for a recommendation, it asked Kopitzke to submit a letter of interest for the position, according to court documents.
The conservation district voted to recommend Kopitzke last October, but this went ignored by county commissioners who appointed another supervisor, Bill Yankee, on Dec. 9. Yankee rejected the offer on Jan. 2, and the spot was left vacant, according to court documents.
“The unexpected appointment of Bill Yankee has caused confusion and discord regarding the role of [Flathead Conservation District] within the Planning Board and the relationship between the two entities,” reads a statement from Samanatha Tappenbeck, a staff member of the conservation district.
The district claims in the lawsuit that it reserves the right to appoint its own members to the planning board. It is asking the court to confirm that state law was violated and reinstate Kopitzke to the board.
District Court Judge Danni Coffman is presiding over the case.
Report for America reporter Hannah Shields can be reached at (406) 758-4439 or [email protected]. If you value local journalism, pledge your support at dailyinterlake.com/support.
ARTICLES BY HANNAH SHIELDS
Court sides with state in Lakeside wastewater project dispute
A Flathead County District Court judge earlier this month found that the first phase of Lakeside’s wastewater expansion project was reviewed in accordance with state environmental laws.
Vote to nix pooled speaking time at public hearings delayed by Flathead County Planning Board
Planning board members decided Aug. 12 that the vote warranted further discussion after Citizens for a Better Flathead Co-Executive Director Mayre Flowers said the procedure was part of a 2008 settlement agreement.
Forest officials say train sparked small fire near Trout Creek
BNSF Railway was found responsible for a small fire in Sanders County that sparked Aug. 11 midway between Thompson Falls and Trout Creek, according to Forest Service officials.