This week 36 years ago: Pack River shutdown, Polson sued, County Fair Days

The Flathead Courier, August 16, 1990

Shutdown: Pack River's sawmill is down 'til mid-September

Inflation and a sluggish market combined to temporarily idle 50 sawmill employees of Pack River Lumber here last week. Mill workers were given notice at the end of their shift on Thursday afternoon.

Pack River still has about 35 people working on its planer and in the shipping department, according to operations manager Ken Verley, who figures the sawmill will start up again in mid-September. "We expect to be down about 30 days," he said Monday.

The decision to close was made after Verley conferred with Pack River's home office in Sandpoint, Idaho. While issues like overseas exports and appeals of federal timber sales have long signaled uneasy times for the lumber industry, the move on just one day's notice wasn't an easy one to make, Verley said.

"We've got a hell of a good group of employees here," he added, and management is determined to get them back into the mill as soon as possible.

Workers are not represented by a union at Pack River, so those eligible will depend on state unemployment relief until mill operations resume.

Polson Job Service manager Doug Stam said people opening a new claim with the state can expect a one-week waiting period before benefits start arriving. Claimants with active files will start getting checks right away.

Stam said benefits usually amount to about half of a normal week's paycheck.

As if the lay-offs weren't enough, the company has had to deal with the sudden death last week of long-time supervisor Bob Shumate. He died in Minnesota Aug. 7 while on a vacation trip.

"That, along with this, has been a tough two weeks around here, I'll tell you," Verley said. "He was a key player, and he was liked by everyone." 

The plant was to be closed Tuesday so employees could attend Shumate's funeral … 

Firm sues city over water bids

(Editor's note: Word was received at press time that a settlement might be reached between attorneys for the City of Polson and Pack and Company before Thursday's hearing. Emphasizing that it is not a done deal yet," city attorney Phil Grainey said he and Pack's attorneys are discussing the possibility of an agreement. If a settlement is reached, the project would not be rebid.)

District Judge C.B. McNeil will be asked to rule today on a request enjoining the City of Polson from rebidding its $1.7 million water pressure project.

The motion for temporary injunction was filed last week by Pack and Company, a Kalispell construction firm that had been awarded the original contract last month. The city council voted Aug. 7 to reject all eight bids received on the project and start over, citing worries over Pack's ability to comply with state-mandated safety standards.

City attorney Phil Grainey said the lawsuit “isn't really a shocker” after last week's council action, but he added that it was filed quicker than he'd expected. Grainey speculated that McNeil will probably not rule on Pack and Co.'s responsibility, as outlined in the contract, but rather if a contract does indeed exist.

The attorney said both sides will want a ruling on the injunction as soon as possible due to time constraints on the construction season.

The city had hoped to finish its upgrading of water pressure near the Wye interchange and high school by late this year. A new bid process, with opening set for Aug. 30, is expected to put the project a month behind schedule.

Pack's attorney, Steven Cummings of Kalispell, requests in the suit that McNeil enjoin not only the re-advertising of bids but also the termination of Pack's contract, which was signed on Aug. 3.

Termination would cause immediate and irreparable harm" to Pack due to lost overhead and profits, supplies already ordered, subcontractors' fees, lost bids on other projects and other factors, the suit states. No dollar amount was listed.

Also contained in the lawsuit brief is a statement of Pack's desire to work with the city, either with the original contract or the contract as modified by an agreement signed by the firm last Tuesday. The latter document would have the city and Pack split additional costs from expanded safety trenches up to $60,000 on the city's part.

Pack's suit against the city is the sixth filed over alleged breach or severance of contract in Lake and Flathead counties since February of 1988. 

Fair Days

Lake County's Junior Fair, held last week at the fairgrounds in Ronan, drew a sizeable crowd of spectators and participants.

This year's fair featured over 1,700 entries, compared to 1,300 last year. Open class entries were also up.

Fat stock sale brings big prices

Average prices were substantially higher than last year's figures at the market sale, held Thursday night. Buyers purchased 29 head of beef, 15 hogs and 34 sheep in the annual auction.

Randy Reinlasoder received over $1,500 for his 115-pound champion market lamb, which went for $13.50 a pound to Mission Valley Concrete. His brother, Rick Reinlasoder, earned $4.00 a pound for his 130-pound reserve champion lamb from Woody's.

Woody's also purchased the champion steer at 1,250 pounds from Larry Coleman for $1.90 a pound, and the champion hog from Bill Wehrheim, at 265 pounds, for $4.75.

The reserve champion steer, belonging to Lyle Coleman and tipping scales at 1,185 pounds, went to Super I Foods for $1.80 a pound.

Heather Coleman collected $3.50 a pound for her 240-pound reserve champion hog, which went to Total Home of Ronan.