Letters to the editor June 15

Library board decisions

As the current chairman of the Flathead County Library Board, I read with interest the perspective presented in the recent commentary (Library Priorities, June 11). However, I am concerned that a considerable amount of inaccurate information may be contributing to misunderstandings.

I share the concern that reading and comprehension skills among our youth have declined to an alarming degree. Supporting literacy and developing strong reading skills remains the Library Board of Trustees’ highest priority.

At the same time, the board has a responsibility to ensure that library services can continue into the future. The lease for our current Kalispell branch expires in 2033, and efforts to secure an extension have thus far been unsuccessful. Without a permanent location, the library’s ability to provide services to our community is at risk. Planning for that future is not optional — it is essential.

The commentary also references the Marion School hold pickup service. At our most recent board meeting, Marion School Principal and Superintendent Julia Maxwell attended and participated in a productive discussion. A satisfactory solution involving volunteer transportation is being developed, allowing the service to continue without additional taxpayer expense.

The commentary further references the library facility. The library accepted the new Bigfork facility from the Library Foundation in 2024. The foundation managed donor recognition and naming rights based on established donation levels. I am unaware of any trustee names appearing on that facility.

If community members have questions or concerns regarding board actions, I encourage them to attend a monthly board meeting, review the recorded meetings, contact trustees by email, or speak directly with Library Director Teri Dugan. Any of these avenues will provide a more complete understanding of the issues before the board and the reasoning behind its decisions.

— David Ingram, Kalispell

Music changes lives

I want to extend a massive thank you to our incredible community for completely filling the house at North Valley Music School’s Zeidwg concert this past Monday. It was truly a magical evening with standing room only, stunning views, and a powerful, high-quality performance. We are incredibly lucky to have such a beautiful space to host these events, but the real magic comes from the people who fill it.

Even if you missed Zeidwig’s performance, the music is just getting started at North Valley Music School. Our summer lineup includes Sitting with the Songwriters and Songs 4 Cool Kids (collaborations with the Whitefish Songwriter Festival), the Camp Festival Amadeus Faculty and Student Concerts, a Turkish Music Workshop, a jazz evening with John Stowell, and a Bluegrass and Roots Mini-Festival featuring our own Taylor and Allison Ackley.

This abundance doesn’t stop with us. We are beyond grateful to be part of a community that supports the arts so enthusiastically across the board. Hopefully, you were lucky enough to catch the season finale of Glacier Symphony’s Mahler performance, or Whitefish Theatre Company’s “Little Shop of Horrors.” Looking ahead, Amazing Place Music is bringing Capathia Jenkins to town, Alpine Theatre Project is presenting “The American Songbook,” Glacier Symphony hosts its annual Summer Pops Concert, and incredible local singer-songwriters are filling our restaurants and bars every single night of the week.

We are joyfully immersed in music here in the Valley. At North Valley Music School, we believe this is a beautiful thing because music truly changes lives and strengthens our community. We hope to see you at one of the many great events this summer, both here at our new facility and throughout this wonderful community!  

— Deidre Corson, North Valley Music School executive director

Roadless Rule

As a father, a citizen and a resident of Montana, I am deeply concerned by efforts to rescind the Roadless Rule and weaken protections for some of our most wild and irreplaceable public lands.

My daughter just turned 1 year old. When I think about the Montana she will inherit, I think about the places that have shaped me — places like the Lolo National Forest and countless other wild landscapes across our state. These forests are more than scenery. They are where we hike, breathe, reflect and remember what matters.

This should not be a partisan issue. I know Montanans from across the political spectrum — Democrats, Republicans, independents — who may disagree on many things but share a deep love for our forests and public lands. We all understand that once wild places are fragmented by roads and development, they are extraordinarily difficult — if not impossible — to restore. The Roadless Rule protects what cannot be replaced. We should preserve these lands not only for ourselves, but for our children.

I want my daughter to grow up in a Montana where she can walk beneath old trees, hear silence broken only by wind and birds, and experience the same wild beauty that has shaped generations before her. That future is worth protecting.

We must keep the Roadless Rule in place.

— Philip Nordeck, Missoula