Chamber hears Sculpture Park, Snow Warriors, Legislative Working Group, Bike Rally updates

Last week's meeting of the Lincoln Valley Chamber of Commerce delved into several topics that could impact Lincolns economic future, including Sculpture in the Wild, a plan to provide Lincoln with more say on management of the surrounding National Forest, and the Lincoln Bike Rally.

Blackfoot Pathways: Sculpture in the Wild President Becky Garland kicked off the agenda with an update on the organization's plans for this year. Those include a concert series and a Shakespeare in the park performance in addition to the annual artist residency.

Her focus, however, was to get word out on tours designed for local businesses, employees and organizations who may not have found time to get fully acquainted with Sculpture in the Wild.

"We've had a lot of comments about how we get more Lincoln people to come to the park to see it and understand it, and feel like its theirs," she said.

Recognizing that many working people may only have limited time available for a visit, they've planned a series of two-hour tours, every day from June 9 to June 15. They are scheduled at different times each day in the hope more people can find a time that works for them. Garland said she expects to publish the tour schedule in the BVD, and to visit with all the businesses in town about them.

BPSW also plans to distribute 10,000 brochures and 20,000 leaflets locally and throughout the state to promote the sculpture park and it's 2019 events.

Mark Christian, president of the Ponderosa Snow Warriors, followed Garland with a request for support for the snowmobile clubs plans for next season. Christian explained that the club puts on a series of fun runs every year, with most of the hands sold at downtown businesses. This year fun runs paid out $2640 in prize money, but he said the club is evolving and is looking at hosting fewer events.

"We don't have the help, but maybe we make them bigger events," Christian said. He asked the Chamber for support by helping with event advertising and maybe with a "kicker" to help boost the amount of prize money they can offer.

"We do bring people in and we ask nothing," he said. "Just the way things are changing, we can go bigger and put up a purse, the snowmobilers will come."

He said advertisement is critical, and with the deadline for clubs to set their calendars for next year, he asked the LVCC to commit to supporting the club so the PSW can schedule their events on desirable dates, with some assurance they will have the support to be successful.

"I'm not asking for any amount, that would be up to you people, but that's what our idea is," he said.

Karyn Good and Bill Cyr gave the LVCC an overview of a significant project that has been in the works for several years. In that time, it's had several names, but has mostly been referred to as the Legislative Working Group. The group has been quietly crafting a legislative proposal to help improve management of the National Forest lands that encircle Lincoln.

"We've been at this for about four years and we have very recently come to an agreement amongst ourselves, and a proposal we are ready to roll out to the public," said Good, who has been a coordinator for the group.

Cyr explained the Heritage Act on the Rocky Mountain Front helped prompt work on a local proposal. Although a version of the Heritage Act drew consternation from Lincoln residents when they realized it included lands in Lincoln valley (which were later removed), Cyr said some of the major players in it realized Lincoln could benefit from a similar effort.

Cyr said the working group included representatives from the logging industry, the Wilderness Society and Montana Wilderness Association, motorized groups including the Snow Warriors and the local and statewide off-highway vehicle groups, mountain bike groups and quite a few Lincoln locals.

"The only thing we could all really agree on was the status quo of our public lands, the way they're being managed by our land managers, the U.S. Forest Service, really wasn't working for anybody," he said. "There is always some kind of action, litigation, lawsuits, they're always fighting, and as a result nothing's happening on our National Forest lands."

If it can be sponsored in Congress, passed and signed into law, the proposal should help solve some of those issues and alleviate local concerns about a loss of access due to the Recommended Wilderness Areas that are widely expected to be a part the upcoming Helena-Lewis and Clark Forest Plan Revision.

Cyr said the group developed a proposal they could all support after several years of meetings and compromise and discussions with "every grazing lessee, permittee, outfitter, anybody who has a legal current permit or something on the Lincoln Ranger District," as well as Canyon Creek and Helmville-area residents and ranchers.

He admitted he's not a fan of everything in it.

"As a non-wilderness advocate, I'm not for more, or new, wilderness, and this has that in it," Cyr said. "But I can support it, I can get behind it (because) what my values are - the timber, the reducing of fuel loading and fire danger in the National Forest, - that component is in there."

Good said they sat down with the Forest Service to let them know about the proposal, but said they legally couldn't be involved in developing it. If it proves successful, it's components will be a matter of law, rather than part of the Forest Plan Revision or travel plans.

Good stressed that community input and buy-in is critical for it to have any shot at being sponsored in Congress. She said they've reached out Senators Jon Tester and Steve Daines and Rep. Greg Gianforte, and know that none of them will be willing to pick it up, or support it if there isn't local support behind it.

Good said they will be hosting a public meting at the end of May, for all of Lincoln to take part in.

The Lincoln Bike Rally is also moving ahead under the direction of the Tenacious Dames, a statewide, all-female biker group, and their efforts to promote it is expected to draw a substantially larger crowd than in the past.

Tina Bundtrock hoped to wrap up a few questions lingering from their public meeting at the end of March.

One of the key discussions involved lodging. With most of the motels expected be full, they've been looking for places to accommodate dry camping sites for campers, RVs or tents.

The main question was how to manage a reservation system for the sites. Although some businesses offering sites will manage their own, the Tenacious Dames are willing to take on the task of handling a reservation system for anyone who needs help.

A venue for the two bands they have scheduled to appear was also an open question, after learning Hooper park had already been reserved and after the Lincoln Rodeo club declined a request to use the Rodeo Grounds. Cyr agreed to host the concerts at the gravel pit on family property north of Highway 200 if no other sites become available.

Bundtrock also addressed concerns from restaurant owners who missed the March meeting about the possibility of bringing in additional food vendors for the weekend.