Latest news with #FlatheadCounty
Yahoo
a day ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Dispute threatens to shelve new library branch
Jun. 8—Is the Flathead County Library Board serious about building a new facility in Kalispell? One has to wonder after it unexpectedly distanced itself from the Flathead Library Foundation during a combative meeting last month. In a 4-1 vote, the board essentially decided to break up with the library's fundraising arm amid efforts to launch a capital campaign for a new Kalispell branch. Specifically, the vote was to reject a fundraising agreement the foundation had presented the board in April which asked trustees to offer unanimous support for the building project, a commitment of capital improvement funds from the county and a commitment from the county to support the library in the future. Library board chair Dave Ingram said he found the conditions to be "coercive" and later suggested that the board could handle the capital campaign on its own. Firebrand trustee Carmen Cuthbertson took the hostility a step further and accosted the foundation as unreliable, dishonest and untrustworthy. After the meeting, foundation executive director Sara Busse attempted to quash those accusations, saying the agreement was only intended to provide potential donors with basic assurances that their gifts won't be squandered. As with many disagreements, the best path forward likely falls somewhere in between — it's called compromise. For the foundation's part, it just may have to proceed without the full slate of conditions it is seeking. While it would be nice to go to donors knowing the project has the board's full support, that shouldn't be a wrench that jams the entire operation. Considering how politicized public libraries have become, a unanimous vote may be out of reach. Meanwhile, the board is foolish to think it would be better off without the support of a dedicated and proven fundraising arm. Let us not forget the Flathead Library Foundation's successful pursuit of raising over $3 million to build a new branch in Bigfork. The beautiful and modern facility opened to the public last summer after just five years of fundraising, which mind you, took place during the Covid pandemic upheaval. It was a remarkable feat, and Ingram even praised the project at the time, saying he hoped it was just the first "of many efforts between the county and our communities to enhance our library facilities." The Kalispell branch was next on the list. The board must reconcile its differences with the foundation if they truly want to see this capital campaign reach the finish line. It'd be a shame to see the effort derailed over egos and stubbornness.
Yahoo
31-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Flathead County Library board breaks with fundraising partner over Kalispell branch project
May 31—The Flathead County Library Board of Trustees voted last week to break with its nonprofit fundraising arm, the Flathead Library Foundation, as it prepares to launch a campaign to build a new Kalispell branch. The 4-1 decision, which came as a shock to foundation officials, was made after board Chair Dave Ingram expressed frustration with how slow the process was of signing a fundraising agreement. He also accused the foundation of acting improperly and being "coercive" after the organization asked the board to agree to three conditions for its support in the endeavor. The conditions included unanimous support from the board on a capital campaign agreement, a commitment of capital improvement project funds from the county and a commitment from the county to support the library in the future. Foundation leadership, which disputed Ingram's characterizations of the conditions, said the organization needed a signed agreement that ensured support before it approached donors. It's normal for a document like this to go through several revisions, according to the foundation. "There is no coercion, only basic requests for the sort of assurances that any donor deserves," said foundation Executive Director Sara Busse after the meeting. The memo that included the conditions was sent to the board the day before its April meeting. The timing rankled Ingram, he told fellow trustees. "To me these actions raise serious issues regarding overstepping operational authority by inserting themselves in negotiations, repeated breakdowns in communication, a lack of transparency and the attempt to influence or control the decisions of a public governing body," Ingram said at the board's May meeting. Trustee Carmen Cuthbertson echoed Ingram, stating that the library needs a "reliable, dependable, honest, trustworthy fundraising entity." "We do not have it right now," she said. Ingram stated that possible fundraising avenues include reducing the earnest money down payment, possible owner financing and potentially renegotiating the purchase price with a better understanding of "what we bring to the table" for the property owners of the future home of the Kalispell branch. During the public comment period, Flathead Library Foundation Board president Erica Wirtala responded to the criticisms. "How is it possible to go to a donor ... when it looks like the Board of Trustees is not all on board and we don't have very solid assurances from the county commissioners that they are behind this project as well?" Wirtala said. Flathead County commissioners publicly expressed support for the project in early May but cautioned that their focus was on the completion of a new jail. Work to purchase property at the Kalispell Center Mall for the library's future location officially began last summer. In August, the board sent its initial letter of intent to SHOP Companies, the Texas developer that bought the mall last year, and began negotiations. At the time, Ingram said, the board was working on two documents: a capital campaign agreement with the foundation and the buy-sell agreement with the landowner. The former document is an agreement between the library and foundation that outlines the first phase of the project: acquisition of the property. After multiple revisions and the document going back and forth between the two entities, the agreement was officially approved by the board on a 3-2 vote on March 27. The split decision left foundation leaders concerned. "We want the same thing the Board of Trustees wants. We would love to have a new library. We would love to help you with that. But to go to fundraisers, hold events, and to ask people for money, you have to show that everybody is on board with the project. A 3-2 vote doesn't do that," Wirtala said. The foundation sent the three requirements after that vote, stating that they would not sign the agreement until those three conditions were met. Cuthbertson said that the inclusion of guarantees was irrelevant given the limited amount of money going toward libraries overall. "What I need is a foundation that understands that conditions are not ideal, and we just have to work with what we have," she said. "If the foundation needs ideal conditions in order to be able to fundraise for us, then the foundation should consider this project a lost cause." Trustee Jane Wheeler, the only board member to vote against separating from the Foundation, made a motion at the meeting to return the agreement to the Board of Trustee's facilities committee for further review before ending the relationship. The motion failed. Moving forward, Ingram stated that the library is willing to work with the foundation on the project but that they aren't associating the project with the foundation's ability to fundraise. Foundation members are concerned that without a clear path forward, fundraising will be difficult. "We've been told there are entities and people who could potentially make this happen," Ingram said after the meeting. "Rather than being bogged down with further contract language, we decided to open it up." The Flathead Library Foundation was created to support the Flathead County library through philanthropy, collaboration and advocacy. Their fundraising work helped complete the new branch of the library in Bigfork last year. Reporter Kate Heston may be reached at 758-4459 or kheston@
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- Yahoo
Man who allegedly used pipe in Coram beating brought up on felony charge
May 26—Prosecutors have charged a man accused of wielding a metal pipe in a fight in Coram earlier this month with assault with a weapon. Russell Loren Tolbert Jr., 38, of Coram, is expected to appear before Judge Paul Sullivan in Flathead County District Court on May 29 for his arraignment on the felony count. Tolbert remains in the county jail with bail set at $50,000. Flathead County Sheriff's Office deputies began searching for Tolbert after responding to a reported assault on Bear Street about 3:51 p.m., May 12, according to court documents. Responding deputies found the victim struggling to breathe and suffering from injuries to his leg and chest. Medical responders loaded him into an ambulance before he could give them a statement, court documents said. But another individual at the scene showed authorities a metal pipe and said that the victim had earlier identified Tolbert as his attacker, according to court documents. After instructing the individual to stop touching the pipe, investigators examined it and found what looked like dried blood. They also found apparent dried blood in the kitchen and living area, according to court documents. Authorities later tracked down Tolbert, who was hiding near railroad tracks, with a K9 unit, court documents said. He allegedly told them that he lived at the Bear Street home and found the victim irritating. That day marked the "last straw," he allegedly said, and the two fought. He recalled pushing the victim, who then struck him with a handsaw, according to court documents. After being hit with the tool, Tolbert allegedly said he punched the victim in the face repeatedly. But investigators reported finding no marks on Tolbert's face or hands and saw no injuries to the victim's face, according to court documents. A search of the Bear Street residence failed to turn up a handsaw, court documents said. If convicted, Tolbert faces up to 20 years in Montana State Prison and a $50,000 fine. News Editor Derrick Perkins can be reached at 758-4430 or dperkins@
Yahoo
18-05-2025
- Yahoo
Alleged knife-wielding shoplifter given suspended jail sentence and fine
May 18—A suspected shoplifter arrested after threatening employees of a big box retailer last year later received a suspended sentence and fine in Flathead County District Court. Dominic Austin Prichard, 32, picked up a felony robbery charge after allegedly trying to make off with $158.93 in unpurchased goods from a Hutton Ranch Road store about 7:35 a.m., June 19. When store personnel intercepted him, he allegedly pulled a thin black object from his pocket. "I have a switchblade," he allegedly told the employees. Prichard initially refuted the allegations but took a plea deal in August. Prosecutors agreed to amend the charges to misdemeanor counts of assault and theft in exchange for guilty pleas. Prichard was to stay off the store's property, per the agreement. Prosecutors also agreed to recommend that Prichard receive a suspended six-month jail sentence on the assault charge and pay a $100 fine for the theft charge. Judge Danni Coffman stuck to the terms of the deal at Prichard's Aug. 28, 2024, sentencing. She gave him credit for 70 days of time served. News Editor Derrick Perkins can be reached at 758-4430 or dperkins@
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- Yahoo
Man suspected of injuring woman with a shovel given deferred sentence
May 17—A Kalispell man accused of attacking a downstairs tenant with a shovel in 2024 received a deferred sentence in Flathead County District Court earlier this year. Prosecutors charged Kane Kelly Youngquist, 47, with felony assault with a weapon following his March 25, 2024 arrest. Youngquist, who denied the allegations, pleaded no contest to a single count of felony criminal endangerment in November after striking a deal with the County Attorney's Office. Per the terms of the arrangement, prosecutors agreed to recommend a three-year deferred sentence. Judge Paul Sullivan stuck to the terms of the deal at Youngquist's Feb. 20 sentencing. Sullivan also gave Youngquist credit for eight days of time served. Kalispell Police officers arrested Youngquist after responding to a disturbance call on the 300 block of Seventh Avenue West about 9:38 a.m., March 25, 2024. Youngquist, who first phoned authorities to accuse a downstairs tenant of stabbing his fingers, was waiting on the home's front porch with still-bleeding hands, according to court documents. But investigators found a frantic and distraught woman with blood on her hands, face and forearms in the home's downstairs, court documents said. She accused Youngquist of breaking into the rented room on the lower level and attacking her with a shovel. She said she defended herself with a butter knife, according to court documents. The woman sported three bruises on her back that investigators described as consistent with being hit by a shovel, court documents said. Youngquist allegedly later admitted to going down to the lower level with a shovel. He grew coy when asked if he had struck the woman, according to court documents. "Maybe," he allegedly replied. Officers at the home described Youngquist as having several angry outbursts at the woman while they were at the scene. News Editor Derrick Perkins can be reached at 758-4430 or dperkins@
