Twin Bridges, MT

The 2009 Floating Flotillas & Fish Fantasies t-shirts have arrived!! Get yours while they last. The shirts cost $15 each.

The front of the shirt looks like this -

The back of the shirt looks like this -

We also have a limited quantity (and it’s shrinking every day) of t-shirts from last year for a very special price. You can buy a children’s small, children’s large, or adult large for $7. Adult x-large shirts are an even better deal - $5!! I may be able to sell these to a local outlet next week and then, they will be gone-gone-gone.

Call Aaron at 596-0187 or Deb at 684-5355 to get your Floating Flotillas and Fish Fantasies t-shirts!

I just received word through the Paula Network (Paula Gilman & Paula Kinoshita) that the Hutterites will not be at the Farmer’s Market this Saturday (July 4). They will be returning on July 11 and plan to have fresh produce, eggs, bread and other goodies for sale every Saturday for the rest of the summer.

Have a Happy 4th!

The Horizons steering team met with a special guest at their meeting yesterday.  Carmen McSpadden, who can be best described as a “cheerleader for the cause” gave us some great advice, great ideas and great insight.  It was energizing to have some new input into our Horizons Project.

We are smack in the middle of the Visioning Portion of the Project.  We are trying to get input from the entire community regarding our community vision statement.  It is so important that we get buy-in from everyone.  So, in the next few weeks, the members of the steering committee will be engaging in “Operation Vision.” We will be visiting with existing groups in our community, explaining what has occured so far, and determining if they feel all of that groups issues have been addressed. We want to make sure that no one is left out of this process.  There are so many great ideas out there, and needs that have yet to be defined.  No opinion will be disregarded!

We will also be hosting information gathering/information disseminating events at the Floating Flotillas Fish Fantasies on July 25 and the Madison County Fair, August 12-16.  After these meetings and events, we will have a concrete ideal on which to base our community vision statement.

The vision statement is extremely important.  It will drive the strategic plan and help our community pull together to achieve our common goals.

Thoroughly Editorialized by Debra McNeill

Troy Martin opened the meeting and moved the Attendance Committee Hearings to the top of the agenda. As these hearings involve private matters of students, the meeting was closed while the board members met with the parents. Following the closed session, I asked if there had been any change in the attendance policy resulting from the meetings. (Most of us only read the school policy handbook once. Changes are best presented with flashing lights and loud music.) No changes have been made in the attendance policy.

Marian Fox requested use of the multi-purpose auditorium for an afternoon near Veterans Day. The Ruby Valley Chorale, American Legion and VFW would like to have a flag presentation ceremony. As part of the program to share our gratitude for our country, junior and senior high students will be offered to participate in an essay contest based on the theme, “What Democracy Means To Me”. The contest will be open to all students in the Ruby Valley. Cash prizes will be awarded to the top three compositions. Plans are to have the program on a Sunday afternoon at 4pm with refreshments served in the lobby. The board supports Mrs. Fox’s proposal and referred her to Mr. Johnson for official approval and managing the details.

Student Represetnative’s Report - Shawni Hamilton
With the summer vacation, Shawni didn’t have much to report. She said that the kids are involved in Open Gym and other summer activities.

MTSBA Director’s Report - Randy Lowder
Mr. Lowder said that attendance at the recent delegate’s conference was excellent. The participation for the veteran and newbie trustee’s trainings was very high. Mr. Lowder also presented some of the results from the delegates meeting regarding legislation initiatives and other projects.

Aaron Griffin’s Principal’s Report –
Mr. Griffin welcomed our new superintendent, Chad Johnson.

Our students are working and visiting all over the state and the world right now. Mr. Griffin is confident that they will leave behind good impressions about Twin Bridges.

Our drug dog handler, Dennis Jones, is concerned that our parking lot is on Town property. The school needs concurrent jurisdiction to conduct searches. Fergus and Hinsdale have had a similar situation and Mr. Griffin is contacting them for advice.

At present, Twin Bridges School is expecting 16 new students for the 2009/2010 school year. Most of the additions are transfers into the first through third grades. The first grade will have the biggest jump in class size to 20 students.

Claire Smith and Dena Hamry have been running a Title summer school program. Enrollment for the program has tripled since last summer. Classes are two hours every day for two weeks. One hour is devoted to academics and the second hour focuses on hands-on activities.

Chad Johnson’s Superintendent’s Report –
The school had a Workman’s Comp inspection and the staff is working through the recommended improvements. Mr. Johnson will be at the school full-time starting June 23rd.

Sale of Superintendent’s Computer
Mr. Whitesell would like to buy the laptop and monitor he has been using. ITC has given an appraisal of the three year old system. Following discussion regarding the practice of giving or selling administrators their computers, dealing with student records, and Microsoft licenses, the board approved selling Mr. Whitesell his computer system. It was agreed that the school needs to develop a check-out policy for departing administrators and teachers.

Negotiations Committee Report
Carol Lane has met with the teacher’s representatives to start negotiations regarding salary increases and benefits. The teachers are asking for a 4% increase in salary and a 10% insurance increase. Mr. Johnson said that research needs to be completed prior to the next meeting with the teachers and asked to have the meeting rescheduled.

Cross Country
The Board approved a motion to add cross country to the school’s extracurricular activities. The season runs from August to October 15th.

Insurance Committee
This is complicated stuff and, hopefully, I’ve kept it as simple as possible.
In the past, there haven’t been many choices for coverage on Property & Casualty and Workman’s Comp insurance. Western States has carried the school’s P&C and MSGIA (Montana Schools Group Insurance Authority) has carried the Workman’s Comp. Now, Western States plans to offer Workman’s Comp and MSGIA is offering P&C. To join either of the new programs, the school would be required to sign a three year contract but without fixed premiums. After MUCH discussion, the board approved keeping the current arrangement for a year and will evaluate bids again next year.

Reimburse Non-Contract Days for Mr. Johnson
The Board and Mr. Johnson agreed that Mr. Johnson could take comp time for days worked prior to the commencement of his contract.

We have some of the 2008 vintage Floating Flotillas & Fish Fantasies t-shirts on sale at a deep discount. These shirts have Jim Shirk’s fabulous artwork on the back. For all sizes except x-large, the price has been reduced to $7. The x-large shirts are an even better deal - $5! Supply is limited (obviously we have a bunch of x-large shirts). Please call Aaron Griffin at 596-0187 or Deb McNeill at 684-5355 to place your order. The size and quantities available are as follows:
Kids small (6-8) – 8
Kids large (14-16) – 2
Adult large – 1
Adult xlarge – 17
Adult 2x – 2
Please click here to see Jim’s artwork.

****Warning…personal rant*****

Boards, not the kind you put nails in, the kind that are elected to govern a body.  Just the thought of a Board (capital ‘B’ meaning “governing”, small ‘b’ meaning “made of wood”) raises my dander.  I have had a lot of experience dealing with Boards.  When I was younger, my dad was a mine manager for a large coal mine in eastern Montana.  The corporation that owned the mine had a Board.  Sometimes dinner table talk centered around the actions of the Board and how they were going to effect the employees. In college, I had the misfortune to be affected by a decision by a Board to remove a successful wrestling program in favor of equality for women (ummm, nothing more fun for women than watching a bunch of well-muscled, sweaty men roll around on mats in tight onsies, sometimes Title IX sucks!) Then, being a teacher in central Montana, I worked for a Board.  I was amazed at how the dynamics of a Board and their personal feelings could impact my life in such profound ways. While coaching basketball at a Class A school in northwestern Montana, I had the lifechanging experience of being fired by a Board.  Not fun, but definately educational.  I have also served on Boards in the past and  I currently serve on a Board that promotes the businesses in our valley.

Anyway, what is the point of this besides the one on my head? Why is that that when an ordinary citizen is elected to a Board that they seem to lose sight of the reason why they were elected in the first place? Why is it that Boards seem to forget their purpose (representing and advocating for the body that elected them)? Why is it that, when presented by common sense arguments from their constituents, they can never see the big picture and are so focused on policy and small-town politics that they don’t listen to the meat of the issue and deal with it accordingly?

I am not an unreasonable person. I am a conservative, but when presented with alternate points of view I listen, evaluate the point on its own merits and then modify my view with the new information or am more convicted that my view is correct.  I learned how to listen effectively in Horizon’s training.  When I see people serving on Boards and not using basic leadership skills, it really ticks me off. Quoting policy is not validating a Boards existence.  A Board exists to review and apply policy as it is required for each situation.  If this is not the case, then there is no reason to have a Board.  We can all read policy.  If no modifications are possible, then all that is needed is an administrator to enforce the policy.

By Nick Gevock of The Montana Standard - 06/09/2009

Gov. Brian Schweitzer has selected a committee from the six Southwest Montana counties that are vying to host a new veterans’ home.

Members of the committee, all of whom are veterans, and their hometowns are Tom Straugh, Dillon; Bill Willing, Anaconda; Larry Lattin, Boulder; Willie Blazer, Ennis; Lyle Gillette, Deer Lodge; and Pavlovich of Butte.

(Note from Heather - the headlines in the Standard drive me crazy….I have no idea what it means.)

So I was thinking that because the weather was horrible that the turnout for the annual Friends of the Library Fundraiser would be horrible….WRONG! Great turnout.  I guess if people can’t do yardwork in the rain, they decide to go to the Garag-a-Rama.  I interviewed a person who had a booth and they said that they did well, and that there was a lot of traffic through the building.  Great job, Friends!

The Floating Flotillas and Fish Fantasies Festival will be July 25th and you can get your commemorative t-shirt early! The back of the t-shirt features Jim Shirk’s gorgeous artwork that was a big hit at last year’s festival. On the front of the t-shirt, we have a color photo of the winner of the 2008 Rusty Bucket award with a couple of Ed Wrzesinski’s trout. You can get your t-shirts early by calling Aaron Griffin at 596-0187 or Deb McNeill at 684-5355. The cost is $15 each. We hope to have t-shirts on sale with our local merchants too. We’ll post that information as it is available.

T-shirt - Front

T-shirt - Back

The following was posted on bikeforums.com by Zach Hall of Austin, Texas during his recent trip through Montana. (The unusual sentence structure is due to his iPhone.) I’ve posted it with Zach’s permission.

Ode to Twin Bridges
So we have been camping here at the supercamp in twin bridges
For a day and a half now and I am absolutely blown away
By the hospitality of the people in this town towards cyclists.
It’s just unbelievable to be honest.. Let me explain.. The second we
Roll into town people are waving at us. Then we stop at the post
Office and people start asking if were here for the camp and
Pointing us in the right direction. Then, before we can even leave the
Post office a couple of friendly fellows by the names of bill and norm
Approach us to greet. Turns out bill is the person planning and building
the Facilities aswell as the (one and only) person who started this here
Thread.. In the flesh! One of the first people we meet in town. Bill
Has been working hard on putting this thing together but a rash of
Bad weather has slowed the construction of the shower rooms and
Whatnot. That didn’t link our plans however because get this. Right
After we set up our tents a wonderful local named larry introduced himself
To us and shortly afterward offered us the use of his home showers
and cold beer. Later after we sat around his house and talked for a while
He insisted we lounge around in his guest house after he leaves town the next
morning. He even offered the use of his expensive grill! Were just dumbfounded
By the kindness and trust we’ve been shown at this point. However it gets
Crazier! One of the riders in our group broke the spring in her crank bros
Pedal on the ride in and we won’t see another bike shop
On our route for 5 days. We meet a nice woman while doing our laundary who
Happens to own the laundrymat aswell as the fishing gear and clothing store in front.
She mentions that her husband use to own a bike shop a while back so we figure
He might be the right guy to consult about finding a replacement pedal. Long story
Short the dude insists we borrow his suv to drive 60 miles to butte where the closest bike
Shop is. What!? This is a level of hospitality that is unheard of to me. What nice people!
We brought it back with a full tank and an extra case of beer as a small thankyou.
Everyone in this town seems to know we cycled here and they all have been so warm
To us. We’ve been on the road for a month and a half now and this is hands down the most
Cycle friendly town we’ve been to. And just plain good people. This park is beautiful
By the way. It’s right on the stream and in a couple blocks walking distance to everything.
This place will really be great when it’s finished. Bill is working hard on it as We speak.
However, the main attraction here should be the people of this town. The park will be a
Good reason to set up camp and experience that. Thanks again bill!