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Wednesday, 28 March 2007 |
By Chary Majerus for the I-O
Trustees at the March 22 District 28C school board meeting chose to take no action at this time on the controversial “five-member at-large trustee district” issue rather than cause further division between Brady and Dutton residents.
“I’m sorry some of you believe this was directed at Brady so that Dutton can gain control,” said Trustee Eric Doheny of Dutton. “I don’t believe it was ever intended to divide the communities.”
The District 28C board is composed of two representatives from the north precinct (Brady), two from the south precinct (Dutton) and one at-large member. All voters in the district are able to vote on both the north and south representatives.
According to business manager Betty Brumwell, this current arrangement is unlike any other in the state, and those involved at the time of consolidation felt this setup would be the most beneficial to everyone in the district.
“It was an experiment – they broke the mold trying this,” stated Brumwell.
Lance Melton, Executive Director of the Montana School Boards Association, verified in a phone interview that Dutton/Brady is unique among districts that have consolidated in the recent past.
However, he also said that, statewide, there are other districts with geographic representation.
“In Billings, no one is elected at-large – all are from specific geographic subsets within the district,” said Melton, explaining there had been a concern that people were being elected from the same area of Billings.
District 28C school board members have been evaluating whether or not to change representation to all members being elected on an at-large basis in order to address internal problems that have developed within the board.
“What started out as a feud between two people has escalated and blown completely out of proportion,” said Board Chairman Reid Michel, who also explained that there are misconceptions as to why the proposed change to a five-member at-large board was introduced. While some think it is a move to gain control based on geographic lines, in reality, the change was suggested as a way to deal with conflicts resulting from the feud.
“It came from a board member acting against an administrator,” said Michel, adding that board members are frustrated because they have no recourse against a board member who acts on his own.
Chairman Michel went on to say that, as board members, “We can’t act individually. We can’t investigate individually. We are to act as a group.”
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Wednesday, 28 March 2007 |
By Buck Traxler, I-O Editor
Statistics show that more than 200,000 Americans die of sudden cardiac arrest every year.
Upwards of 50,000 of these deaths could have been prevented if someone had initiated the Cardiac Chain of Survival, and an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) had been available for immediate use at the time of the emergency.
And while no one wants to go into a cardiac arrest situation, if it should happen, Conrad may be one of the best places to be.
Though a Federal Rural Access to Emergency Devices Grant Program, the Pondera County Health Department has just received seven AED.
The portable devices cost $1,700 each. Pondera County Health Nurse Cynthia Grubb and Ruth Erickson, Director of Emergency Services for the Pondera Medical Center, worked together with five community partners to apply for the seven AEDs to be used throughout the county.
“It took seven months between the selection and reception of the AEDs and lots of partnering,” Grubb noted.
The grant is designed to provide AEDs to rural ambulance services, rural non-transporting quick response units, public safety agencies and public buildings or gathering places.
Erickson commented, “We had no assurance until they came that we would receive any of the seven units we requested, however, we received them all.”
 AED RECEIVERS -- From the left in front, County Health Nurse Cynthia Grubb who helped facilitate the grant for the seven Automated External Defibrillators (AED) and Commissioner Sandy Broesder. In the back is Fire Chief Kevin Moritz, Everett Breding of Search and Rescue, Police Chief Gary Dent, and Emergency Services Director for the PMC, Ruth Erickson who helped work on the AED grant. I-O Photo by Buck Traxler
One is for the City Police Department, applicant Chief Gary Dent, to be used in their patrolling car.
One goes to the Conrad Fire Department; Chief Kevin Moritz was the applicant.
Still another AED went to the Pondera County Search and Rescue. The unit will be housed at the Conrad Building Center with Search and Rescue Coordinator Everett Breding.
One will be at the Pondera County Courthouse, the applicant being the commissioners Cyndi Johnson, Sandy Broesder and Joe Christiaens.
The seventh and final AED will be at the Conrad High School, the applicants being Jim Carroll and Craig Barringer.
The PMC Emergency Outreach has agreed to provide the CPR/AED training for the community. One of the scheduled training sessions has already taken place at the courthouse, specifically for the Sheriff’s Department.
Other scheduled trainings include Search and Rescue, CHS and the police department. Additionally the PMC staff has agreed to check the AED batteries and provide yearly trainings, said Grubb.
“This will be an important link in actual emergency preparedness for this community,” said Grubb.
Conrad and Pondera County has just become a safer place to live in. |
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Wednesday, 28 March 2007 |
Forty students from Utterback Middle School attended the State Science Fair in Missoula.
“The students scored very well at the event earning several awards,” noted Monica Tomayer, UMS Science Facilitator and coach.
The students competed against 380 other middle school students at the event from many towns around Montana.
The keynote speaker at the awards ceremony, Russ Thomas, even mentioned Amber Stenson’s project “Soak It Up,” in his presentation.
He stated how it would have helped him to know which diaper held the most when his children were in diapers.
The following are the list of awards and ribbons earned this year;
First Place Overall in Physical Science 7th Grade Team was Calvin Ophus and Steven Peters with “This Spud’s For You.”
First Place Overall in Biological Science 8th Grade Team was Alex Kallstrom and Zach Lettenga with “Feces Pieces.”
Third Place Overall in Physical Science 7th Grade Team was Shanae Newmiller and Rose Wakkinen with “What Shampoo and Conditioner is Best for You?”
 STATE FAIR -- Forty UMS students formed a “C” for Conrad in the parking lot in Missoula at the State Science Fair. Photo courtesy of UMS
Second Place Silver Ribbons were earned by Amber Stenson, Will Shirley, Ramsey Offerdal, Joe O’Brien, Ben Moerkerke, Crystal Johnson, Sydney Slezak, Taylor Johnson, Maggie Springer, Erica Grubb, Amelia DeBoo, Rashelle Johns, Samantha Garman, Grant Grubb, Kyle Ellis, Graham Grubb, Shane Rauscher, Kara Bandow, Olivia Campbell, Rachel Lamb, Nikki Linn, Amanda Lee, Ariel Brauer, Kendra Pearson, Kasey Brownell
Third Place Bronze Ribbons were earned by Alexis Samsal, Brenna Larson, Courtney Anderson, Bobbie Swan, Jessica Robinson, Sam Carroll. |
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