Carts are pesky things—especially in politics. While people are looking one way, carts can suddenly slip in front of the horse. Happens all the time.
Recent local examples include consideration of wind turbines and a $60 million school facilities bond issue.
The Blaine County Commission is close to wrapping up consideration of zoning ordinance amendments to allow installation of wind turbines mounted on 40-foot-high towers in residential areas.
Consideration began last spring when the commissioners heard a presentation about the benefits of wind power for individual residences from a company that makes the equipment.
Commissioners were enthusiastic. Generating power from wind is a good idea. Even legendary oilman T. Boone Pickens has tried to push the nation into backing wind-generation on a huge scale in the Midwest. Montana is also trying to figure out if it can harness the constant winds in the eastern part of the state.
But there's one hook. Wind turbines need steady breezes at a minimum of 10-12 mph. This is not the case everywhere in the county. While it seems logical that no one would install a turbine anywhere the wind doesn't blow, it's not a given.
The commissioners need to put the horse back in front of the cart, determine where winds are adequate and construct a wind-power zoning overlay in those areas.
The Blaine County School District board of trustees needs to realign its cart as well. This week, it approved putting a nearly $60 million bond issue on the fall ballot for voter approval. Yet, it hasn't yet adequately established a critical need for the money in the public's mind.
The bond would not increase taxes because the district will soon retire a $62 million bond that was used to build new schools and rehab old ones. Still, voters must hear better reasons than that to justify a multi-million-dollar bond.
The school board says $10.1 million is needed for new classroom technology, $2.2 million for safety and security equipment, and $47 million for a new elementary school, eight new middle school classrooms, a new maintenance and food storage facility, retrofits and energy conservation improvements at all schools. All of that is called for in the district's master plan.
It's an impressively long list.
Before voters can cast intelligent votes, they must be convinced why the list is essential for education when we are in the grip of the greatest recession since the Great Depression.
Blaine County residents aren't stingy, but the recession has made "thrifty" the new watchword in all financial matters.
