Can't believe Stack wasn't reappointed

I was stunned to read that the Flathead County Commissioners had failed to re-appoint Jim Stack to the Whitefish Lake and Lakeshore Committee.

For 13 of the 19 years that he served on the committee, I served with him. I found him to be an exemplary volunteer. He always came prepared and after he became chairman, he conducted the meetings in a fair and prompt manner. He was always willing to help those who submitted permit applications that needed some modifications.

He made site visits to most if not all properties before the city planning office supposedly took over that job. In a recent case involving my permit application, the city planner never visited the site, but Jim visited twice. Jim’s wife Lisa was always invaluable in taking accurate minutes and providing them to the committee, city and county in a timely manner.

Jim was instrumental in having the committee make many modifications to the rules and regulations over the years in order to make them more user-friendly. He was the driving force behind getting the hovercraft for use of search and rescue.

He and his wife Lisa were leaders in getting a stove to the Granite Park Chalet in Glacier Park. They both have been involved over the years with their time, energy and money for the betterment of our communities. There are few others in our community who are so dedicated.

If this is another sort of “secret agenda” that seems to happen at the governmental level, I think the other committee members and the public should be informed of the reasons for Jim’s non-reappointment.

Were the other committee members even consulted? Who was consulted before the decision was made to appoint another person with little experience? Was Jim Stack informed of this decision before reading it in the paper? What information, factual or not, was provided that resulted in this decision? In fact, in the commissioner’s haste to appoint someone new, they will have lost 19 years of history. How can this possibly benefit our communities?

— Jane Solberg