Welcome to Clutterville

I’m writing to urge the Whitefish City Council members not to revise the Whitefish sign code, and especially NOT to empower a group of self-interested business owners to have any special review powers or in any way pretend to speak for the good folks of Whitefish as a whole.

This is our town, the special place that belongs to every citizen in the greater Whitefish area. The qualities of the Highway 93 entrance to Whitefish that reflect the character of the community and the values held by the public-at-large are for all of us to decide — together. 

Why a select group of business owners does not share those sensibilities is a mystery. Why they are continually pressing for changes that would transform a unique community into a generic mess of advertising distractions and urban-style clutter amid our peaceful, shining mountains is an equal mystery.

Sure, we all know the answer has to do with the business owners’ conviction that this will bring in more dollars and that doing so outweighs the quality of life enjoyed by the rest of the community, which identifies with Whitefish’s special small-town charms instead.

What I can’t understand is why the business owners think they are entitled to try and serve themselves at the expense of the look and feel and general atmosphere of one of the nicest places to live anywhere in the world. 

Buy Here! Special Sale! Low Rates! Get it NOW!!! More signs! More business! More money! More growth! Without limits! Booyah!

I thought that kind of mindless boosterism was not only badly outdated but widely recognized now as actually working against the long-term attraction and economic success of unique resort town. Our home draws visitors seeking a place that doesn’t look like every other place they’ve driven through or come from.

Please, let’s not give the business owners the right to start hanging out Welcome to Clutterville or Hucksterville USA notices at the entrance to Whitefish.

If you designate any group to review the sign code, why not choose a select body of citizens adamantly opposed to strip development and advertising sign blight? But that wouldn’t be democratic either, now would it. So why are the business owners are asking that their voices alone be given special weight?

Let’s just stick with democracy and say no to their request for favored political status. The council’s role is make sure everyone around here is equally represented and that Whitefish continues to draw people in by staying easy on the eyes and the heart.

— Douglas Chadwick