‘Zombie deer disease’ hits county
By Luke Ulatowski
A mule deer buck hunted west of Deer Lodge in Hunting District 213 tested positive for chronic wasting disease (CWD) on Nov. 22.
CWD is colloquially known as “zombie deer disease.” The disease is always fatal for deer, and before death, it causes emaciation, excessive urination, stumbling and strange behavior such as a lack of fear of humans.
CWD is not known to be transmissible to humans. Still, the U.S. Center for Disease Prevention advises not to eat meat from any animal known to possess or showing signs of CWD, although it has not stated any effects, negative or otherwise. Elk and moose can also be infected with the disease.
According to Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks (FWP), hunters are “the primary tool for monitoring and managing the spread of CWD.” If the disease is allowed to establish itself in an area, the rate of infected deer can easily exceed 10%.
Poaching is a common cause of CWD epidemics due to animals feeding on infected carcasses. Any animal shot that shows signs of illness must be reported to FWP. The FWP office in charge of the Deer Lodge area can be contacted at 406-542-5529.
Most recently, on Ueland Ranch and the ARCO Block Management Area near Anaconda, four elk were poached between Nov. 18 and Nov, 19. The perpetrators took the heads and backstraps, then left the rest of their bodies in close proximity.
The general hunting season ended on Nov. 26. The next season - the muzzleloader season - will take place from Dec. 9 through Dec. 17. Between Nov. 23 and Nov. 26, FWP set up a sampling station at the intersection of West Milwaukee Avenue and South Old Stage Road in Deer Lodge meant for all deer hunted.
A mule deer buck hunted west of Deer Lodge in Hunting District 213 tested positive for chronic wasting disease (CWD) on Nov. 22.
CWD is colloquially known as “zombie deer disease.” The disease is always fatal for deer, and before death, it causes emaciation, excessive urination, stumbling and strange behavior such as a lack of fear of humans.
CWD is not known to be transmissible to humans. Still, the U.S. Center for Disease Prevention advises not to eat meat from any animal known to possess or showing signs of CWD, although it has not stated any effects, negative or otherwise. Elk and moose can also be infected with the disease.
According to Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks (FWP), hunters are “the primary tool for monitoring and managing the spread of CWD.” If the disease is allowed to establish itself in an area, the rate of infected deer can easily exceed 10%.
Poaching is a common cause of CWD epidemics due to animals feeding on infected carcasses. Any animal shot that shows signs of illness must be reported to FWP. The FWP office in charge of the Deer Lodge area can be contacted at 406-542-5529.
Most recently, on Ueland Ranch and the ARCO Block Management Area near Anaconda, four elk were poached between Nov. 18 and Nov, 19. The perpetrators took the heads and backstraps, then left the rest of their bodies in close proximity.
The general hunting season ended on Nov. 26. The next season - the muzzleloader season - will take place from Dec. 9 through Dec. 17. Between Nov. 23 and Nov. 26, FWP set up a sampling station at the intersection of West Milwaukee Avenue and South Old Stage Road in Deer Lodge meant for all deer hunted.
Larkins steps back at Senior CenterBy Luke Ulatowski
Greg Larkins has stepped down as executive director of the Powell County Senior Citizens Center while remaining its president following his election as a Deer Lodge City Councilman. A financial crisis at the senior center caused by the COVID-19 pandemic initially led Powell County Planning Director Amanda Cooley to ask Larkins for help with the center’s board. Larkins was swiftly named president of the board on May 8, an opportunity which he used to reorganize the entire board. He ordered that the dining room close for two weeks to accommodate a lack of funds. It ultimately remained closed for two months. Once the senior center reopened on July 17, Larkins began serving as executive director, managing what he called “day-to-day operations” related to the center’s meal programs and facility maintenance. The senior center was forced to close again on Nov. 6, although only for a week, due to staffing issues. According to Larkins, those issues have been entirely resolved, and no other loose threads remain when it comes to keeping the senior center open. “We’re operating on all See Larkins page 8 |
Santa is coming to town . . .
Deer Lodge Fire Chief Brant Pierson and “Santa Claus” Travis Jones, who also volunteers for the fire department, discuss plans for the Christmas Stroll parade and Christmas tree lighting on Friday. Photo by Luke Ulatowski
Walker hired as natural resources directorBy Luke Ulatowski
Former Powell County Montana State University Extension (MSUE) Agent Bo Walker has been hired as the county’s natural resource director after having served for two months in the same position as interim director. Walker resigned as extension agent on Sept. 12, at which point he was named interim natural resource director. The Powell County Commissioners’ creation of the entirely-new position led to controversy, as the official vote to create the position had not been placed on the commissioners’ public agenda. In addition, Walker’s resignation had been preceded by the commissioners publicly considering ending its relationship with MSUE due to conflicts between Walker’s office and local 4-H leaders, which the commissioners believed MSUE administrators should have stepped in and helped resolve, as MSUE manages 4-H. Commissioner Dan Sager first made this option public at a meeting with MSUE Western Regional Head Dan Lucas on July 24. Ultimately, on Sept. 18, after a closed-door meeting with Lucas and MSUE Associate Director Carrie Ash, the commissioners opted to retain its relationship with MSUE and seek to fill its vacant extension agent position, a decision that Walker stated he was caught off guard by. The position remains empty as MSUE Administrative Assistant Vanessa Johnson, who spoke about her and Walker’s conflicts with 4-H leaders on July 24, provides Extension-related services in the interim. The commissioners did not account for an extension agent in its Fiscal Year 2024 budget, although commissioner Ruth Koehler has stated the county will not raise taxes to pay for the addition of one. Another vote to create the natural resource director position - this time on the agenda - took place on Oct. 3. There, Powell County Planning Director Amanda Cooley provided the public with a presentation on the position, stating its most important function would be “acting as a liaison” between See Hired page 8 |
County considers supplemental levy bill
By Luke Ulatowski
Powell County Treasurer Pam Reighard suggested a supplemental bill could accommodate the Montana Supreme Court’s Nov. 22 order for all counties to levy 95 mills at a meeting with the Powell County Commissioners and County Attorney Kathryn McEnery on Nov. 29.
Opening the meeting, McEnery - who arrived before Reighard - noted two options the commissioners might take: Reissue its budget and property taxes to levy 95 mills as opposed to the 77.89-mill levy the county had already finalized Oct. 1, or make up the difference by raising taxes in the “spring bill.” In Montana, property taxes are paid in two bills each fiscal year: one due at the end of November and another due at the end of May.
Reighard stated the computer system at the Powell County Treasurer’s Office is instead working on a process to calculate how much each person in Powell County will have to pay in order to make up the difference for a supplemental bill. Reighard estimated that would be ready in mid-January “at the earliest” and completely separate from the spring bill, which would still be based on a 77.89-mill levy.
“Yeah, you get them out in the first part of February; at least people will know, and they can come in and pay that smaller amount without it being added to this giant total in May,” Commissioner Ruth Koehler said.
Reighard noted the county has not received “near the feedback” some of the other 48 of 56 Montana counties that already budgeted to levy 77.89 mills are getting following the Supreme Court’s ruling, with Koehler noting people have been “fairly composed” when visiting the commissioners’ office at the Powell
See Levy page 6
Powell County Treasurer Pam Reighard suggested a supplemental bill could accommodate the Montana Supreme Court’s Nov. 22 order for all counties to levy 95 mills at a meeting with the Powell County Commissioners and County Attorney Kathryn McEnery on Nov. 29.
Opening the meeting, McEnery - who arrived before Reighard - noted two options the commissioners might take: Reissue its budget and property taxes to levy 95 mills as opposed to the 77.89-mill levy the county had already finalized Oct. 1, or make up the difference by raising taxes in the “spring bill.” In Montana, property taxes are paid in two bills each fiscal year: one due at the end of November and another due at the end of May.
Reighard stated the computer system at the Powell County Treasurer’s Office is instead working on a process to calculate how much each person in Powell County will have to pay in order to make up the difference for a supplemental bill. Reighard estimated that would be ready in mid-January “at the earliest” and completely separate from the spring bill, which would still be based on a 77.89-mill levy.
“Yeah, you get them out in the first part of February; at least people will know, and they can come in and pay that smaller amount without it being added to this giant total in May,” Commissioner Ruth Koehler said.
Reighard noted the county has not received “near the feedback” some of the other 48 of 56 Montana counties that already budgeted to levy 77.89 mills are getting following the Supreme Court’s ruling, with Koehler noting people have been “fairly composed” when visiting the commissioners’ office at the Powell
See Levy page 6
