NFLA sees increased attendance

I don’t know how many runners signed up for this years LeGrizz or how many actually finished the fifty-mile timed run. I do know they had to be cold, with wet and probably sore feet. It was a raw day Saturday with periods of rain, snow and uncertain footing. I know that there were last-minute efforts to get hot fluids to the contestants and camp stoves to keep them hot. I hope they were successful and that there were few colds and no pneumonia.

Last week the Landowners Association held their last meeting of 2017 and the second meeting to be held on the second Sunday instead of the first Saturday. The change in the by-laws was passed with a two-thirds majority at the August annual meeting of the organization. By all appearances the effort to increase attendance at meetings was successful as both September and October saw twice the number of attendees as usual.

An interesting discussion was held about whether or not to write a letter to Glacier Park in support of reopening the inside road from Fish Creek to Polebridge. Although it seems that a majority favor reopening the road, it was the consensus of members present that NFLA as an organization should not take a position on issues. Instead the group should gather information, educate the members and allow residents to take their own action. Reason was that North Fork issues are almost always emotional and create strong feelings. No one wants to return to the days when the community was arguing and fighting over natural resource issues, most of which were never solved and remain just under the surface until this very day. Issues like the road, wolves, grizzly bears, campground, trail maintenance and road closures all have proponents and opponents and, like the U.S. Congress, will be solved by inaction rather than action.

In only two months of existence both the Welcome Committee and the Sunshine Committee have been very active. The Welcome Committee has identified five separate North Fork neighborhoods and has recruited members in each area to ensure that newcomers are contacted and welcomed.

The Sunshine Committee has already sent out eight get well cards and one birthday card. Several locals are suffering severe health problems and we all hope for their full recovery to good health and that, in future, there will be many more happiness cards than condolences.

Finally, the audit committee gave a 100 percent clean report of NFLA finances which include a healthy reserve and appropriate reward accounts.

The fall newsletter is in the mail and everyone is encouraged to pay their NFLA dues ($15 per person) and North Fork Patrol donation (minimum $10).

Larry Wilson’s North Fork Views column appears weekly in the Hungry Horse News.