Townsend MT's Preeminent News Paper

Community Mourns Loss of Girl, Rallies to Support Families

Community Mourns Loss of Girl, Rallies to Support Families

Nancy Marks

Reporter

Our community grieves the loss of Townsend Elementary School student Karli Sandidge. The 12-year-old lost her life when she was thrown from a utility terrain vehicle (UTV) that collided with a pickup truck on Highway 287 north of Townsend Wednesday evening, Sept. 13. Her companion, a 13-year-old girl, was also thrown from the vehicle. She was flown to a Billings hospital and was to be released early this week following multiple surgeries.

Broadwater County Sheriff dispatchers received a call at 8:20 p.m. about an accident at Trailhead View Drive and Highway 287. According to the Montana Highway Patrol, the side-by-side UTV was attempting to cross the highway when it was struck by a southbound pickup driven by a 62-year-old Townsend man. He was taken with minor injuries to Billings Clinic Broadwater in Townsend.

Many families whose children are friends and classmates of both students moved quickly to set up Mealtrain and GoFundMe accounts to help defray expenses for the families.

Angie Paulsen, whose daughter is in the same class as Karli, gathered some of the girls and took them to the movies and shopping. Other families did the same. “We tried to distract them over the weekend, knowing how tough it would be Monday morning with Karli not in school,” she said.

Lady Bulldogs Update

Little Property Tax Hike Predicted For Most People

Little Property Tax Hike Predicted For Most People

MT 43 News Staff

Most people in Broadwater County should see little increase in property taxes despite sharp gains in the appraised value of their property, finance officer Debbie Kelley told county commissioners at their regular Wednesday meeting on Sept. 6.

Commissioners approved a resolution adopting the county’s final operating budget for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2023, and ending June 30, 2024. Tax bills should show up in the mail beginning Oct. 31.

Commissioner Darrel Folkvord cited a state law that he said will limit the county’s revenue from property taxes to a level that does not keep up with the rate of inflation, even while the county is expected to provide services to a growing population. “We will work with one hand tied behind our back,” he said.

Kelley said county boards and departments based their 2023-2024 budgets on last year’s revenue, so the county can keep its spending down. “If we get caught in a downturn, such as COVID was, we won’t go red in our budget,” she said.

Public Comment

JB Howick, owner of Townsend Hardware, stated that he was interested in opening a store in the Wheatland area in South Broadwater County, but wanted to know about the availability of sewer and water systems. Commissioner Lindsey Richtmyer said she would look into it and get back to him.

Top Gun Auto celebrates Heroes of Townsend

Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority Annual Report

USDA Seeks Applications for Loans and Grants to Expand Access to New and Better Markets for Rural Small Business Owners

WASHINGTON, Sept. 14, 2023 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced that it is accepting applications for loans and grants to expand access to new and better markets for rural small business owners and microentrepreneurs.

The Department is making approximately $29 million available in funding through the Rural Microentrepreneur Assistance Program (RMAP). 

USDA provides RMAP funding to non-profits, Tribes, colleges and universities to create revolving loan fund programs and support training and technical assistance for rural microentrepreneurs and microenterprises. Rural businesses with 10 or fewer full-time employees are eligible for loans and technical assistance.

USDA is particularly interested in applications that will advance Biden-Harris Administration priorities to:

• Reduce climate pollution and increase resilience to the impacts of climate change through economic support to rural communities.
• Ensure all rural residents have equitable access to Rural Development (RD) programs and benefits from RD-funded projects; and
• Help rural communities recover economically through more and better market opportunities and through improved infrastructure.

Montana Centenarians to be Honored in October

The Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS) will honor Montana centenarians during the 54th annual Governor’s Conference on Aging on October 3, 2023.   

The annual conference will take place at the Holiday Inn Convention Center in Great Falls. Centenarians will be honored during a noon luncheon. 

DPHHS is asking Montanans who will turn age 100 as of December 31, 2023, or those who are already over the age of 100 to submit their name and a brief profile.

“This is an excellent opportunity to honor Montana centenarians and to celebrate their lives,” said DPHHS Director Charlie Brereton. “I encourage Montanans to submit the requested information so they can be recognized.”

All centenarians who submit information will receive a recognition certificate from Governor Greg Gianforte.