4 I The Lovell Chronicle I August 13, 2015
CHRONICLE
Without much discussion the Lovell Town Council and Mayor
Angel Montanez voted unanimously on Tuesday night to move
forward with a proposed water tower project. Councilman Scott
AIIred was not present to vote, due
to an excused absence.
Little discussion was required
due to a well-attended community
forum that was held the week be-
fore at the Lovell Community Cen-
ter, where the $3.5 million project
was hashed and re-hashed until
one community member finally
said something like, "Sounds like a
no-brainer, can we just get on with
it.~7
The project will include a new
140-foot tall, 400,O00-gallon wa-
ter tank, a new pump station and Patti Carpenter
telemetry system for water moni- Impressions
toring and much-needed new wa-
ter lines on the hill.
The project will greatly improve our town by improving ser-
vices to our neighbors on the hill, which includes New Horizon
Care Center residents and North Big Hom Hospital patients and
staff. It will benef¢ us all, because, let's face it folks, we will all
need those services at some time in our lives.
Hats off to Councilman Brian Dickson and anyone else who
worked hard to get us a grant that will pay for most of the ex-
penses. Hats off, as well, to those who insisted on bringing it
before the public. Though it did eat up some extra time, no one
who took the time to attend can say they came away with a lot
of questions. There was plenty of back and forth discussion and
more than enough opportunity to ask questions or to speak out
on the matter.
Some attending expressed that maybe it was a waste of our
time to have a public meeting on something that was obviously a
good idea. I disagree.
Perhaps it was a no-brainer, but as a resident of our fine
town, I personally think the meeting was good practice for all of
us. If nothing else, it was a relief for me to see our town council,
mayor and the good citizens of our community agree on some-
thing. Maybe this little bit of practice will help us resolve some
of our other problems--like what's going on at our police depart-
ment.
Speaking as a citizen, not as a reporter, I encourage our lead-
ers to have the courage to let the public in On more of the
issues we are dealing with as a community. Who knows? Maybe
someone will have a good idea, if nothing else, maybe it will be a
healing experience for us all.
I think the way this decision was handled is a sign that we can
put our heads together to find solutions, as opposed to knocking
them together, which only creates more headaches.
Letter to the Editor
"Love Thy Neighbor" lawn cooperation
Dear Editor, will only take 30 minutes and in-
As one rides around the Town crease the value and appearance
of Lovell today, we find there are of your home.
many homes that are vacant or Even just two or three times
have short term renters in them. of mowing during the summer
These homes are being neglect- months and once before win-
ed and need the help of a lov- ter arrives can make a tremen-
ing neighbor. Many short term dous difference and help control
renters have not yet invested weeds. Every homeowner can be
in a lawn mower or a weed eat- responsible to help the neigh-
er. Many vacant homes have not bor on both sides of his proper-
had weeds or grass cut for many ty. What a difference this would
months, make in our community.
As a responsible neighbor,Let us help each other, while
contact that renter or missing improving our own property.
homeowner and arrange to mow Think about this..."Love Thy
and weed eat his property when Neighbor" by lawn cooperation.
you do your own. Just cutting and Let's make Lovell a more beauti-
trimming the front yard of the ful place to live.
neighbor adjoining your property Marilyn Haskell
WYOMING
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Letter to the Editor
Dear Editor, was disappointed that she wasrice in the county, and if the coun-
Big Horn County held its an- unable to do the job with less, as ty treasurer would fire one of her
nual budget hearing July 16 in promised, but encouraged thatemployees, then the county would
the commissioners' chambers of she felt she could operate the of- have the additional funding she
the courthouse in Basin. Being rice with the same budget thewas requesting. At this meeting
interested in the county budget, previous county attorney had.her stunning attire with a daring
I attended. It is the opportunity My comments were heard and neckline did not seem very profes-
everyone has to make comments considered, sional for the occasion.
on the budget and to be heard and But it seems I was wrong. Sometimes a popularity con-
their comments considered. At the Aug. 4 meeting of the test at the polls does not achieve
I was the only member of the Big Horn County Co nmission, the best prosecution of criminals.
public to attend; there were no Ms. Adams attacked the commis- What were we thinking?
objections to the budget -- from sioners, telling them they were I would like to thank our com-
the public or any of the elected making Big Horn County the missioners for their fiscal respon-
officials, laughingstock of the state because sibility in disbursing taxpayer
The budget that held the most they declined to increase her bud- dollars and holding to their ap-
interest to me was the county at- get. When she found out the coun- proved budgets that were accept-
torney's budget. Ms. Adams ran ty could not just print money, she ed and approved by all, public and
for office on the premise that she also attacked the county treasur- elected officials alike, at the an-
could run the office better with er, telling her that the attorney's nual budget hearing.
less budget. I commented that I office was the most important of- Keith Grant
Guest Column
purr-
There are some misconceptions re .... ture and damage doorjambs with their claws.
garding domestic felines (or for those :: Cats are good at catching mice and we
who enjoy Latin, Fells catus). And appreciate that. What we don't appreciate is
sometimes our furry friends, because when they bring mice or small rabbits into the
of humans who have problems with the house for us to admire. But that's fine. In fact,
critters, have been described as those it's the cat's meow.
"X@X#**%!" cats. But I can say truth- Once in Lovell we acquired two more fe-
fully, after having had numerous fur lines. Tasha Tiny-Dancer, a muted calico, was
snakes for many years, that they are brought to our door after she was found in the
smart (often too smart) and enjoyable, middle of Main Street, where some unkind
Cats, of course, are considerably person dumped her. A couple were going door-
different than dogs (Canis lupus fa- BobRodriguez to-door asking if anyone knew where she be-
miliaris) for a number of'reasons. The longed. Of course, my wife, Jan, said that we'd
most obvious is that dogs bark and take her if an "owner" wasn't found. I had no
growl while kitties provide cat chat choice in the matter, but that's OK. We later
with their meows, growls and purrs that often sound became the foster parents of Miss Kitty, a peach-col-
like words. Pet owners (dog lovers) also notice that ored orphan, who was mewing piteously at 3 in the
canines seem much more affectionate toward their morning in a neighbor's tree. We eventually retrieved
owners, leaping and barking in joy when their own- her and she has allowed us to be her caretakers. Un-
er comes home, often followed by an outburst of hand fortunately, we recently lost Tasha after donating
licking. Cats, on the other hand, could not care less her to a school for wayward girls. She kept attacking
when their human (whom they allow to exist to feed Miss Kitty and after trying for several years to reme-
and care for them) comes home and often act disdain- dy the situation we reluctantly gave her away. Then
fully. If a cat deigns to lick its human, it hurts be- she disappeared and we miss her greatly.
cause of raspy tongues. Kitties can be affectionate; The sometimes scary part of having cats, besides
they just don't show it often, watching your furniture slowly disappear, is observ-
Because cats were venerated in ancient Egypt, ing their ability to figure out how to open doors or
it's commonly believed that they were domesticated cupboards. It's good that they aren't equipped with
there. But some researchers point to instances of do- raccoon-type paws or they'd take over a good part of
mestication as early as the Neolithic period from ap- the countryside. Cats also are good at leaving hair-
proximately 9,500 years ago (7,500 BC). Thankfully, balls and (occasionally) other deposits on floors, so
the saber-toothed tigers died out some 11,000 years one learns never walk around the house at night
ago, so Neolithic time dwellers did not have to con- without turning on lights. Once you've stepped in
tend with large punctures while their "pets" licked certain piles of "stuff," that lesson sticks (no pun
their hands, intended).
When we moved to Lovell at the end of 2009 weWe hope that persons who keep cats have them
brought our four cats with us: Bubba Bigfoot (Sia- neutered because too many people allow them to
mese), Flint Westwood (all black), Jellibunny (tuxedo have multiple litters and don't care for the furry bud-
model) and Scrappy (tiger striped). Anyone who has dies. And those who dump cats in residential areas
traveled with four felines in a car and looked for mo- or turn them loose in rural areas are not my favorite
tels can tend to pity us. However, we were fortunate kind of humans. Such actions are cruel. Sorry for the
during our drive to Wyoming because we were able catty remarks that make me sound like a sourpuss
to find cat-friendly accommodations although secu- and might rub someone's fur the wrong way, but if
rity fees were added to the room fees. Motel owners one is going to have cats they must be responsible
are well aware of the ability of cats to destroy furni- for them.
The Lovell Chronicle welcomes letters from are limited to two letters in any 30 day peri-
its readers and will make every effort to print od.All letters must conform to the law of li-
them. bel and be in good taste. They may be mailed
Letters longer than 400 words may not be to The Lovell Chronicle, Box 787, Lovell, WY
printed. Letters must be signed and include 82431, or delivered to our office at 234 E.
the address and telephone number of the writ- Main St., Lovell. A strict 1:00 p.m. Tuesday
er. Unsigned letters will be discarded. Writers deadline will be enforced.
