The Clagstone controversy erupts

On Tuesday afternoon March 22, the Idaho House voted 48-21 to approve HB 646, funding for the “Clagstone” conservation easement sought by Stimson Lumber Company despite strenuous arguments from Rep. Heather Scott on the House floor. Bonner County Commissioner Todd Sudick, during the same two-week period, was doing everything he could to achieve the same end.

The stated goals of both of these Bonner County elected officials at the BCRCC meeting on March 15 were the same: Stop the Idaho Department of Fish and Game and the Idaho Department of Lands funding source for this 14,000 acre conservation easement and therefore kill the project.

Prior to March 11, Commissioner Sudick had gotten together with Commissioner Glen Bailey and without the knowledge of the Bonner County Commission Chairman Cary Kelly, signed a letter addressed “to whom it may concern,” voicing their overall displeasure and rationale for stopping Clagstone’s funding process. This letter was forwarded to Rep. Scott on March 11 for her use in convincing her fellow House members that killing the $5.5 million Federal Legacy Program Grant, along with the $2 million contribution from IDFG, was in the best interest of the Bonner County Commission and her supporters in District 1.

It was subsequently determined and announced by Chairman Kelly that this letter was in violation of Idaho’s open meeting laws. On the morning of March 22, these same commissioners rescinded the letter. Public comment followed both for and against the conservation easement.

The Idaho House passed the funding package 48-21 and moved the bill to the Senate early the same afternoon. After several senators spoke against the easement funding, expressing concerns about “locking up” lands and the like, Sen. Bob Nonini, R-Coeur d’Alene, said, “My gosh, people, let’s just talk sense here. It is just a piece of property that they want to continue to harvest timber on and allow the public access. … There are no spooky devils going to pop out of some closet on this issue. So this issue deserves a ‘yes’ vote, and enough with the goofiness.”

The bill passed the Senate 22-11 and was forwarded to Gov. Otter for his signature. North Idaho no votes were Rep. Scott, Rep. Sage Dixon and Sen. Sheryl Nuxoll. Rep. Dixon, prior to the vote stated, “The more I learn about it, the less concerned I am. My comfort level is growing.”

see CLAGSTONE, C4

CLAGSTONE

from C1

Senator Nonini’s comment is spot on. This entire issue is more about politics than this simple Stimson private property conservation easement involving 14,000 acres, and hopefully Bonner County voters will do additional research and make up their own minds based on facts before voting in the upcoming election.

How did all of this happen? As the Bonner County Republican Central Committee (BCRCC), Gamlin Lake Precinct Committeeman, here’s my take.

At the BCRCC meeting on March 15, Rep. Scott called in from Boise to provide her monthly update. She discussed how she was attempting to stop the Clagstone easement in the Legislature because of extreme radical environmental involvement, the failure on the part of all parties to coordinate with the current Bonner County commissioners, her total opposition for accepting federal taxpayer dollars for this type of project, and the connection with what Y2Y was attempting to do in North Idaho.

Note: A reporter with the Idaho Statesman suggested that she is parroting a report released in February by the Idaho Freedom Foundation attacking the Forest Legacy Program.

Commissioner Sudick followed Rep. Scott stating that he had met with Stimson executives earlier in the afternoon where they briefed him on the project details. He stated that his response to the Stimson briefers was, “It was too little, too late.” He went on to state that his disapproval was based on Stimson’s lack of coordination with the current county commission and the negative effect on the County tax base.

He additionally reported that neither Stimson nor IDL would provide easement documentation for his review. He jumped on Heather Scott’s bandwagon and echoed her concerns referencing the involvement of George Soros, extreme environmental interests, the Pew Foundation and Project 21.

From:

Todd Sudick (tsudick@bonnercountyid.gov)

Sent:

Wed 3/16/16 2:02 PM

To: mcmule@msn.com (mcmule@msn.com)

Follow the money Tony. George Soros has donated $7,000,000 to the Tides Foundation. The Tides Foundation funds “TRUST FOR PUBLIC LANDS”!!http://www.discoverthenetworks.org/funderProfile.asp?fndid=5184Pew Charitable Trust is the largest funder of the Tides Foundation to the tune of $109 million dollars—Pew Charitable Trust funds the Trust for Public Lands http://www.corson.org/archives/soros/soros108_110311.htm

I spent a considerable amount of time investigating The Trust for Public Land and could find no connection to George Soros, Tides, Pew or their money. This public land trust is a U.S. nonprofit organization that facilitates and funds the creation of parks and protected lands. Since 1992 this organization has been involved with more than 5,300 park and conservation projects in 47 states.

In the afternoon of March 18, I obtained from IDFG the Clagstone Conservation Easement Summary and the 46-page Deed of Conservation Easement, information that Todd said they would not give him, and forwarded them to Commissioner Sudick along with answers to a number of other questions in an attempt to eliminate some of the misconceptions. I also copied the other County Commissioners, Rep. Scott and Cornel Rasor, requesting that he forward to all BCRCC members. Cornel did not honor my request to forward to members of the BCRCC.

At the same time on March 16, Commissioner Sudick emailed me a list of 17 of his Red Flag Clagstone concerns. By this time I had figured out that there was little chance of convincing this commissioner to give Clagstone his support. As the Panhandle Fish and Game Commissioner (2005-2013), I had been briefed in detail by IDFG staff in the spring of 2013 on Stimson’s plans to change the status of Clagstone from a planned development to a conservation easement.

Stimson executive Barry Dexter made a statement regarding the Clagston easement at the weekly County Commission on March 8, 2016.

Commissioner Sudick later called Mr. Dexter requesting additional information and another meeting was held with Mr. Dexter for approximately 50 minutes on March 14. Present at this meeting were Sudick, Alton Howell (Bonner County Natural Resource Committee) and Britt Madison (Clagstone Forester). Mr. Dexter did not hear the “it’s too little too late” comment.

On April 9, 2013, Dexter, Roy Jones and Frank Toressy from SLC met with Clair Marley for an hour with the main purpose of informing the Planning Commission and County that Stimson was considering changing direction to a conservation easement. Clair stated that “she would bring the commissioners up to speed on their meeting.”

Commissioner Sudick has the planning process backward and believes the landowner should check first with county commissioners and get an OK for doing what they intend to do with their own private property. The last time I checked, it was a requirement to start with the planning office, completing a long list of requirements prior to obtaining Commission approval.

From my perspective, Stimson did the required coordination. Suspect that IDL, IDFG could have done a better job in informing the sitting commissioners of their involvement? All have their hat in their hands offering apologizes for a lack of coordination with the current group of County Commissioners.

On March 20, after coordinating with IDFG staff members, I emailed Commissioner Sudick my reply to 15 of his 17 Red Flag concerns. Knowing that his plan was to stop the funding for Clagstone, I led my response with the following:

Commissioner Sudick,

Thanks. Hope my response to your below red flag concerns are helpful. Before addressing these concerns allow me to address some red flags concerns of my own.

For one who ran on and was reportedly a strong supporter private property rights you seem to have done a flip flop on this one? Why is this? Can you and our other elected representatives who support your position as well as private property rights position have it both ways? Are you supportive of turning all large private property acreages in Bonner County into residential/development property to increase the tax base? Seems that it your preference on this one? Also seems to me that Stimson has the right as a private property owner to change their mind with respect to the

County’s authorization to proceed with their sub-division that you apparently favor?

You’re misstating the facts having been briefed by Stimson prior to Tuesday’s BCRCC meeting, 18,000 acres, George Soros, Project 21 connection, to Clagstone at the BCRCC meeting last week was designed to inflame the members? If not, it sure did.

The redoubt news headline “Clagstone Meadows project A Conspiracy Project” by Christian Schwab’s trashing the Clagstone project along with Senator Shawn Keough in the process seems to me to be a bit underhanded.

Todd, it is still not too late to support this project, but suspect that you are two committed to do so? Have a great week.

Again thanks for allowing me to provide input. Please call or e-mail if I can provide additional information.

On March 23, the day following the public hearing, he sent me this in response:

Mr. McDermott:

Whether or not Stimson proceeds with the “planned development” is up to them and that has never been a concern of mine. Stimson pays $207,862.02 in property taxes to Bonner County each year on 358 parcels. It is important that the County be able to assess any decrease (or increase) in taxes for our budgetary planning.

Mr. McDermott, it is well known that you are a hot head prone to making wild accusations and using profanity on the phone (to me). I take great umbrage and exception that you would write this email including the inferences and innuendos below. I am especially disappointed that you would include the above addressees who are my co-workers and Legislators that I work closely with to ensure quality of life for the citizens of Bonner County.

I responded with:

I will also add that I’m willing to get in the mud with folks when necessary and you started the mud fight with your attempt to kill this project. You started and you advanced the Soros conspiracy theory for what reasons? You tell me because I’m still confused. You also have the distinction of being the first public official that I have had a major public disagreement within my entire life with so thanks.

Where the money comes from to pay Stimson for this property as long as it is legal should be no concern of a county commissioner. If my neighbor just sold his house for $9.5 million, are you as a county commissioner going to see if he is connected to George Soros, Project 21 and stop the sale?

His response:

I never used the words, “uneducated jerk.” I would never stoop to your level. It appears that your life now centers around spreading rumors, innuendo, half truths, discontent, lies and “mud slinging”. I know where YOUR vote will be in May. It’s unfortunate that you choose to attack me in front of and misrepresent me to others.

My response:

My perception of this entire mater is you have yourself in a pickle and do not know how to get out of the tar pit. Let me provide a suggestion for the mess that (my perception) your in that might work? Forget the emotion, sit down and write a guest editorial apologizing for the way you have treated a private land owner who pays the county $200,000 + in taxes a year, “it’s too little too late” for the way that you have handled this over the past week dealing with private property rights.

While you’re at it do the same for IDL, IDFG, BCRCC and all the good folks in the room yesterday for advancing the Soros/Project 21 conspiracy connection and attempting to tie all the state agencies to it. I attacked you for good reason so give it some thought and figure out why. By the way none of this is personal for me it’s all about Clagstone. A project that for some strange reason you got your feelings hurt and got on the wrong side?

I would be delighted to read Commissioner Sudick’s version of what went on at the BCRCC and the follow on dialog between us? Based on the flurry of negative articles in the Daily Bee referencing Commissioner Sudick’s past actions we all should ask as Lawrence Blakey did “We must restore some sanity in Bonner County.“ He has dismantled his County Planning Department so it’s not a big surprise that he was not informed of Stimson’s change in plans.

It has also been alleged that if you disagree or question Commissioner Sudick’s approach on anything he will attempt to run you over. I would like to think that this is not the case, as we should all expect better from our elected officials.

I would ask interested readers along with all Bonner County Sportsmen to Google "Idaho Heather Scott, a Call to Action, Redoubt News" and look at the following: Clagstone Meadows, A Hot Bed of Crony Capitalism; Corporate Welfare-Stimson Jumps on the Gravy Train. Review H. Scotts, District 1 Educate Yourself. This is how far to the right that some within the BCRCC have gone.

Additionally, Representative Scott sponsored three pieces of legislation (HB 393,394,395) all designed to disrupt the day-to-day activities of IDFG. All three died in committee because she took the sky is falling approach and failed to do the necessary background research required to make reasoned decisions.

I can only assume that her reference to extreme radical environmentalists at the BRCCC meeting which she did not identify was referring to IDL, IDFG, RMEF, Idaho Forest Owners Association, Ducks Unlimited, Kinikinick Native Plant Society or maybe it was one of the other Clagstone supporters like; Kalispell Tribe, Lake Hoodoo Creek Watershed Council, The Nature Conservancy of Idaho, The Idaho Conservation League?

Here is just one of the 27 points against that she makes in her call to action. “If Clagstone Conservation Easement does not go through the Funds from the Forest Legacy Grant will go back and go to another worthy piece of land and we will loose our opportunity to preserve our way of life for future generations. Response…This project is a high priority location for the Y2Y project. The Y2Y project is working on strategy throughout the North Idaho region to return lands for wild animal corridors so they can roam freely without human conflict. ***see below https://y2y.net/work/how-protect-connect-inspire/private-lands”

The April 18, BCRCC, meeting will be my last. I’m fed up with the internal conflict, lack of civil discourse that goes on month after month. Yes, Commissioner Sudick, you made a huge contribution to that discourse on March 15 and the days that followed. It took me awhile, but I finally figured out that your agenda was more important that the facts or doing what was right for the majority of the good people of N. Idaho. Like Rep. Scott who likes to see her face in the news, you failed to do your due diligence and you’re correct; my vote in May will be for whoever opposes you. Neither of you took the time to evaluate the tar pit that you have both jumped into?

For me the issue has been about a private company’s personal property right, continued timber production, outdoor recreational and hunting opportunities for a majority of N. Idahoans who support this project. This conservation easement has been a collective act with diverse group of N. Idaho supporters coming together which is what makes small towns like Sandpoint Idaho special. Commissioner Sudick, Rep. Scott with your help has turned the Clagstone Conservation Easement into a political circus.

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Tony McDermott is BCRCC Committeeman Gamlin Lake and a former North Idaho Department of Fish and Game Commissioner (2005-20013).