Landfill upgrades worth the investment

Anyone who has waited in long lines at the Flathead County Landfill to drop off their garbage and recyclables is bound to be tickled pink about the $3 million upgrade underway to streamline the entrance and make the entire operation more efficient and user-friendly.

The new entrance will have three lanes for different types of customers — residential customers headed to the container site; building contractors; and commercial trucks and hauling companies.

We expect the county to make good use of our tax dollars, and garbage is something that affects most of us. It makes sense to invest in these efficiencies now rather than later, and we commend the county’s leadership team on this project, namely Public Works Director Dave Prunty and Landfill Operations Manager Jim Chilton, along with the Solid Waste District Board of Directors and the county commissioners who approved the capital improvement project.

It’s no secret the amount of trash we’re generating is on the rise, up from about 100,000 tons in fiscal 2014 to 142,000 tons over the last fiscal year.

Our landfill has to last us quite a while, about a century or so. Efficiency is the name of the game, and we’re glad to see this round of improvements.

Kalispell Public Schools went with a familiar face in selecting its next superintendent.

Glacier High School Principal Micah Hill accepted the offer last week, replacing retiring Superintendent Mark Flatau.

A graduate of Polson High School, Hill has worked within the Kalispell district for nearly two decades. He served for 11 years as the assistant principal at Glacier High School, as well as the principal at Linderman School, the dean of students and activities director for Kalispell Junior High, and as an English teacher at Flathead High School.

His extensive and varied resume will be a benefit in his new role, as he is asked to lead on multiple fronts.

A few immediate challenges await Hill, including an ever-increasing elementary enrollment, potential changes to discipline, and, of course, school funding hurdles.

In accepting the job, Hill assured the school board that he’s ready for the challenge.

“I have been shaped by the values and vision that run deep within our schools and community,” he said.

The school board made a wise choice and we’re excited to see Hill’s leadership in action.