Crowd urges Ravalli County not to attempt takeover of federal lands

The Ravalli County commissioners opted Monday not to immediately embrace a resolution formally supporting the federal government’s ownership of about 70 percent of the land in the county. That decision followed a two-hour morning meeting that attracted a standing-room-only crowd to the Ravalli County Courthouse. The meeting was called by local residents worried about the movement by some state and local governments to attempt a takeover of federal lands within their borders. A Utah state representative will speak Wednesday in Hamilton on his state’s move to force the federal government to relinquish control of federal lands there. County Commissioner Suzy Foss told Monday’s crowd the meetings with Utah State Rep. Ken Ivory were meant to be purely educational and were paid for by private monies. Ivory will speak at the Eagles Lodge, 125 N. Second St. in Hamilton, at 6:30 p.m. The meeting is open to the public. In a widely spread Internet post announcing Ivory’s visit, Foss wrote “the transfer of public lands, as contracted in our state’s Enabling Act is the only way that is big enough, 100 percent constitutionally solid, and a workable solution to our public land multiple-use issues.” The bulk of the 21 people who offered public comment Monday morning asked the commission to steer clear of any movement that would attempt to force the federal government to turn over management of federal lands to the state and counties...more