Fall 2017 Newsletter

The GMPOA Board wants to communicate regularly with our property owners. We send the newsletter via e-mail to all landowners for whom we have an e-mail address. It is also posted on our website www.gmpoa.net. If you receive yours via email but prefer a hard copy, or, if you get yours through the mail but would like to receive it through e-mail, please contact George Tague at geotague@gmail.com. From now on as a money-saving measure, the spring newsletter will be available only through e-mail or on the webpage. We will continue to mail copies of the fall newsletter to those who want a print version.

NEW WEBPAGE TO LAUNCH IN SPRING

GMPOA is redesigning the association webpage. We expect it to be available to property owners by March. It will be easy to navigate and will include information useful to landowners, including Frequently Asked Questions, news on current issues and events, and a Neighbor Exchange where property owners can advertise goods and services to buy, sell, swap, or hire. The web address will still be www.gmpoa.net. Check it out next spring!

ROAD WORK

This was the second successful season contracting with property owner Ryan Brown (and family). The majority of this year’s work focused on the southern portion of Hoover Creek Road from the GMPOA border to Miller Lake, north of the Jens Exit at I-90. The Board decided to continue improving road foundation and drainage rather than focus on the short term benefits of grading. This meant that our efforts and monies were spent on spreading road base rock over specific short stretches of the worst parts of the road. Hopefully this tactic will pay off in steadily improving overall road conditions over the coming years.
Another area on mid-Hoover Creek Road was rapidly eroding due to the high volume of ground water this spring, Bob Christensen repaired that section which has needed attention in the past in similar wet years.
GMPOA acted on an opportunity to buy two used cattle guards in Idaho at a bargain price as the first step to replace several that are beyond repair. We also have several culverts “in stock” for proposed future drainage projects.
Over the last several years Powell County has worked on the Hoover Creek Road from the Jens exit on I-90 heading north toward Miller Lake, as county money and manpower allow. GMPOA maintains the road from the lake to our property
boundary. We suggest that owners contact the county commissioners to encourage continued cooperation and more county work on lower Hoover Creek Road. Commissioners’ contact information is below:

Dan Sager (District 1)
(406) 846-3230
dsager@powellcountymt.gov

Ralph E. Mannix Jr. (District 2)
(406) 492-6710
rmannix@powellcountymt.gov

Doug Crachy (District 3)
(406) 492-8484
dcrachy@powellcountymt.gov

Please contact any Board member about road damage, areas of concern, or how we might improve our road network.
Volunteering on any level is appreciated, from stopping to move a fallen tree or rock in the road to helping in a work party on a
cattle guard installation.

Date Paid To Details Amount

June 12 Reimbursement to George Tague Purchase of 2 cattle guards @ $700 each plus mileage of $134 to Idaho $1,534.00

June 15 Bob Christensen Repair of eroded portion of Hoover Creek Rd. in section 34 $200.00

August 2 James Piorek Repair of culvert and pot holes on Hoover Creek Rd. near western boundary ofGMPOA $250.00

August 6 Ryan Brown Partial payment for hauling gravel and grading Hoover Creek Rd. north of Miller Lake $3,000.00

August 23 Ryan Brown Final payment for hauling gravel and grading Hoover Creek Rd. north of Miller Lake $3,000.00

November 8 Ryan Brown Hauling gravel and grading Hoover Creek Rd. around Miller Lake $2,460.00 Total $10,444.00

FUELS REDUCTION GRANTS AVAILABLE

Wildland fire is a serious threat GMPOA landowners face. The 2017 fire season was a classic example with over 1,000,000 acres burned in Montana alone. The Blackfoot Challenge in Ovando works with landowners throughout our area to reduce this danger. This summer and fall Board member Bruce Koerner worked with Signe Leirfallom, Forestry Coordinator for Blackfoot Challenge, and Forest Wehr of King Mountain Forestry, to mitigate fire danger on his 40 acres (OS105 &106, NW corner of section 12). The Blackfoot Challenge program generally pays 50% of the cost of thinning timber. A similar program is available through the U.S. Forest Service. However, the Blackfoot Challenge’s administrative requirements are much simpler. If the site includes merchantable timber, it can be removed to offset the cost to the landowner. Additionally, significant savings can be had if adjoining landowners work together to treat their properties. On Bruce’s property, 20 acres needed treating and mastication was the most effective approach.
The work was delayed until mid-October due to fires in western Montana. Forest Wehr did a great job and left little or no debris. Signe performed her final inspection just before Thanksgiving and expects to complete the payment process in December. If you are interested in treating your property, contact Signe at 406-793-3900, signe@blackfootchallenge.org, or visit the website: www.blackfootchallenge.org.
Another issue brought to the attention of the GMPOA Board by various firefighting agencies is that the GMPOA main access roads were established with a 40 easement (20 feet on either side of the centerline). This is a minimum requirement for traffic and, more importantly, for access by firefighting and other emergency/first responder vehicles. Firefighters have been trained not to drive into areas where the trees enclose the road and would prevent escape if they caught fire. All property owners are urged to remove vegetation where needed on the roads crossing their land. Thank you for your efforts in this area.

GRAZING REPORT

by David Mannix, Mannix Brothers Ranch
406-793-5721 or mannixbros@blackfoot.net

Mannix Brothers again were the grazers on the land managed by Garnet Mountain Property Owners Association. We sublease this from Phil and Bonnie Henault who own a ranch in the Helmville valley of which we are the lessee. We are grateful for this relationship with GMPOA and Henaults as this grazing opportunity fits in well with our deeded land in the Cottonwood as well as other leased land.
Because of good fall moisture in 2016 and strong spring rains in 2017, the water sources that are abundant in number but short in flow seemed to be running better in 2017. For this reason we chose to move back to our past grazing strategy of bring in more cattle for a shorter period. In general the shorter the graze period the better it is for the grass. We grazed our deeded and leased lands in the Cottonwood first this year. On July 28th we started moving cattle from the Cottonwood into GMPOA lands. As usual, locating cattle in timbered mountain country is a challenge, especially in a year like this with abundant grass. We made a push and gather on 7/28, 7/31, 8/1, and 8/5, then once more in the middle of August. We were unable to find a significant number of our cattle in the Cottonwood and opened gates to let them come down the Cottonwood into our lower lands. All this is to say that we were mostly ineffective in bringing more cattle for a shorter time. We ended up with “about” 350 cows and 14 bulls in the GMPOA. This year we entered in three separate locations towards the south end of our deeded property. The bulk of the cows were put into GMPOA lands in the Dry Cottonwood drainage. Two times during August we pushed cattle from the Dry Cottonwood area over to the head of Chimney Creek. The cattle tend to graze the hardest in the area they enter the GMPOA and so we made attempts to disperse them to the lands west and north within the GMPOA. For the most part this was successful. My appraisal of the grass harvest was that it was a little heavy in the Dry Cottonwood area, but not bad. It was good (moderate) in the middle portion of the GMPOA (what we refer to as the Basin) and light (underutilized) in the lands in the northwestern as well as the southwestern ends of the GMPOA.
We started pushing the cattle out of the GMPOA on September 25th. We were assisted that day by Ryan Brown which was very helpful (hopefully he didn’t learn any new cuss words!). We made several small (one man band) follow-up efforts to remove cattle. In general because of cool weather early, the gather out of the GMPOA was easier than normal. During this time we received phone calls from a number of property owners reporting cattle sightings. This is always very helpful…thank you!
I estimate the total AUMs (animal unit months) harvested to be 704. Somewhere in the GMPOA or Cottonwood we lost 1 cow and 2 calves. These aren’t cattle we found dead but rather animals missing after the fall tally. We would like to thank you all for the opportunity to lease your grass. We are grateful for the extra eyes on the mountain and the helpful calls we get in reporting issues like fire, injured cattle, missing cattle, etc. We have made many friends on the mountain in the years we have been your lessee…Thank You Kindly!

WEED CONTROL

The GMPOA partnered again with the Powell County Weed Board to benefit from a matching grant for control of invasive weeds. GMPOA provides free herbicide to landowners willing to spray weeds on their property. We spot-sprayed along Hoover Creek, Mud Creek, and Chimney Lakes Roads. Thanks to Rob Rule, Mike Hansen, George Tague, Bob Christensen, and Bruce Koerner who voluntarily sprayed road easements. We also continued biocontrol of knapweed by releasing insects that burrow into the plant’s roots and kill it. Below are the details of GMPOA spending on weed control in 2017.

Entry Expenditure
Herbicide $2825
Black plastic to kill cheat grass $28.95
200 knapweed root weevils $200.00
Labor to pull hounds-tongue $25.00
TOTAL $3178.95

ANNUAL MEETING AND BARBECUE — JULY 1
About 75 property owners and their families attended the annual meeting and barbecue on July 1. Bob and Peggy Christensen
hosted the get-together. GMPOA provided Mannix beef burgers, grilled by Bob. Everybody enjoyed the delicious salads, vegetables, and
desserts brought by neighbors. Thanks to Geneva Hollis for her excellent event planning.

The annual meeting began at 1:00. President George Tague moderated a discussion of cattle grazing, weed control, and fuels reduction. It was great to meet new neighbors and see old friends.

FINANCIAL REPORT

Entry Income Expenditure Balance
GMPOA Balance as of June 1, 2017 $3,716.58
2017 Grazing lease payment $14,000.00 $17,716.58
Road repair and materials $10,444.00 $7,272.58
Weed control $3,178.95 $4,093.63
Repairs to GMPOA fire wagon $100.00 $3,993.63
July 2017 barbecue and annual meeting $414.70 $3,578.93
State taxes $50.00 $3,528.93
Accounting fees $376.00 $3.152.93
Attorney fees $160.00 $2,992.92
Administrative expenses June 2017 through December 1, 2017 (stamps,
envelopes, paper, copying, web server) $507.67 $2,485.26
GMPOA Balance as of 12/1/2017 $2,485.26

2018 GMPOA Board Members
George Tague, President Mike Hansen
Jolene Tollenaar, Secretary/Treasurer Geneva Hollis
Bruce Koerner
Garnet Mountains Property Owners Association
PO Box 122
Helmville, MT 59843
http://www.gmpoa.net

For downloadable PDF version click here