CURRENT NEWSLETTER

HELMVILLE POST OFFICE WILL NO LONGER ACCEPT UPS AND FEDEX PACKAGES

Postmaster Chris Ross has informed his patrons that the Helmville post office will no longer accept packages from UPS or FedEx. The GMPOA Board is exploring solutions to this issue that affects many of our property owners. In the meanwhile, property owners will have to make other arrangements for package delivery.

GMPOA NEWSLETTERS WILL NOT BE MAILED AFTER DECEMBER 2024

The December 2024 newsletter will be the final issue that will be mailed. The GMPOA Board wants to communicate regularly with our property owners, so we will need your email address if you wish to continue to receive the newsletter. Alternately, it is always available on the GMPOA website at gmpoa.net. If you do not have an email address or access to the internet, please call George Tague at 303-717-2446. Also on the website, you will find current news, FAQs about issues important to property owners, and information on roads, grazing, weed control, and fire suppression. Under “Neighbor Info,” you will find a Neighbor Exchange where property owners can buy, sell, and trade goods and services, as well as a Neighbor Forum where you can share information and concerns with your neighbors.

GOOD NEIGHBORS

Many new property owners have moved within GMPOA boundaries in the last few years. If you are a new landowner, it may seem that you are alone in a wilderness. The reality is that you have neighbors on all sides, and they likely can see and hear most of what you do, so the Board urges that we all live in ways that are neighborly. Specifically:

Your grazing animals (such as cattle, horses, sheep, and goats) must be confined to your own property. Montana Code 81-4-201 makes it unlawful for a landowner to permit his stock to run at large.
Montana law also allows property owners to shoot loose dogs that harass their families or livestock. Please keep your dogs safely on your own property.
If shooting on your property, be aware of your trajectory and what is on the other side of your target. Never shoot from the roads. We’ve had several instances where errant shots threatened the lives, livestock, or property of neighbors.
Be aware of “noise pollution.” Sounds travels far in our mountainous terrain, so please muffle the sound of generators and try not to run them or make loud noise when others nearby are sleeping.
All property within the GMPOA is privately owned, so never trespass on someone else’s property. Always get permission to cross the property, especially with motorized vehicles. Never hunt from the roads or outside your own property boundaries without permission. Hunting without a license is illegal everywhere in Montana. When in doubt about shooting or hunting, check with local law enforcement; MT Fish, Wildlife, & Parks (FWP.MT.GOV); or Game Warden Joe Kambic (406-490-1227).

ANNUAL MEETING AND BARBECUE ON JULY 6

Please bring your family and out-of-town guests and join your neighbors at our annual meeting and barbecue on July 6 in the community-owned Chimney Creek Park at the intersection of Beaverslide Road and Spruce Gulch Road. The GPS coordinates are N46 °43′ 57″, W112° 58′ 34″. If you need further directions to Chimney Creek Park, contact George Tague (geotague@gmail.com or 303-717-2446).

We will gather about 11:00 with lunch served at noon. Please bring your own chairs or maybe a blanket to spread on the ground. If you have a canopy tent or folding table, you could bring that as well. If your last name begins with A through L, please bring a salad or vegetable. If your last name begins with M through Z, please bring a dessert. The GMPOA will provide everything else. This is a family-friendly event, so no alcoholic drinks, please.

The business meeting will begin at 1:00 and will last no more than an hour. The meeting will include updates on grazing and road work, information on fighting noxious weeds, ideas for fire suppression, and time for open discussion of property owners’ other concerns.

ROAD WORK

The Road Committee is in the process of determining the priorities for this summer’s roadwork. It works to address all road work requests received from property owners, so if you have a new request, please contact a member of the Road Committee: Mike Hansen, chair (sledmanb7au@gmail.com or 406-240-1726); Chris Trussell (chris@cjremodeling.net or 406-396-9952); Bruce Koerner (brucekoerner@bresnan.net or 406-490-7344); and Heather Brenner (heatherngillis@yahoo.com or 406-565-3764). They do their best to evaluate the request, assign an appropriate priority, and get the work done in a timely manner.

This winter and spring, owner Ricky White took advantage of the milder conditions for his grader and has already done significant work on our roads, donating both time and equipment, so please thank him (or contribute toward his expenses). Due to several “emergency” road repairs last fall, our 2024 road budget will be less than usua

Board policy focuses on the most “bang for the buck” when choosing road projects, with an eye toward longer-term solutions rather than short-term cosmetic fixes; for example, drainage culvert installation and road base applications rather than just grading and pothole filling. We manage our resources with the idea of helping the largest number of owners with the worst conditions first. See more on the Board’s work to maintain our roads at gmpoa.net>Roads.

Please remember that NO easement road in the GMPOA can be permanently blocked, whether by cables, chains, gates, or downed trees. If you are uncertain whether the road touching your property is an easement road, your deed is a good place to start researching. Please contact Sheriff Gavin Roselles at 406-846-2711 or gavinr@pcsomt.org if you have a problem with your access blocked on an easement road.

CATTLE AND GRAZING REPORT

Weather conditions always dictate the exact dates of grazing, but Dave Mannix’s best guess at this point for the cattle’s arrival is around July 15, with the cattle entering through the Dude Camp section on the northwest border with GMPOA properties. The duration of grazing on GMPOA properties will be determined by the number of cattle and availability of water, within the limitations of our lease, but the cattle will likely be rounded up the last week in September. The Mannix Brothers will bring in 25-30% fewer cows than last summer and will leave them longer due to worries about the availability of water after last winter’s drought. Dave says thanks as always to the GMPOA property owners for the more than 20 years Mannix Brothers’ cattle have grazed on our Association lands.
For more on cattle grazing, please see gmpoa.net>Grazing. Dave is always available to address specific situations with owners and to give council on the broader issues of the health of our shared resource. Please contact a Board member or Dave Mannix if you have issues, questions, or suggestions involving the cattle. You can reach Dave directly at 406-793-5721 or mannixbros@blackfoot.net

WEED CONTROL

Montana law requires landowners to control the invasive weeds on their property. The GMPOA will again provide herbicide free to any property owner who will spray their weeds. We also have two backpack sprayers for the free use of any of our member landowners. We always appreciate volunteers who will spray the roads near their properties. Contact George Tague (geotague@gmail.com or 303-717-2446) to request herbicide, use of the sprayers, or more information.

In addition, Karen Laitala (klaitala@powellcountymt.gov or 406-846-3348) at the Powell County Weed Board has two ATVs with sprayers and a tank with sprayers that fits in a pick-up bed free for use by county landowners. Call or email Karen to request use of this equipment. She is an invaluable resource for identifying weeds and recommending appropriate herbicides. Please see the GMPOA website for more information on invasive weeds and how to kill them. Go to gmpoa.net>Weed Control.

FINANCIAL REPORT

Entry	Income	Expenditure	Balance
GMPOA Balance as of 12/31/2023			$1200.56
Website maintenance and security		$19.95	$1180.61
Montana Income Tax		$50.00	$1130.61
Tax Preparation, Newland & Co., Deer Lodge		$585.00	$545.61
GMPOA Balance as of 6/1/2024			$545.61

2024 GMPOA BOARD MEMBERS

George Tague, President		Garnet Mountains Property Owners Association
Chris Trussell, Vice-President	Mike Hansen	PO Box 122
Bruce Koerner, Administrator	Geneva Hollis	Helmville, MT 59843
Jolene Tollenaar, Treasurer	Heather Brenner	gmpoa@gmpoa.net