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CONSOLIDATION PLAN Flathead County mulls merging offices KALISPELL, Mont. (AP) The Flathead County commissioners have voted to examine merging the county superintendent's office with the county treasurer's office as a possible way to save money.

The commissioners passed the resolution with a 2-1 vote earlier this week. A public hearing is planned for Jan. 4 before any decision about merging the offices is made.

County Superintendent of Schools Marcia Sheffels disagrees with the idea the treasurer's office could take over the responsibilities of her office, or that it would save money.

Montana law requires the person running the superintendent's office to have a teaching or administrator's degree and three years teaching experience.

County Treasurer Adele Krantz says she wouldn't be legally qualified to perform the new tasks if the offices are merged.

Information from: Flathead Beacon, http://www.flatheadbeacon.com GALLATIN COUNTY-GRANT Gallatin County awarded $7 million grant BOZEMAN, Mont. (AP) Gallatin County has been awarded a $7 million grant through the federal Neighborhood Stabilization Program to help low-income residents buy homes.

But county commissioners will have to vote on whether to accept the money, and a public hearing to consider the matter is scheduled for Dec. 29.

Money from the program is intended to help communities with high rates of foreclosure and property abandonment.

State and local governments can use the money to buy foreclosed homes and refurbish them as low-income housing.

The money is also intended to help low- and moderate-income homebuyers with their mortgages.

Information from: Bozeman Daily Chronicle, http://www.bozemandailychronicle.com TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS Travel restrictions set for Glacier National Park GREAT FALLS, Mont. (AP) An official at Glacier National Park says winter travel restrictions have been put in place and work on Going-to-the-Sun road is finished for the season.

Park spokeswoman Amy Vanderbilt says more than a foot of snow fell last week, and that work on the road will resume next spring.

She says most roads will not be plowed and snow will be allowed to accumulate for non-mechanized recreation such as cross-country skiing and snowshoeing.

She says visitors should check current avalanche conditions before heading into the park.

Information from: Great Falls Tribune, http://www.greatfallstribune.com AIRPORT CONTRACT Board members approve airport director search GREAT FALLS, Mont. (AP) Board members of the Great Falls International Airport Authority have voted to hire an outside firm to help write a new contract for the airport director's position and help search for applicants for the job.

The job is currently held by Cynthia Schultz, who has a salary of $152,000.

Board members at a past meeting voted to allow Schultz's contract to lapse and take applications for her job.

Schultz can apply for her current job under the new contract.

Board member Owen Robinson says the move is not intended to get rid of Schultz, but to help create a new contract that will be put in place after Schultz's contract expires in June.

Florida-based ADK Executive Search of Florida will be paid close to $40,000 to conduct a salary and contract survey of airport director positions nationwide.

Board member Ed Buttrey opposed the move, noting airport tenants have a good relationship with the current administration and the airport is producing positive economic development for the area.

Information from: Great Falls Tribune, http://www.greatfallstribune.com FLATHEAD LAKE TROUT Tribes want to add 'netting' to reduce lake trout KALISPELL, Mont. (AP) The Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes want to add aggressive netting to an effort to reduce the number of nonnative lake trout in Flathead Lake.

Clayton Matt is head of the tribal natural resources department.

He says the tribe's fisheries program staff prepared a draft memorandum of understanding as a way to start discussions on how to manage the lake.

The tribe says the current co-management plan with the state did not meet its goals in reducing the number of lake trout by 60,000 per year by 2008.

The tribe proposes expanding the Mack Days fishing tournament and setting an increasing number of gill nets over the next several years.

Fish, Wildlife and Parks officials say a netting plan would require a full environmental analysis and public review.

Information from: Daily Inter Lake, http://www.dailyinterlake.com FOOD BANK DONATION Washington foundation donates $128K to food banks Missoula, Mont. (AP) The Dennis and Phyllis Washington Foundation has donated $128,000 to 56 food banks and pantries across the state.

Foundation executive director Mike Halligan says the decision to donate to the food banks was easy, given the economy. He says the foundation has previously made annual gifts to the state's largest food banks, but decided to expand the effort this year.

Donations of $5,000, $3,000 and $1,000 were made, based on the population the food bank serves.

The foundation also delivered a truckload of food to the Missoula Food Bank. The food was collected at various Christmas parties held by the Washington Companies, which employ about 1,800 workers in Montana. Halligan said attendees were asked to bring a food or personal care item donate.

Information from: Missoulian, http://www.missoulian.com TRAX FOR SAFETY Playground aides given traction HELENA, Mont. (AP) The Montana School Boards Association's worker's compensation program is helping playground aides achieve better footing this winter.

The MTSBA donated 1,200 pairs of YakTrax to Montana elementary schools at a cost of $17 each.

Association spokesman Shawn Bubb says the organization tries to do something every year for safety. The organization, which represents 27,000 public school employees, has in the past supplied rock salt, hand trucks and step ladders to schools.

Marge Casper, an educator at Broadwater Elementary in Helena, was pleased with the YakTrax, which slip on her shoes like chains on a tire. She says they're lifesavers when the playground is slick.

Information from: Independent Record, http://www.helenair.com ENNIS EMBEZZLEMENT Ennis woman gets probation for embezzlement BOZEMAN, Mont. (AP) An Ennis woman who embezzled more than $65,000 from an excavation company has been sentenced to 12 years probation.

Christine Todd pleaded guilty in June to felony theft and identity theft. She was the bookkeeper for three Ennis businesses Matson Excavation, Matson Irrigation and The Butcher Shop from June 2004 until November 2007.

Court records say Todd wrote company checks worth tens of thousands of dollars to herself to pay personal bills. She also charged more than $15,000 with a credit card she procured in one of the owner's names without his permission.

After she was fired in November 2007, Todd paid back $7,500 she acknowledged stealing. But it was later determined that she had stolen much more than she said.

District Judge Loren Tucker ordered Todd to pay back more than $60,600.

Information from: Bozeman Daily Chronicle, http://www.bozemandailychronicle.com (Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.) APNP 12-20-09 0330CST | save this article / add to your favorites list