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THURSDAYTHURSDAY lonepeaklookout.com JulyJuly 25, 19, 2019 2018 FREEFREE VolumeVolume 2, Issue1, Issue 34 33 BigBig Sky, Sky, LONELONE PEAKPEAK LOOKOUTLOOKOUT MontanaMontana THE SCIENCE Clarity and OF GOLF transparency Resort Tax begins overhaul of taxability ordinance By JANA BOUNDS explanation was provided for sold in the district. [email protected] constituents and subsequent Renee Schumacher, owner board members. of the Conoco, wrote a letter of lcohol and tobacco “By what I can gather from disapproval to the Resort Tax tax – known as the minutes, it was done in board that was read at the July sin tax – has been subcommittee. The majority of 18 meeting. bouncingA in and out of Big the conversation happened in “Please consider the Sky Resort Area District Tax the subcommittee and then the workers,” she wrote before Board (Resort Tax) meetings as subcommittee came forward noting that Big Sky is a difficult a long and tedious dance – the with what they thought was place to live and there are layers taxable definition amended appropriate, but I’m still unclear of Federal tax already in place. in the taxability ordinance on the intent. I like having one year and then altered [the discussion] in a large What is the role of resort tax? again a few years later. Board group because you can really While delving into the Treasurer Sarah Blechta has have a clear understanding of alcohol and tobacco tax issue, been sifting through old board everybody’s intent,” she said. the board engaged in debate minutes trying to glean some Section 9, of Ordinance No. over the ordinance itself and the understanding of the reasoning 98-01 – the taxability ordinance board’s role in the community. behind the moves. – has 13 sub sections, which Consensus was not coming The current board is having further define taxable luxuries. easily, so Board President Kevin full board discussion partly for Sub section 8 pertains to Germain said that they – in complete transparency, which is alcohol: “All alcoholic beverages essence – have gone back to something Blechta said she has including, but not limited to, the drawing board. Larger found lacking in her digging. beer, wine, liquor or other questions were asked: What to She believes some of the past alcoholic beverages sold in an tax, who to tax, enforceability discussions for amending the open container or by the drink.” of the tax, etc. The board is alcohol and tobacco section of The board has been currently engaged in a major the ordinance for the 3% resort considering expanding the overhaul of the ordinance in A golfer testing out the 3D motion capture station. PHOTO COURTESY OF DR. MACFADDEN tax were done in subcommittee, ordinance to include tax on the addition to seeking a clearer See more on body awareness in golf on page A3. which means little to no sale of all alcohol and tobacco definition of its purpose in the CLARITY | A2 Getting things SINKING AIRCRAFT moving Need for FAA grant funding reassured at the Ennis – Big Sky Airport Big Sky County Water and By HANNAH KEARSE prioritized upgrading its from the Federal Aviation departments responded to the [email protected] airports to accommodate Administration but was airport. A week of heavy rain Sewer District decisions larger aircrafts, which are unsuccessful for the 2019 storms preceded the Global A private aircraft at the already coming through, for construction season. 7500’s intended departure, move expansion forward Ennis – Big Sky Airport began several years and federal grant According to Jani Flinn raising the water table beneath sinking through the pavement funding is available to help. at the Madison County the hard surface. Director of By JANA BOUNDS Board members asked of the south parking apron The Ennis – Big Sky Airport Commissioners Office, the Madison County Office of [email protected] Buecker if he was still suggesting around 3 p.m. July 15. applied for a $2.4 million $2.4 million grant will be Emergency Management, Joe Equova for the contract, which Madison County has Airport Improvement Grant used to improve and upgrade Brummell, said the aircraft’s ig Sky County Water he confirmed. the parking and taxing wheel was sinking an average and Sewer District “[They have] more soft care areas, including the south of quarter of an inch every 30 voted on several budgeted. That, in theory, should Madison Valley Fire Department attempt to apron where the wheel the minutes. actionB items that were essential reduce my cost,” he explained. stop a sinking aircraft at the Ennis – Big Sky Bombardier Global 7500 The Madison Valley Fire to moving things forward with Board member Peter Manka Airport July 15. aircraft mistakenly rolled over Department pushed high- wastewater treatment plant moved to approve Evoqua. PHOTO COURTESY MADISON COUNTY and sunk into the pavement. pressure airbags under the expansion at the July 16 board Board vice president Tom Reeves COMMISSIONNERS. “The plane stopped in an aircraft’s wing to temporarily meeting. seconded the motion and the area that it wasn’t supposed to raise it. Bozeman Airport board approved it unanimously. be in,” Flinn said. sent help as well, bringing Membrane bioreactor decision The aircraft swung too mattresses to stack under the Scott Buecker, engineer with Site approval for wastewater wide when it maneuvered dropping wing as its hinges AE2S explained that the board treatment plant expansion the turn on the taxiway and bended from the strain. needed to award the contract for The board voted entered the edge of the south “I thought bringing the membrane bioreactor – in unanimously to move forward parking apron, which isn’t mattresses was an interesting essence the beating heart of any with the site plans as proposed rated to withstand the aircraft’s choice,” Brummell said. “But it municipal wastewater treatment by Buecker with AE2S operating weight of 56,800 was actually a brilliant idea.” plant. He explained that if the Engineering. pounds. As it momentarily The aircraft was sprung board was not ready to make Reeves moved with board stopped for clearance, the from the hole around 3:30 a.m. that decision, he would need to member Brian Wheeler 29-year-old pavement beneath the next day. It’s not known the ask the companies who bid for seconding. Consensus was it failed and the plane’s right extent of the aircraft’s damages an extension. He said he also found after some debate. Manka main gear wheel began to sink. but is estimated to cost at least needed approval for the site plan. expressed concerns about Rain puddles reflected a million dollars. The aircraft’s a gloomy sky on the black estimated worth is over $40 WATER/SEWER | A2 pavement as multiple SINKING | A2 LTDRealEstate 287 WINDY PASS TRAIL $1,500,000 liveTHEDREAM. 4 BD/6 BA, 5819 SF| FURNISHED | MLS #335185 LTDRealEstate.com |PC: 406RYAN TURNER.995 SKIER:.280 KYAN SMIT0 LONE PEAK LOOKOUT A2 July 25, 2019 CLARITY from A1 community. by state law and supported by sold to the public or to transient “Our goal and requirement later. With board request, she non-enumerated establishment local ordinance,” Johnson said visitors or tourists. is to comply with the existing is drafting some proposed in the community and there is Blechta was one of the and explained that there is a “Any item [sold to the statutory law,” she said. definitions of necessities of no resort tax charged. Fishing board members who asked that need to “dispel accumulated public] makes it a general sales life for the amendment to the rods are also in a gray area with the board and legal counsel folklore” around this issue. tax,” Scholz said. “It looks a lot Necessities of life ordinance. regard to resort tax. clarify the ordinance and what like a general sales tax.” Germain said that Resort Tax District Manager Also discussed was business it is. “Maybe it is some type of All the muddied lingo Kim Beatty, attorney with transportation whether on a Daniel Bierschwale said registration – identifying mixture of tourist and luxury. A discussion occurred BKBH and legal representation bike, bus or car is a necessity Beatty should take a look at what businesses need to be It’s not just a tourist tax. If it around the ambiguous for Resort Tax said the of life. the existing Montana Code taxed; consumer disclosure, or is a tourist tax, you’re about to definition of the tax in state legislature drafted the definition Beatty said discussion of Annotated (MCA), know printing the resort tax amount get a whole lot of arguments,” statute and the further muddied of luxury and that it cannot be necessity of life is necessary that the board wants SNAP on receipts; and the potential she said, noting she has been area of defining a luxury. easily changed. because otherwise, the –the food stamp definition – for tax waiver periods. hearing from individuals in the Board Director Mike Scholz Resort tax in other definition is too broad, and included in the food piece of it It is the beginning of a long community questioning the noted that it seems odd that communities is done with a the board may hear about it and gasoline also included. journey to a clearer ordinance, definition of resort tax itself. the section that defines luxury long list of exemptions or by “The devil is most certainly which is expected to roll-out items includes “luxury” as tightening up your definition, in the details,” Beatty said. She Dec. 1. Vice Chair Steve Johnson a part of the definition and Scholz replied. "The devil then discussed all the gray areas Bierschwale explained said those people are talking called the entire definition The qualifying sentence with sales of certain items at that the goal is to soon get the without an appreciation of what “ambiguous.” after is that any item that is is most enumerated establishments ordinance to about 90 percent state law is.