Council Oks archery ban
No hunting in city limits, but practice allowed
by Brent Shrum, Kootenai Valley Record
July 15, 2010
Libby City Council voted last week to enact an ordinance banning archery hunting within city limits.
The council began looking into regulating the use of archery equipment after receiving a complaint from a resident regarding the killing of a turkey at Reese Court by a hunter using a bow and arrow. While deer hunting within city limits is not allowed under state law, turkey hunting is not regulated.
The council’s ordinance committee reviewed archery regulations on the books in other Montana cities, and after meeting with representatives of the Libby Archery Club voted to recommend a ban on all archery hunting within the city but no restrictions on target practice. The archery club concurred with the committee that the hunting ban was appropriate but was opposed to any further regulations.
At last Monday’s council meeting, Councilman D.C. Orr said he doesn’t think the ordinance is necessary. Existing laws already cover property damage and reckless behavior that puts others at risk, Orr said.
"I just want it on the public record that I think this is redundant," he said. "It’s adequately addressed already."
Orr voted along with the rest of the council to approve the ordinance.
In other business, the council heard a proposal from the Libby Avid Gardeners gardening club to perform a "facelift" of the triangle at the intersection of Highway 2 and Ninth Street, where a steel eagle sculpture is mounted.
"Coming into Libby from the south, everybody sees the eagle," said club member Shane Campbell. "We want to plant that area with perennials and some annuals to show the eagle."
The club also plans to remove railroad ties and some shrubs planted in the triangle and to use boulders donated by the U.S. Forest Service to make flower boxes. The site would be maintained by club members.
"We want something Libby can be proud of," said club member Bob DeBorde.
Campbell and DeBorde requested assistance from the city in transporting the boulders from the Cripple Horse area. They said they would also be asking the county for help. Mayor Doug Roll directed city administrator Jim Hammons to work with the gardening club and the county to coordinate the project.
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Editor’s Note: See the July 13, 2010 edition of the Kootenai Valley Record for the printed version of this story. The Kootenai Valley Record publishes once a week, on Tuesdays, in Libby, Montana. They are a locally owned community newspaper, located at 403 Mineral Avenue in Libby. For in-county and out-of-county subscription information, call 406-293-2424, or e-mail kvrecord@gmail.com.
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