Farm406

e King's Arena, a few miles outside of Great Falls, Montana, was cold on the evening of October 15, 2020; the crowd aending a Big Sky Country National Heritage Area (BSCNHA) opposition meeting was socially spaced, with some wearing masks. A panel of speakers including Janet ayer, Ross Butcher, Carl Seilstad, Russ Miner, Dana Darlington, and myself led the discussion. I related my experience defeating Canyons & Plains National Heritage Area (NHA) in Southeastern Colorado in 2014. Ben Bock of Cascade County called me in mid-September, followed by a call from Rae Grulkowski asking if I would consider traveling to Great Falls to assist a group opposing BSCNHA. I agreed without hesitation. Earlier that day, Ron Carpenter and I met with Jim Larson, Cascade County Commissioner, for lunch in Great Falls. We discussed the wording and passage of a resolution opposing BSCNHA and the issue of County Commissioner Jane Weber's conflict of interest, simultaneously serving as executive director of BSCNHA should the resolution come to a vote. e resolution passed 2-1 on December 8, 2020, with Weber voting opposed. She then resigned effective January 2021. Did this resolution or action deter BSCNHA from pursuing NHA designation? Big Sky still had a feasibility study in hand for the National Park Service (NPS). Was this study now compromised by increasing opposition? Rae Grulkowski filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request with NPS Inter-Mountain Region in January 2021 and has yet to receive the requested documents. Grulkowski also created Montanans Opposing Big Sky Country NHA Facebook group and page. NHAs & A Journey Through the Heartland By Norman L. Kincaide, Ph.D. Photography Provided 39 farm406 Photo: Bill Stuff

• Cover