Saying farewell after three decades

By ERIKA KIRSCH Western News Editor

After over 32 years, the Lincoln County Sanitarian is finally calling it quits.

Born and raised in Libby, Ron Anderson began working for the Lincoln County Department of Environmental Health in 1975 as a door-to-door surveyor. He became director in 1978, since then there have been four sanitarians, he commented.

As supervising sanitarian, Anderson oversaw projects and activities throughout Lincoln County. In the last couple years, he supervised the Lincoln County woodstove change-out program, which actually kept him from retiring until this year.

"I put off retiring because of that program," he added.

The change-out program was something Anderson believed in very strongly and wanted to see come to fruition. Due to the topography of the area, Lincoln County has bad air conditions, he said. There were also changes in the air regulations and air quality needed to be improved. Change-outs also were necessary due to elevated respiratory impairments due to asbestos issues present in the area, Anderson added.

Many people in the area use wood heat because of the availability of fuel in the area and the economic benefits, he said. Due to the regulations, the change-out of non-certified stoves was necessary. The Environmental Protection Agency began many national programs in 1975, which eventually offered the assistance necessary to make the change-out program possible, he said.

"We were able to offer assistance," Anderson added.

The program concluded in June with 1,130 stoves being changed out for more efficient models or rebuilt, Anderson commented. A target goal of replacing or rebuilding 1,200 stoves was made for the 1 1/2-year time span of the program.

"I'm particularly proud of the community," Anderson said. "It was well worth hanging around for that."

During Anderson's tenure there were also many improvements made to the solid waste program. The system receives state acclaim and it's one of the most affordable programs in the state, he said.

After nearly 33 years working with the county, Anderson said he will miss the working relationship with the employees the most, but he wanted to retire when he was still young enough to enjoy it. He's been given the opportunity to meet and work with a lot of people in his position and he has formed a good working relationship with the state departments, he added.

Although Tuesday, July 31 was Anderson's last official day as the Lincoln County Sanitarian, he will continue to work with the Lincoln County Animal Control Program, which is a program he has been involved in for some time. Anderson also has his own business of tying "Cap'n Andy" trolling flies. If he has any spare time, Anderson will be found in the outdoors hunting, fishing, landscaping or spending time with his wife, Judy, who works for the school system as an educational aide.

"There's always something to do," Anderson added.