Are there are two standards for ordinance enforcement in the city of Libby?

Letter to the Editor,

Team Rollover has rolled over on the city noise ordinance.

Just a few short months ago, they told us state law on noise wasn’t sufficient to protect the citizens of Libby. We needed our own noise ordinance to give the police the tools they needed to eliminate the nuisance of excessive noise which disrupts the public peace.

Council waxed eloquently at length on their duty to “protect” the citizens.

I claimed it was a revenue tactic.

Enter Bill Dirkes.

Dirkes has had his neighborhood turned upside down by noise recently.

I know Bill Dirkes to be a pillar of society. Rock solid. Lived in the same neighborhood for 40 years, ran a payroll, supplied jobs. Paid tons of taxes. Paid tons in building permits. Supported the town he helped build.

Bill needs protection. Noise is making his life miserable.

He called the police to enforce the noise ordinance. … They refused.

Wait, What?

Think of all the revenue the city could enjoy from ticketing trucks repeatedly violating the law. Hundreds of violations in recent months equals thousands in fines.

Why are there no tickets and fines? 

Look at the name on the door of those trucks. Mayor Roll isn’t going to allow his favored contractor to be subject to the law. Laws are for the little people.

Selective enforcement of the law is an issue that we discussed when Allen Olsen had his business disrupted by law enforcement for business license issues, while the mayor’s favored contractor enjoyed no-bid city contracts with no business license. Mr. Olsen had claim to a nurseryman’s exemption under state law, the mayor’s buddy just didn’t want to spend the money.

When the mayor can decide who is subject to law enforcement, we have a problem.

Protection is a racket.

— D.C. Orr

Libby