Vincent to host community forum

Sen. Chas Vincent will hold a community forum tonight to discuss citizen concerns regarding the Confederated Salish-Kootenai Tribes Water Compact. The forum will be held from 6:30 p.m. until 8:30 p.m. in the Maki Theatre at 724 Louisiana Avenue.

“The CSKT compact ratification is very important to Lincoln County. The forum on Tuesday night is an opportunity to meet with as many citizens as I can during the Legislature’s short transmittal break to discuss why I am sponsoring the compact and why its successful passage is so important to not only our county, but everyone that lives in the western half of our state,” Vincent said.

Sen. Vincent has successfully championed Senate Bill 262, legislation which ratifies the revised water compact, through the Senate. The bill passed on Feb. 26 by a vote of 31-19. It now goes to the House of Representatives for final approval before being submitted to the governor for his signature.

Vincent said the forum is being held in order to address the citizen comments and questions he has received.

“The 64th Legislature is currently on a short transmittal break, and since I have not had the time to adequately address all of the emails, phone calls and letters from home since I introduced S.B. 262, I would like to make myself available to do so while I have the time,” Vincent wrote in an email statement.

Reps. Jerry Bennett and Mike Cuffe, who represent Lincoln County in the House of Representatives, have also been invited to attend and provide their thoughts about the compact.

Vincent said his desire is to provide factual answers to the questions being asked by Lincoln County residents.

“Unfortunately, there is a great deal of misinformation that has been disseminated over the last several weeks regarding the revised compact making it very difficult for interested parties to make an informed opinion. I am hopeful that there will be good attendance Tuesday night, and that everyone brings the questions they would like to have answered,” he said.