Senators Helping Farmer Harassed By Freemen Kept From Working His Land During Standoff, Jordan-Area Man Having Trouble Paying His Property Taxes

Montana’s two U.S. senators have stepped in to help a Jordan-area farmer, struggling to stay afloat after anti-government freemen kept him off his land for nine months.

Dean Clark bought 2,300 acres of foreclosed land next to the freemen farm but wasn’t able to plant wheat until after the 81-day standoff ended, because the freemen threatened him and because the FBI declared it off limits during the siege.

The land had belonged to his grandfather, freemen member Emmett Clark, who surrendered June 13 along with the other remaining freemen, ending the siege.

Clark also was unable to retrieve $70,000 worth of grain stored on the property occupied by the freemen.

Unable to pay his property taxes, Clark sought help from U.S. Sens. Max Baucus and Conrad Burns. Burns, whom Clark contacted in early June, has urged state Revenue Director Mick Robinson and U.S. Agriculture Secretary Dan Glickman to examine all options to help Clark.

Matt Raymond, Burns’ spokesman, said this week that Burns hasn’t yet received a response from either party.

“Because of the standoff with the freemen for the past two months, innocent people have been hurt,” Burns, R-Mont., said in a June 10 letter to Glickman.

“The Clarks have reached a point where they must have the assets that are being held captive so they can continue their operation.”

In an October 1995 letter, Baucus, a Democrat, asked the U.S. Department of Justice to push for a quick end to the standoff.

Tim Warner, Baucus’ press secretary, said Baucus is continuing to search for ways to help Clark survive financial disaster, but “at this point there are no answers, sort of a work in progress.”

“Unless somebody gets involved, this gentleman is going to be in pretty bad circumstances and he already is,” Warner said.

Clark, who purchased the land in November 1994, returned to his property Saturday, two days after the freemen peacefully surrendered to federal agents.

However, Clark still faces a host of unpaid bills and the daunting task of planting his crop nearly a month late.

Although Clark since has gained access to his property and its assets, Raymond said Burns will continue to try and help Clark.

“We’d like to see him keep his land, it’s rightfully his and he was put in an unfortunate financial situation,” Raymond said.

“Conrad would like to see that rectified.”

Revenue Director Robinson said it is up to the Garfield County Commission to offer Clark flexibility in making his property-tax payments, the latest of which were due May 31. He said county commissioners could opt to waive a 5 percent penalty fee for late payment.

According to the Garfield County treasurer’s office, Clark has failed to pay half, or about $1,600, of his 1995 property taxes. Clark’s 1996 property tax records were unavailable.

Clark’s land and buildings are valued at $11,615 for tax purposes and have a market value of $302,391.

Clark said last week he also hopes to get an extension to buy federal crop insurance, given that he’s likely to rescue only a portion of his 1,000 acres of tillable land this year.