Ravalli County, Montana, finally offered a formal apology to the to the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes on Tuesday.

The county apologized for racist comments made by a former land planning official. Commissioner J.R. Iman delivered the apology in person to the tribal council.

“We know that you can’t take back what was said,” Iman told the tribe, The Ravalli Republic reported. “When you work in a public arena, you don’t have the opportunity to control what another person says. Those words did not represent the opinion of the board.”

The county, however, has yet to drop opposition to a land-into-trust application the tribe submitted for the sacred Medicine Tree.

Get the Story:
Ravalli County delivers formal apology to CSKT (KPAX 4/29)
Ravalli County commissioner delivers apology to CSKT Council (The Ravalli Republic 4/30)
County commissioner delivers apology to tribe (AP 4/30)
Commissioners take no action on pending land transfer by tribes (The Bitterroot Star 4/30)

Related Stories:
County wants to deliver apology to Salish and Kootenai Tribes (4/25)
County apologizes to Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes (12/5)
Letter: Apologize to Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes (11/26)
County official in Montana brought up 'drunken Indians' in jails (11/25)
Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes discuss sacred site (11/22)
BIA approves land-into-trust application for Montana tribe (06/26)
County challenges Salish and Kootenai Tribes land-into-trust (05/30)