Frequent dissenter seeks second term as city councilman

Bob Hafferman often finds himself on the losing side of Kalispell City Council votes.

Sometimes he's the lone dissenter in an 8-1 tally. Sometimes there are two or three other council members on his side.

And sometimes that frustrates him.

"Too many of the council members depend on getting their information on how to vote from the bureaucrats," he said.

Hafferman, 74, is running for his second term as a Ward 1 council member. He faces a challenge from Steve Davidson.

Hafferman is a former city staff member, serving as Kalispell's public works director in the early 1980s.

He is a retired civil engineer and surveyor with 27 years in the private sector, including 15 years as owner of an engineering firm.

Several philosophies weave their way through Hafferman's stances on the council.

He believes the city's staff often makes recommendations without sufficient public input.

"We have to start listening to the people affected [by the city government's] actions - and really seriously listen," Hafferman said.

And he contends many city staff proposals are not sufficiently analyzed.

Hafferman also believes city government frequently takes shortcuts through its growth policies to help developers.

While Hafferman says Kalispell annexing some surrounding areas is an inevitable aspect of a growing city, he adds that annexations should not be done solely to help a developer, should not be at the expense of existing city residents, and should provide the same level of services to the annexed areas as to the existing city.

Hafferman also worries that annexing lands in the jurisdictions of the surrounding rural fire departments erode those departments' tax bases.

That is significant, he said, because the rural departments provide most of the water tanker trucks, which are vital when fighting fires in areas where Kalispell and the rural districts meet - a zone where fire hydrants are scarce.

Another Hafferman philosophy is that the city should not get involved in creating jobs or attracting new businesses.

He argues that is the private sector's responsibility.

Instead, he sees the city's role as providing basic services such as police and fire protection; maintaining roads, sewer systems and water lines; and taking care of parks and historical sites.

Hafferman concedes he sometimes comes off as grouchy at City Council meetings, but he says he is working on mellowing.

"I'm not angry," he said. "I just get wrapped up in what I'm doing."

Reporter John Stang may be reached at 758-4429 or by e-mail at jstang@dailyinterlake.com