Council filings sparse

The Daily Inter Lake

Marc Rold has filed as a Kalispell City Council candidate in Ward 3, creating a contested race between him and incumbent Jim Atkinson.

Rold has lived in the Flathead Valley for 19 years and has owned Wild Horse Limousine for the past eight years. He said he wants to help change the direction of the council, "to get us back into solvency and make this a welcoming place to do business."

Atkinson, director of the Flathead County Agency on Aging, is a fifth-generation Montanan who has served on the City Council for 22 years.

With the July 2 filing deadline just a month away, other Kalispell filings beside Atkinson and Rold include incumbent Ward 2 council member Hank Olson and incumbent Municipal Judge Heidi Ulbricht.

Other Kalispell seats open are the position of mayor, currently held by Pam Kennedy and council positions in Wards 1 and 4, currently held by Bob Hafferman and Tim Kleusner, respectively.

No one has filed yet for Whitefish or Columbia Falls council vacancies.

The terms of Whitefish council members Nick Palmer, Frank Sweeney and Nancy Woodruff expire at the end of the year. Sweeney was appointed Jan. 1 to fill out the remainder of Shirley Jacobson's term after she resigned from the council. All are four-year terms.

There's also an opening for Whitefish municipal judge.

A recent decision to change the city court into a municipal court means that applicants must be licensed attorneys. Incumbent City Judge Bradley Johnson has filed for re-election to the four-year post.

Whitefish candidates must gather petitions of voter signatures to accompany their filing papers. Council members need 32 signatures.

In Columbia Falls, the mayor's post and two council seats are open. All are four-year terms.

Mayor Jolie Fish will finish her first term in December.

Council seats currently held by Harvey Reikofski and Dave Petersen are open.