Governors gather in Whitefish

Phil Jackson, Los Angeles Lakers coach and Flathead Valley resident, will be the keynote speaker at the Western Governors Association’s annual meeting that starts this weekend in Whitefish.

Jackson will address the governors’ group at 1:45 p.m. Sunday after Montana Gov. Brian Schweitzer convenes the meeting at 1 p.m. at the Whitefish Performing Arts Center at Whitefish Middle School.

Jackson will reflect on how growing up in small towns in the West influenced his life and career.

Schweitzer, who is chairman of the Western Governors Association, is one of 10 governors scheduled to attend the three-day meeting.

Other governors include Butch Otter of Idaho, Bill Richardson of New Mexico, Mike Rounds of South Dakota, Dave Freudenthal of Wyoming, Jim Gibbons of Nevada, Christine Gregoire of Washington, Brad Henry of Oklahoma, Gary Herbert of Utah and Bill Ritter of Colorado.

Absent from the meeting will be California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer, Texas Gov. Rick Perry, Hawaii Gov. Linda Lingle and Alaska Gov. Sean Parnell.

Other speakers include:

n Michael Connor, commissioner of the Bureau of Reclamation, who will provide an overview of the Department of the Interior’s policy priorities in the West.

n Jon Wellinghoff, chairman of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, who will provide his views on the future of electric transmission in the West.

The theme of the governors’ gathering is “100 Years of Common Ground,” reflecting the centennial of the organization. The association’s centennial coincides with the centennial of Glacier National Park.

Session topics include:

n Challenges and opportunities in water management.

n The future of energy technology.

n Working across borders to conserve landscapes.

The meeting continues through Tuesday; main meeting sessions will be at the Whitefish Performing Arts Center.

For more information about the conference, go to www.westgov.org.