Muhlfeld sets sights on Whitefish mayoral post

Whitefish City Council member and Deputy Mayor John Muhlfeld has filed for mayor in Whitefish.

Muhlfeld’s council term expires the end of the year, along with council seats held by Ryan Friel and Turner Askew and the mayoral position currently held by Mike Jenson.

Muhlfeld is a hydrologist and co-owner of River Design Group, a company based in Whitefish that specializes in applied water resources engineering and the design and implementation of river and fisheries restoration projects throughout the Pacific Northwest.

He has lived in Whitefish for 17 years and first was appointed to the council in 2006 to fill the seat vacated by Tom Muri.

He was elected to the council in 2007, after which the political-action group Common Sense in Whitefish Government, led by Rick Blake, raised questions about his city residency.

The group alleged Muhlfeld was living outside city limits and hadn’t been a resident for the required 60 days preceding the election. The group went so far as to get a temporary restraining order and ask District Court for a preliminary injunction that would have stopped him from being sworn in in January 2008, but the judge dismissed the temporary restraining order and denied the injunction.

Muhlfeld was sworn in without further ado.

Today Muhlfeld lists his address as 37 Idaho Ave. in Whitefish.

Muhlfeld’s expertise in water issues has been considered by many to be an asset to the council. He has a degree in hydrology and geoscience from Hobart College in upstate New York and has been involved with most council committees that have dealt with water issues. He also served several years on the Whitefish Lakeshore Protection Committee and was a board member of the Whitefish Lake Institute.

“As I see it, the job of the mayor is to put Whitefish and its citizenry first, to keep taxes down, and to ensure that the community and City Council work together for our common benefit,” Muhlfeld said in a press release on Monday.

He said the next four years present several challenges for Whitefish, including balancing the budget while continuing to provide essential services to residents. He wants to continue to invest in amenities that make Whitefish a special place to live, including schools, the community library, parks, downtown and open spaces surrounding Whitefish.

Muhlfeld said his business experience has given him insight into the importance of fiscal responsibility and economic development.