Ward Three veteran faces limited election challenge

Three-term incumbent Randy Kenyon is facing a limited challenge for the Ward Three seat on the Kalispell City Council.

Kenyon, who is 61 and works as director of case management for a nonprofit that serves disabled adults, took office in January 2000.

“I haven’t gotten tired of it yet,” said Kenyon, a 38-year resident of Flathead Valley.

“Other than the first two years it’s been an enjoyable experience. Everybody gets along.”

Kenyon is technically being opposed by 37-year-old Walter Keathley, who moved to Kalispell from Tennessee about three years ago with his wife, a sixth-generation Montanan.

Keathley filed to run for the Ward Three seat but later tried to remove himself from the ballot because of unforeseen health issues.

According to election officials, Keathley is unable to take his name off the ballot.

“I am going to be on the ballot, but because of health reasons I am not going to actively pursue it,” Keathley said.

“But for whatever reason, if people cast votes my way I would do everything I could to fill the responsibilities of that seat,” he said, adding that he is not ruling out a future run for the council or some other public office.

As a representative for Ward Three, Kenyon said that one of his biggest issues on council is the traditional downtown area.

“I’m pretty sympathetic with the downtown business people and kind of feel like one of my roles is being very supportive, making life as easy as possible for them.”

Pointing to regular crowds in downtown Whitefish and downtown Bigfork, Kenyon said he wants to see more vibrancy in downtown Kalispell — that includes more people, more events and more businesses.

“Visit downtown Whitefish on a Wednesday night at 8 p.m. and there’s no place to park, people walking out on the street jostling each other and lines to get in restaurants,” he said.

“Walk in downtown Kalispell Wednesday evening and you can walk right down the middle of Main Street ... We’d like to see that kind of activity downtown. Get people to move into those businesses.”

Kenyon said that’s one of the reasons why he plans to support expanding and extending the Westside Tax Increment Financing District, which presently borders Ward Three.

“Get as many businesses as you can plug in there and get rid of those railroad tracks. The removal of those tracks will have a tremendous impact on the core downtown,” he said.

When it comes to a developing proposal that would levy larger street maintenance assessments on Kalispell businesses in an effort to raise more money for street upkeep and repairs, Kenyon said he encourages people to “sit and relax.”

“We’re talking next summer at best,” Kenyon said of the discussion and the timeline for a decision. “It’s a great concept. Whether or not it’s going to work, I don’t know.”

That question will seemingly boil down to whether people and businesses want to pay more in exchange for better streets.

“It seems like people are so used to crummy streets. The only time people really complain is in the spring ... It could be people say, ‘What do you want to fix the roads for?’”

As one of several familiar faces on the Kalispell City Council, Kenyon said he tries to counter some of the “penny-pincher” mentality on council by taking a broader look at issues.

“If you want to determine value, you almost have to have use money. I take that into consideration, but it’s not the only thing,” Kenyon said.

“I think that’s part of my role here, to offset that real stringent, ‘If it costs money we’re not going to do it.’ That’s a real simple way of looking at the world and making decisions. I don’t subscribe to that. Sometimes you have to spend money to get quality of life. That’s a very distinct difference, and the basic difference on the council right now.”

Reporter Tom Lotshaw may be reached at 758-4483 or by email at tlotshaw@dailyinterlake.com.

Randy Kenyon

Age: 61

Family: Wife, Donna Harrison

Occupation: Director of case management services for a nonprofit that serves disabled adults.

Background: Moved to Kalispell from Michigan close to 38 years ago. Graduated from Eastern Michigan University with a bachelor of science in psychology. Is in his third term on the Kalispell City Council.