Monday interviews ahead for nominees

A new Flathead County commissioner could be selected Monday, the two sitting commissioners said Wednesday.

The names of three nominees to fill the vacant District 1 commission seat were delivered to commissioners Wednesday morning.

Nominees are Lyle Phillips, Cal Scott and Ben Stormes.

They were nominated for the vacancy created by the March 19 death of Jim Dupont. The nominations came from the Republican Central Committee, which met Tuesday night to pick nominees.

Commissioners Pam Holmquist and Dale Lauman may select one of the three nominees or reject all three and ask the central committee for three more names.

Commissioners have scheduled hourlong interviews with Phillips, Scott and Stormes beginning at 9 a.m. Monday in the commissioners’ chambers on the third floor of the courthouse.

The interviews are open to the public.

“Depending on what happens, we may select a commissioner Monday,” Lauman said. “If one stands out, it could easily happen. If they are more equal, we’ll have to talk about it more.”

As Holmquist put it: “It depends on whether Dale and I work out an agreement Monday.”  

The appointed commissioner will be in office through the end of the year. In November, voters will elect a new District 1 commissioner, who will hold office through 2014, when Dupont’s term would have expired.

Stormes retired to Whitefish after running a 70-employee Michigan manufacturing firm for 25 years. He is a backcountry skills instructor with Whitefish Backcountry, a backcountry education venture.

Scott, of Columbia Falls, is founder and director of Enhancing the Homeownership Ideals for Communities education and counseling organization.

Phillips, of Whitefish, worked for years at Columbia Falls Aluminum Co.

Phillips and Scott had applied for the appointed seat. Scott and Stormes are among the eight Republicans who filed for their party’s nomination in the June 5 primary election.

Other Republicans running in the election are Rod Bernhardson of Whitefish, Mike Shepard of Columbia Falls, Doug Adams of Whitefish, Kirk Gentry of Columbia Falls, M. Glenn Kolodejchuk of Kalispell and Chris Hyatt of Whitefish.

One Republican will advance to the Nov. 6 general election to face Democratic candidate Gil Jordan of Coram.

Reporter Shelley Ridenour may be reached at 758-4439 or sridenour@dailyinterlake.com.