Nine candidates file for commissioner seat
Flathead County voters will decide contested races in both the primary and general elections for two open county commissioner positions.
When the late filing period for the vacant District 1 commissioner seat closed at 5 p.m. Thursday, nine people had filed for the two-year term that will begin in January.
The new commissioner will serve until Jim Dupont’s term would have ended, at the end of 2014. In November 2014, a commissioner will be elected to represent District 1 for the standard six-year term.
The District 1 vacancy was created by Dupont’s death Monday.
Candidates who filed Thursday include Democrat Gil Jordan of Coram. Jordan is executive director of the Northwest Montana Historical Society and the Museum at Central School.
Five more Republicans also filed Thursday. Those men are:
Doug Adams of Whitefish, president of Design Turf Technologies, a company that installs synthetic turf on golf course putting greens and ball fields.
Kirk Gentry of Columbia Falls, an outfitter and guide, and owner of the Gentry River Ranch bed and breakfast.
M. Glenn Kolodejchuk of Kalispell, with Dirt Works Inc.
Mike Shepard of Columbia Falls, currently a member of the Columbia Falls City Council and co-chairman of the county 911 board.
Ben Stormes of Whitefish, a backcountry skills instructor with Whitefish Backcountry, a backcountry education venture.
On Wednesday, three other Republicans had filed for the District 1 seat: Rod Bernhardson of Whitefish, Chris Hyatt of Whitefish and Cal Scott of Columbia Falls.
The filings by both Republicans and a Democrat mean voters will choose from multiple candidates in both elections.
Republican voters will narrow the nine candidates to one in the June 5 primary. The winner of that primary election advances to the Nov. 6 general election to face Jordan on the Democratic side.
Flathead County voters also will elect a new District 3 commissioner, to replace retiring Commissioner Dale Lauman.
Five Republicans and one Democrat filed for that seat. Again, the Republican field will be narrowed to one candidate in the primary election.
Democrat Clara Mears-LaChappell will advance to the general.
Republican primary voters will choose their general election candidate from the field of Bob Herron, Terry Kramer, Gary Krueger, Mike Schlegel and Jay Scott.
A memorial service for Dupont is scheduled for 1 p.m. Saturday at the Christian Center in Kalispell.
Reporter Shelley Ridenour may be reached at 758-4439 or sridenour@dailyinterlake.com.