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Vote for Coffman and Olszewski

Vote for David Coffman for sheriff of Lake County and Dr. Al Olszewski for U.S. Senate. Both of these fine candidates are the best.

Lake County is in dire need of a fair, competent, and qualified sheriff. I voted for the incumbent last time, but he is a disaster. Virtually everyone who deals with this office knows it. It is really time for a change. David Coffman is a highly qualified professional who knows how to deal with the many serious issues facing Lake County.

Polson has the highest crime rate of all the cities with over 2,000 population in Montana. This is a reflection of how it is in Lake County and nothing effective is being done about it. For some strange reason this crime rate does not include crime handled by the tribes. Coffman is criticized only because he is from out-of-state, but I say he has the smarts to choose to live here and brings much needed experience and professionalism. He does not have to serve and could retire and enjoy life, but upon seeing the horrible crime rate here, he is following his Marine ethic and chooses to serve. We are very fortunate to have someone of his caliber here.

Dr. Al Olszewski is, by far, the best candidate to serve in the U.S. Senate. He is from Western Montana and understands our problems and he is right on the key issues.

Please vote for Coffman and Olszewski and support them any way you can. —Frank Mutch, Polson

Vote Olszewski for U.S. Senate

As the rhetoric in the Republican senatorial primary clears, the odds-on favorite is Dr. Al Olszewski. Dr. Al has a clean military record, his roots go back to several generations in Great Falls, Montana, and he is a staunch supporter of truth. Dr. Al has a squeaky clean record and is a straight shooter.

On the other hand all three of his other opponents have clouds hanging over them. And the issue of the Salish and Kootenai water-compact corruption leaves no doubt that Dr. Olszewski is the only one clearly on top of the truth. Go to www.CSKTswamp.com for the truth.

Mr. Fagg repeatedly lies about the unconstitutional and errantly promoted Salish and Kootenai water compact, telling us that we are better off giving away our property rights, than to defend and preserve those rights for our children. Fagg’s conflict of interest with his wife being employed by the tribe adds to the rancor and leaves his motives in doubt.

Mr. Rosendale used to be staunchly opposed to the water compact, but then a trip to D.C. happened, where money for his campaign seems to have swayed him from being vocally opposed to leaving doubts about his current position.

How can Mr. Downing be a good choice for Montana when he appears to not be able to figure out where he lives when it comes to getting a hunting license?

The Salish and Kootenai water-compact issue is critical to Montana and the nation — a bill created behind closed doors by Democrats, whose purpose is to give the personal property rights of Montanans to a pseudo sovereign nation. The egregiousness of this action is a clear violation the property rights of Montanans. I am voting for Dr. Al Olszewski June 5! —Leonard Falk, Kalispell

Re-elect Krueger

Thank you, Gary Krueger, for your extra effort to make the vision of the industrial park become a reality. Your commitment for economic development and jobs became very evident in this process. You went the extra mile to find a workable solution for all involved.

The industrial park will play a major role in helping the Flathead Valley grow both in jobs and new businesses. For those of us who rely on rail transportation for our business this was an essential move, and rail needs to become a more valuable choice for businesses who want to relocation to our valley. It is something that has been needed for years and is the missing piece to keep manufacturing as an option in our valley.

The impact that this will have on the city of Kalispell will be significant. Rail created Kalispell and now is the time for rail to step aside and allow Kalispell to make that next evolution into the future.

I have worked with you many times over the years as county commissioner. Your actions regarding the industrial park are in line with all my workings with you. You study the issue, making sure you understand laws and the impact it will have for us in the county and make a decision on what you feel is in the best interest for our county. I like that in a county commissioner.

Keep up the good work. I support your re-election as county commissioner, and encourage other citizens to support you as well by their vote. —Mark Lalum, Kalispell

Brodehl for commissioner

I followed closely Randy Brodehl’s voting record as a Montana House representative. Fiscally responsible to a tee, he will show good judgment in protecting our tax dollars as county commissioner as he did when serving all eight years on the House Appropriations Committee in Helena.

He is a man of great character who doesn’t compromise his principles, yet can get along with and work with people of varied philosophies and world view. Intelligent, hard-working, experienced, kind and principled … He will make a great county commissioner. —Annie Bukacek, Bigfork

Vote yes on 17-10

District Judge Allison’s recent ruling informed the public that the Flathead County commissioners did not fairly consider the petition to expand the neighborhood zone. Voting for zoning is a perfect citizen response to the failure of Flathead County commissioners, the DNRC, county planning board and other groups which failed to recognize the long term strategic necessity of protecting the public resource of water, as well as the need to preserve farm land.

Before approving any water-bottling plant it is clear there is not enough information on the quantity and quality of the aquifers in the Flathead Basin. We lack hard data on the valley’s water needs for projected growth. Lastly, that aquifer data must factor in a global warming trend. This information is not available. Without it, state and local officials have no business allowing the valley’s most precious resource, water, to be sold before its time.

When the necessary research is done, then and only then, can there be a responsible informed decision. Two percent of the world’s water is drinkable; only 1 percent is available. The Flathead Valley is in that 1 percent if we as a community are smart enough to hang on to it.

A decision about future bottling plant might be needed, but let us not get the cart before the horse. Water is precious, water is life and water is directly related to our quality of life in the Flathead drainage.

Send a clear message to those who have failed to protect the public resource for all. Vote yes on 17-10. Clean and abundant water is good business now and in the future. —Bruce Young, Lakeside

Vote to keep water in the wells

How many time have you disagreed with politicians’ decisions and said, “They should let the people vote on that!” Well, now is your chance. On the back of your primary ballot, there’s a place where you can vote FOR Egan Slough 17-01. If passed, this initiative will negate the county commissioners’ refusal to protect our water from being bottled, sold, and trucked away. Voting FOR Egan Slough 17-01 will keep that water in our wells and on our fields, and protect our water, lakes, and fish from the plastic residue and chemicals from the bottling plant. If you weren’t planning to vote in the primary, please reconsider. There’s a lot more at stake than who gets to throw mud at whom until November. —Alice Biel, Columbia Falls