Longtime councilor Karper leans on experience

Q. Columbia Falls has seen significant commercial and residential growth in recent years. Is the city doing enough to guide economic growth, both in city limits and in the city’s outlying planning jurisdiction?

A. We try to do all we can to anticipate and prepare/plan for all growth in Columbia Falls rather than guide the growth. We have just finished the five-year update on our growth policy, which envisions the overall future growth of our city and is a tool for us in planning for the future. We look at our infrastructure such as water and sewer to make sure they will be able to support continued growth. We are currently planning on adding a third water well to do just that. We do the best that we can to plan ahead for needs rather than react to problems resulting from growth.

Q. Do you support a resort tax for Columbia Falls? Why or why not?

A. One of my main concerns is to provide for the needs of our citizens with the least impact financially. We have been affected by the two million-plus tourists that travel through our town every year. They increase our need for additional police, fire/emergency service and impact our infrastructure such as street maintenance. The resort tax has the ability to shift some of this cost from our taxpayers to the tourists who are creating the additional costs. The money raised from the resort tax will go directly to help meet these needs along with property-tax relief. I think it could be a very effective tool to pay for our increased costs without putting the entire burden on our taxpayers. Another thing to remember is that the resort tax can only be put into place by a vote of our citizens.

Q. Is the city of Columbia Falls doing enough to address affordable/workplace housing?

A. We encourage additional development of affordable housing as much as possible. The recent opening of the two apartment buildings is a great step in that direction. While we want more affordable housing, we want it to be done properly so it will continue to be an asset well into the future.

Q. What qualities make you the best candidate for a council position?

A. During my 27 years with the school district I was involved with and responsible for many of the same things that it takes to run a city. Being on the city council has allowed me to use this experience to help make sure the city is providing the services needed as effectively and efficiently as possible. Also having served on city council for 20 years I know where we have been and what we have done to get where we are today. And as we continue to grow I want to make sure we maintain the small-town atmosphere that we all love.