Deadline for municipal election filing is Monday

City council elections in all three of Flathead County’s incorporated cities will be heavy on incumbents this time around.

The filing deadline for prospective council candidates is Monday, June 21. Municipal elections will be held Nov. 2.

In Kalispell, two incumbents have filed for re-election, including Sandra L. Carlson in Ward 1, and Chad Graham in Ward 2. In Ward 3, current council member Kyle Waterman is not running for re-election, but former council member Rod Kuntz is running for the open seat.

Incumbent Tim Kluesner in Kalispell's Ward 4 said he planned on filing by the Monday afternoon deadline, but had not filed for another four-year term as of Thursday.

Kalispell Municipal Judge Lori A. Adams also is seeking another term, as is Mayor Mark Johnson.

Columbia Falls has a full slate of incumbents seeking additional four-year terms. They include Michael Shepard, Jenny Lovering and Paula Robinson. Longtime Mayor Don Barnhart also is running for re-election.

In Whitefish, council incumbents Ben Davis and Andy Feury have filed for re-election. Ryan Hennen had not filed for another term as of Thursday, according to county Election Department records.

Incumbent Whitefish Municipal Judge William Hileman Jr. also has filed for re-election.

The only newcomer to city elections so far is in Whitefish, where Phil Boland has filed as a council candidate.

Boland has been involved in entrepreneurial business startups and turnarounds as a consultant. He owned a concrete precast company following a 17-year stint with Nestlé in its agricultural divisions. Bolandd and his wife Shira relocated to Whitefish several years ago to be with family. He is currently a sales representative for the local KGEZ radio station.

News editor Lynnette Hintze may be reached at 758-4421 or lhintze@dailyinterlake.com. Download the Daily Inter Lake app for breaking news.