Letters to the editor April 11

Friess for county commissioner

I’ve known Brian for 12 years, and with him a growing respect for who he is as a father, a friend, and what he carries as a humble leader. As I have had numerous opportunities to be around him and his family, I’ve always been impressed at how he communicates with his wife, Melissa, and their four daughters. He leads with patience and the ability to communicate clearly under pressure. I believe we need that temperament in government, now more than ever, to navigate our political challenges.

Through our growing friendship, our conversations inevitably turn toward God and His desire to release blessing over our city and this nation. I know Brian Friess will lead with a servant’s heart as county commissioner, with a focus on conversing with our local leadership and the people of the Flathead Valley to understand the challenges our county faces, and, more importantly, find key solutions that will help our community.

On June 7, 2022, I will be voting for Brian Friess as County Commissioner.

Blessings to you and the beautiful Flathead Valley,

— Ryan Schelling, Kalispell

Supports Sprunger

Over the past several years, I have been privileged to serve with Courtenay Sprunger on the Kalispell Chamber executive board. Courtenay and I have collaborated on numerous strategic planning matters and both of us have assisted in the selection of a new Chamber CEO.

As we have worked together, I have come to have immense respect for Courtenay’s wisdom, insight and leadership skill. During her tenure on the board, Courtenay has demonstrated, time and again, the ability to engage participants, synthesize input, negotiate respectfully, and move to a workable outcome. Those abilities have been particularly impressive in the context of large groups of differing opinion. In her 2021 role as the Kalispell Chamber’s board chair, Courtenay proved to be an articulate and exceptional officer.

As Representative for House District 7, I believe Courtenay would bring those same skills to the table. In addition, she is a small business owner within District 7 and understands, firsthand, the impact government regulations have on small businesses and the communities they serve. If elected, I believe she would be a powerful advocate for common-sense legislation, bills, which would serve her constituency and her community well.

Courtenay Sprunger is an articulate, balanced voice for our community, someone well-qualified to be a legislator. I hope you will join me in supporting her for House District 7.

— Tom Ray, Whitefish

Re-elect Holmquist

I am writing to second Flathead County Commissioner Brad Abell’s strong endorsement for the re-election of Pam Holmquist to the commission.

During my time on the Flathead County Planning Board, Commissioner Holmquist was always a strong advocate for the protection of private property rights in the county, even if at times it was not the politically popular position to take. Pam never shy’d away from her commitment to protecting the rights of all the citizens in the county.

Her “Property Owners Bill Of Rights” was a landmark piece of legislation that still today separates Flathead County residents and property owners from the residents and property owners in other counties throughout Montana. While other counties continue to pay lip service to protecting the rights of their property owners, Pam did something to ensure that in Flathead County that protection is required by law.

Please join me in enthusiastically supporting Pam Holmquist in her bid for re-election to the County Commission.

— Russ Crowder, Marion

Winter for Congress

Former state Rep. Tom Winter is running for Montana’s new U.S. House seat in Montana’s western district. The new district includes the entirety of the Flathead, Missoula, Butte and Bozeman. In a district where Ryan Zinke is running to recapture his former seat, it will be a tough fight for a Democratic challenger, but Tom has proven that he’s up to the task and can be successful.

In a tight race in 2018, Tom flipped a district that voted for Trump +11 to earn his seat in the state legislature where he introduced 24 bills as a freshman lawmaker — a Montana record.

At the state level, he fought for progressive priorities like affordable health care including protections for pre-existing conditions, banning lifetime payment caps, and lowering the cost of prescription drugs. A union member himself, he fought for worker protections including minimum wage and overtime protections. He was an advocate of policies to strengthen our Democracy, including online voter registration. He introduced a bill to legalize recreational cannabis, which ultimately served as the basis of the successful voter initiative which legalized cannabis in Montana.

Tom is strong on housing, introducing bills to address high property taxes for middle-class homeowners and protections for mobile home owners and tenants — he will be instrumental in addressing Montana’s housing crisis at the federal level.

In addition to his passion, energy, and proven election track record in Montana, Tom is, above all, a normal and accessible guy. I’ve skied with him on Big Mountain and have had a beer with him while talking about important societal and political issues. I’ve watched him make himself accessible to Montanans from all walks of life, and have one-on-one conversations in low-key and everyday settings — rather than simply lecture from a podium. This is who he is as a person, and though he will undoubtedly be busier in Congress, his down-to-earth and personable nature will give a voice to progressive Montanans in Washington D.C.

— Nathan Dugan, Whitefish