Letters to the editor May 26

Fact check

Several recent pieces of mail have crossed my path regarding school board policy on LBGTQ and Jack Fallon leading the charge. I feel the responsibility to correct the message. Jack was one of 11 board members.

There was much debate on this policy. Only after a year long study by a group of parents, students and teachers did the board debate their findings and recommendations, and ultimately pass the policy.

I hate distorted facts. I was the chair of the Policy Committee. So if anyone spearheaded this movement it was me.

— Mary Ruby, Kalispell

Ketchum has high standards

Cal Ketchum is running for the office of Flathead County Superintendent of Schools. This office is administrative in nature and is a “sounding board,” assisting school boards, educators, parents, students and communities to understand federal, state and local laws relevant to education. He is unquestionably the most qualified candidate for this office and would serve the schools of Flathead County in fine fashion.

Cal has just completed a highly successful 10 years as superintendent of West Valley School. Cal guided West Valley through curricular development, staff growth, becoming the second largest K-8 school district in the state, and the disruptive pandemic. He has served local, regional, state, and national education organizations. Plus he supervised the remodeling and building of a $7 million school expansion. Because of these experiences and more Cal will be an invaluable resource for our county schools.

Cal brings with him more than 30 years of teaching and coaching experiences. He has been in the classroom and knows the responsibilities and pressures that teachers and administrators deal with on a daily basis. He’s spent hours as a coach and referee helping athletes develop their talents. He has also raised successful children and now enjoys watching his grandkids grow and develop. In short Cal can identify with and support many different groups of people who are such big parts of the education community.

We support Cal not just because of all of the above. We support Cal because we know him as a colleague and good friend. He is a fine man with high standards who will give his all to Flathead County as our next Superintendent of Schools. Cal gets our votes!

— Mark and Renell Wilson, Kalispell

Holmquist’s poor judgment

I don’t usually write letters regarding local elections, but I am making an exception this year. I am an independent conservative and am disturbed at the quality of candidates the Republican party has run for county commissioner.

I voted for Pam Holmquist for county commissioner six years ago, fully aware that she wasn’t the brightest possible leader. But I won’t be voting for her this time, certainly not after her disastrous interference with a smooth-running Board of Health in December 2019 just before the pandemic hit.

Amongst other poor judgment she has exhibited (like trying to eliminate dog and cat rabies vaccination), Holmquist forced the replacement of myself and another 10-year board experienced physician with an office manager and an anti-vaxing physician who caused staff turnovers and turmoil in the health department at the worst possible time. If it weren’t for Joe Russell’s willingness to leave retirement and return as temporary health officer, the damage would likely have been even worse.

I don’t know much about Mr. Fallon, but I do know that virtually anyone would be better than Pam Holmquist. Don’t give her another term and the opportunity to cause more damage to the county.

— David Myerowitz, Columbia Falls

Ingram will protect constitutional rights

Dr. Dave Ingram is an excellent choice to represent Kalispell’s District 7 in the Montana House. Dr. Dave Ingram is a person of integrity and principles who has the experience of caring for us and our families over the past 30 years. Dr. Ingram listens and has assisted us in making decisions during stressful and occasionally life-threatening times.

He is also comfortable representing us when we interact with impersonal institutions, like medical centers and hopefully, governmental agencies. Dr. Ingram is someone we can trust to make the best decisions for “We the People” without concerns of conflicts of interest and business influences. Dr. Ingram has demonstrated that he is willing to stand up for our community’s standards, parents and children.

Dr. Ingram’s priorities include protecting our constitutional rights, property rights, public access, the 1st and 2nd amendments, empowering parents and protecting children, voter integrity measures, traditional family values, healthcare freedom and life itself. He opposes federal overreach and mandates, activist judges, CRT and sexualization of children.

Please consider voting for Dr. Dave Ingram by absentee ballot or on June 7.

— Mark Rice, Kalispell

Holmquist’s record

Vote for Pam Holmquist for county commissioner. She has been a master of conservative fiscal responsibility. She has held the line on spending and has never voted to increase taxes.

She supports law enforcement and last year supported a budget increase to provide funding for three new deputies. She has done an excellent job of appointing board members to various boards in Flathead County which allows diverse opinions to have robust debate. She has done an excellent job on planning decisions, always following the law and regulations and at the same time protecting private property rights. She helped the Evergreen Community get their sidewalk grant by donating her own money and supporting their grant application as a county commissioner. As a result of her leadership, the Evergreen Community received the grant to construct sidewalks for their community.

— Jeff H. Larsen, Lakeside

Three thoughts

One, we only need to look at the recent Ward 3 race in Kalispell to be assured we have no problems in our county election department. A request for a recount was made, honored and the loser still was seven votes short. Montana has always had strong county election departments and it’s a decided waste of legislators’ energy to try to fix something that “ain’t broke!”

Two, Flathead County’s commissioner race reminds me of that old adage “you’ve had your turn; it’s someone else’s.” Pam Holmquist has had her turn at commissioner and it’s time for change. Certainly, much of her tenure has been a lurch from one crisis or self-inflicted wound to another. It’s time for a commissioner who serves all county residents and makes reasonable decisions for our fast growing county.

Third, what has been sad lately is Montana does not elect their own; Montanans have elected millionaires who have come here from other states and have little in common with Montanans who have lived here for generations or their local neighbors who have spent a great deal of their lives serving our local community and state tirelessly. Why?

— Karlene Khor, Kalispell

Zinke’s Montana roots

Recently, losing candidates and members of the media have been spreading false narratives that Ryan Zinke lives in California.

I have known Ryan Zinke for close to 20 years. I first met Ryan when he returned from serving his country as a Navy SEAL and we became friends during his first congressional race in 2014.

He lives here in Montana, in Whitefish, on the property that was his childhood home. He is as Montanan as they come and has dedicated his entire life in service to both our country and state.

It troubles me to think that candidates and the media have resorted to peddling baseless lies to tarnish a great candidate and a great man. If candidates are willing to lie about Ryan Zinke’s record to get elected, what would stop them from lying and cheating once they’re in office?

I would suggest that the voters of Western Montana do their due diligence and know the facts before they cast their ballots. The fact is that Ryan Zinke is a true Montana conservative and the right choice to represent us in Congress.

— Bob Herron, Bigfork

Tranel can beat Zinke

I am an independent voter. This week, I attended a meet-and-greet with congressional candidate Monica Tranel. When asked, I told Ms. Tranel that, while several issues were important to me, what I was looking for was not issue positions but principles including representation, leadership, a representative focused on real issues important to regular Montanans and Montana communities, a hard worker and, of course, the candidate most likely to beat the presumptive Republican candidate, a corrupt man unfit for public office, in the general election.

I came away from the session confirming that Monica Tranel is that person and that I was backing the right candidate. Tranel has a deep Montana roots, a knowledge of the entire state, solid understanding of the issues Montanans face, and the ability to connect with a wide spectrum of our state’s citizens including those ready to cross party lines for the good of our state and citizens.

We deserve effective representation in the House of Representatives, something I feel we do not have now, and something Tranel can and will provide. It is for these reasons that I am supporting Monica Tranel for Congress.

— Michael DeGrosky, Missoula