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If only I could single-handedly vote Pam Holmquist out of office in the same way she is almost single-handedly turning Kalispell and our beautiful Flathead Valley into a commercial blight.

She appears to be cheerfully rubber-stamping every imaginable building project; anything, anytime, anywhere with no thought to aesthetics, zoning or future impact on what up to now made this land unique and should have been protected. (Which, by the way, is part of her job description.) I would not want that to be my legacy.

“The Last Best Place” has drunk the Kool-Aid and is well on its way to becoming no different than any other concrete jungle that many people came here to escape. And, it’s entirely possible that many of these establishments will not only be unnecessary eyesores but potentially future empty shells, as well. Not even enough sense to set these buildings back off the main streets and landscape the approach.

At least then you’ve tipped your hat to the term “open spaces” and the offending storefronts are not unavoidably in one’s face. Apparently, urban “planning” is not part of Ms. Holmquist’s agenda. Just because some of us don’t live in Flathead County doesn’t mean it doesn’t affect us or that we don’t care. Signed, “Helpless” in Lake County. —Kathryn Berg, Bigfork