Competition heats up for commissioner race

Two early contenders have stepped up to challenge Flathead County Commissioner Gary Krueger for the District 3 commission seat.

Filing for state and county offices opens Jan. 11 and runs through March 12.

Krueger, a Republican and West Valley farmer, said Tuesday he intends to run for a second six-year term.

Former Fairgrounds Manager Gerald “Jay” Scott of Kalispell is throwing his hat in the ring again on the Republican ticket. He lost to Krueger in the June 2012 primary by just 23 votes; it was a tight race that prompted a vote recount.

State Rep. Randy Brodehl, a Kalispell Republican, also intends to run for the District 3 commission seat.

District 3 includes the western part of Flathead County, an area that extends north of Olney, south of Lakeside and west to Marion.

Scott, 63, said he’s been keeping track of county business and how the commissioners have voted on various issues.

He’s a self-employed rancher, an active 4-H leader and community volunteer.

As a former county department head — he managed the fairgrounds for 12 years — Scott said he’s familiar with the county’s budgeting processes and understands how county government works. He added that his personal attributes of being a good listener and a team player are well-suited to being a county leader.

Brodehl, 63, is in his fourth term as a state legislator and can’t run again because of term limits. He’ll wrap up his job as representative the same time the county commissioner seat comes opening, “so I can make a seamless transition.

“I have a deep commitment to serving the county and the state of Montana and our community, and I can do that best in a public office,” Brodehl told the Daily Inter Lake. “I can hit the ground running in this job. I get government and I get people, and those two things are really important in a county government job.”

Brodehl owns a cabinet shop. He has a degree in fire service management and served for a time as Kalispell fire chief.

The county has invested heavily in capital improvements during Krueger’s time as a commissioner, building the South Campus Building and renovating and expanding the old jail south of the courthouse into space for the County Attorney’s Office. The fairgrounds have been upgraded and space in the Justice Center was converted into a temporary county jail addition.

Lynnette Hintze may be reached at 758-4421 or lhintze@dailyinterlake.com.