Countdown to county elections

Brodehl for county commissioner

Randy Brodehl is clearly the most qualified in the commissioner race. Randy has a great reputation for knowing finances and being on top of the numbers all eight years of his serving in Helena. Randy has always been honest and straight-forward. What Randy tells you to your face is what he says behind your back.

Sadly that can’t be said of any of the other candidates.

Gerald “Jay” Scott would have us believe he was somehow wronged in his being let go at the fairgrounds. Jay is a schmoozer and made lots of friends, but for 18 years he did not take care of business. Jay did not make sure that he took care of our monies. Had Jay been in the private sector he would have been fired or bankrupt in his first year, but because it was government he skated.

Gary Krueger, current commissioner, has a low reputation among his neighbors. In asking about Gary, you find that his word and ethics are lacking. Even the simple things of ethics seem to mean nothing to Gary. In my experience, you can drive by Gary’s place during a burn ban and Gary burns anyway. The list is long when it comes to egregious acts he has pulled over the years, but the most egregious is his support for the Salish and Kootenai water compact, an illegal piece of legislation that steals the very life-giving water from Montanans and gives that water to a pseudo sovereign nation.

The most comprehensive information on the water compact is: https://westernmtwaterrights.wordpress.com.

When it comes to honesty and integrity there is none equal to Randy Brodehl.

I and my family we are excited that Randy Brodehl would step forward and pray that he is our next county commissioner. —Leonard Falk, Kalispell

Jordan White for sheriff

I attended the sheriff candidates’ forum on April 26 and was disappointed that, while all four candidates stated they were “for Second Amendment rights,” when asked about school safety, their answers revolved around drug problems rather than guns and the value of the presence of armed school staff trained in effective use of firearms.

I was disappointed that most of the candidates think larger jails and more deputies are what will make us safer. One candidate asked repeatedly, when referring to taxpayer dollars for more law enforcement agents, “What’s your safety worth to you?” To this I would answer, “It is not worth the price of individual liberty eroded in proportion to building the police state.”

No candidate mentioned the value of the armed citizen to our safety. Flathead Pastor Chuck Baldwin’s column entitled “Guns Save Over Two Million Lives in America Every Year” talks about the 1995 publication by Florida State University criminologist Professor Gary Kleck, revealing that firearms are used in self-defense in this country over 6,800 times a day. For every one homicide committed in the U.S. with a gun, at least 266 lives are saved with a gun.

One candidate for sheriff recognizes the duty, rights and value of the armed citizen. Jordan White spoke at the Flathead Patriots Day Celebration at the fairgrounds Expo Building. Prior to the gathering, Jordan White confirmed with the KPD, Sheriff’s Office and County Attorney’s Office that it was lawful for participants in the celebration to bear guns in the county building. His findings contradicted urban legend to the contrary.

I heard Jordan White speak on another occasion and like his character and credentials. I believe he will uphold and defend our constitutional rights. I urge you to vote for Jordan White. —Brenda Hambrick, Lakeside

Vote for Ronalee Skees for county commissioner

Visiting with Ronalee I found she is very loving and has the ability to show you respect by listening carefully to you and your concerns for the future of our county and would be very careful with how the taxpayers’ money is spent.

She is Christian, very intelligent, honest lady and brings with her years of experience by participating in the following — Flathead City-County Board of Health, Kalispell Planning and Zoning Commission, Montana Alzheimers Association, Age Friendly Flathead, Steering Committee, Flathead County Community Drug Task Force, Leadership Flathead Class of 2016, Member of Rotary and much more.

She has also been active in serving in nonprofit work and volunteerism in many other areas. Please vote for Ronalee. She will make an excellent commissioner. —Marianne Dyon, Whitefish

Calvin Beringer for sheriff

As an honorably discharged officer from the Army, I (and my wife, Muffin) support Calvin Beringer for sheriff.

Calvin is the only candidate for sheriff who has served in the military. Military training develops distinct and elite character traits. Those of us who have a military background recognize those qualities and see them in Calvin’s leadership in law enforcement, business ventures, volunteer service and personal relationships.

Calvin is honorable and accountable. He is a man of Christian faith and a man of his word. He is disciplined, physically and mentally tough, trained and proficient in his law enforcement tactics and military skills.

For these reasons and more, we endorse and support Calvin Beringer for sheriff of Flathead County. I urge you to cast your vote for him on June 5. Please realize how important this vote is, as it is final — there is no person running on the opposing ticket. —Paul Vallely, Bigfork

Managhan should drop out of JP election

I am writing to encourage William Managhan to do the right thing and withdraw from the race for justice of the peace. The recent revelation that he is under review of ethical violations as a lawyer is reason enough. But as I have watched his campaign, I have found him to be on shaky ethical ground throughout.

Mr. Managhan seems to have presented himself to the voting public based on half-truths. He claims to have integrity and judgment, yet failed to inform the voters about this ethical complaint until the newspaper forced him to confront the issue. I do not find him to be honest or forthright. It is bad enough to have a lawyer out there acting that way, but it is 100 percent wrong for that person to then want to be a judge.

It is hard for me to believe that Mr. Managhan did not know this complaint was pending or forthcoming. He should have done the right thing and told the voters about this issue BEFORE we read it in the newspaper.

He says the complaint is unfair. What would be unfair is hiding this information from voters until after the election. What is unfair is that Mr. Managhan wanted the voters of Flathead County to elect him to a positon of power when this information was known to him and he did not disclose it.

The only reasonable action for Mr. Managhan is to withdraw from the race. He should do the right thing. —Jenn Alexander, Kalispell