Wayne Saverud to be sworn in on March 19

The Kalispell City Council elected Wayne Saverud on a 5-3 vote Thursday to be its ninth member.

He will be sworn in March 19 to replace Bob Herron. Herron resigned because he has moved out of town.

Saverud, a small-business man, served on the City Council from 1977 to 1988. He has served on boards for at least 10 area business, arts, health and church organizations.

The council split 4-4 on four votes Monday between selecting Saverud and Connie Leistiko, a former attorney who is on the Kalispell police advisory council.

Mayor Pam Kennedy, plus council members Randy Kenyon, Duane Larsen and Kari Gabriel voted for Leistiko, while council members Bob Hafferman, Hank Olson, Tim Kluesner and Jim Atkinson voted for Saverud.

That led to a special noon Thursday meeting to resolve the deadlock.

On the first Thursday vote, the eight council members voted the same way as they did Monday.

Then on the second ballot, Kenyon switched his vote to eliminate a potential long-running standoff. "We needed to get this over with. We need to move on," Kenyon said.

Saverud and Leistiko, who sat next to each other Thursday, said they agreed that one would drop out if the council looked as if it would be deadlocked for a significant time.

"I want to congratulate Wayne. He'll do a great job," Leistiko said.

Five people - Saverud, Leistiko, Franklyn Jones, John Harlow and Robert Norwood - applied to finish Herron's term, which expires Dec. 31. Consequently, Saverud will have to run for election Nov. 6 if he wants to continue serving in 2008.

Although council members praised all five applicants, they nominated only Saverud and Leistiko.