My name is Rick Blake and I love this town. My two children go to school here. My wife performs regularly with our local theater companies. We ski, we boat and we give thanks every day for the stunning natural beauty that surrounds us.

Because our family lives here and loves this town, I have become active in our local politics. I am a conservative, no doubt about it. But much of local government isn't about left wing or right wing — it's about common sense. For instance, what is the "conservative" or "liberal" position on a vibrant, historic downtown or clean water? We all support these concepts. The challenge is simply how to implement them.

By way of background, I set up the Web site "Weloveourlake.com" earlier this year to address some of the goofier proposed lakeshore regulations. I am pleased that, working together, we convinced the Whitefish City Council to modify some of the sillier proposals that had nothing to do with clear water.

I also created Common Sense Whitefish PAC, a registered political action committee, so that I could participate in our local elections consistent with our election laws. Two winters ago, I disputed councilor John Muhlfeld's election to the city council on the basis of his residency. And, while I still question his pre-election residency, Mr. Muhlfeld won that case and has proven to be a diligent, committed city councilor.

Lastly, I am a member of the real estate partnership that is restoring the former Flanagan's Central Station building, now known as 100 Central. We are doing our best to make the remodeled building fit better with our historic downtown.

Turning to this fall's city council elections, I think it is important that Whitefish remains the pro-kid, fun, economically diverse, community-minded town it was when we moved here a decade ago. I'm willing to participate, organize and challenge if that's what it takes to keep it this way. So, I will push our city council to pursue regulations that make sense, develop an understandable budget, limit tax and fee increases, listen to its citizens and spend within our means.

Patrick Henry said, "The Constitution is not an instrument for the government to restrain the people, it is an instrument for the people to restrain the government — lest it come to dominate our lives and interests." Like Henry, I believe that our individual freedoms are fundamental to who we are as Americans. And I believe that our protection of these freedoms begins in our local community.

Like most of you, I haven't decided who I will support this fall. But I know it won't be any incumbents. The rampant litigation, the "do as I say, not as I do" approach to governance, the lack of hospitality to business and jobs, and the unwillingness to listen or accommodate the most simple requests of its citizens — these are indicators of a city council hopelessly out of touch. For that reason, I hope that you join me in voting for change this election.

Please let me know your views, either by e-mailing me at Rick@WeLoveStumptown.com or grab me when you see me in town driving my rig with American flags on it. I would love to hear from you and work together to keep Whitefish as special as ever.

Rick Blake lives in the Whitefish area.