A contested race on both the Republican and Democratic tickets for the Flathead County District 1 county commission seat materialized late Monday.

Republican Commissioner Cal Scott filed for re-election late Monday afternoon, just before the 5 p.m. deadline. So did Democrats John H. “Jack” Garlitz of Whitefish and Stacey L. Schnebel of Coram.

Garlitz worked for the railroad for 42 years, retiring in 2002.

Schnebel, 36, and her husband own and operate two businesses in the Coram area — UnderCurrent Web, a website optimization company, and the Stonefly Lounge, a bar and music venue. 

She is vice president of the Columbia Falls Area Chamber of Commerce and president of the Trapline Association, a nonprofit organization that puts on Cabin Fever Days. A mother of two young children, Schnebel also is involved with Canyon Community Cleanup and Canyon Community Watch.

Scott’s bid for another six-year term creates a contested race against Phil Mitchell, the other Republican running for the District 1 commissioner seat. They will face off in the June 3 primary election.

Scott, 70, said his last-minute decision to file wasn’t “gamesmanship” but rather a matter of resolving some family issues. He was appointed to represent District 1, the northern tier of the county, after Jim Dupont died in March 2012, and was elected in November that year to fill out the remaining two years of Dupont’s term.

“What I bring to the table is learned objectivity, an open mind and a willingness to listen to all people of Flathead County,” Scott said.

Mitchell, 61, is a Whitefish businessman who spent many years constructing well-known golf courses worldwide. He also has operated several small businesses in the Flathead Valley and currently owns and manages real estate in the Whitefish area.

“People tell me they want a fiscally conservative county commissioner with integrity, who understands the county budget and economic opportunities, and who is willing to make tough choices on behalf of the taxpayers,” Mitchell said.

Jack Eggensperger, a former school superintendent in Darby, filed Friday for the county superintendent of schools position. Prior to his filing that day, current Superintendent of Schools Marcia Sheffels filed for re-election, but she withdrew from the race on Monday.

Sheffels said when Friday came and no one had filed yet for her position, she decided to file.

“There was no way I’d jump ship with all those schools if there was no one else filing,” said Sheffels, who is planning to retire at the end of the year.

When retired Evergreen Schools Superintendent Joel Voytoski brought Eggensperger by her office to introduce him, she said she was pleased with Eggensperger’s credentials.

Eggensperger, 64, most recently spent eight and a half years working as a contractor for the federal government, running the GED program for the Trapper Creek Job Corps Center south of Darby. 

He spent 19 years as superintendent of schools in Darby, resigning in 2004 after the school board there was embroiled in a contentious public debate about a proposed policy that would have required the Darby Schools’ science teachers to question the theory of evolution.

“That just split the town,” Eggensperger said, explaining how Darby residents voted down the proposed policy in the biggest election turnout in the town’s history. “I was completely burned out.”

Prior to his time in Darby, Eggensperger was superintendent of Lambert School in Eastern Montana from 1987 to 1991. 

There’s a four-way race for clerk and recorder that includes county grant writer Debbie Pierson plus Char Terry Sherman and Rebekah Eslick Savelle, both former employees of the Clerk and Recorder Office. Corey Pilsch, shop and fleet supervisor for the county Road and Bridge Department, filed for clerk and recorder on Thursday. All four candidates are seeking the Republican nomination. The clerk and recorder also serves as election administrator, surveyor and auditor. 

Current Clerk and Recorder Paula Robinson is retiring.

In three other partisan county races, the incumbents are running unopposed. They are Treasurer Adele Krantz, County Attorney Ed Corrigan and Sheriff Chuck Curry. All three are Republicans.

Flathead County Justices of the Peace Dan Wilson and Mark Sullivan are seeking re-election and also have no opposition for their nonpartisan positions.

Features editor Lynnette Hintze may be reached at 758-4421 or by email at lhintze@dailyinterlake.com.