Sweeney, Qunell, Norton earn seats on Council
HEIDI DESCH | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 7 years AGO
Whitefish City Hall at the corner of East Second Street and Baker Avenue. (Heidi Desch/Whitefish Pilot)
DEPUTY EDITOR, FEATURES Heidi Desch is the Deputy Editor at the Daily Inter Lake, overseeing coverage of arts, culture, lifestyle, community, and business. Desch leads reporters in developing stories that highlight the people, traditions, and events shaping Northwest Montana, guiding content across print and digital platforms. With more than 20 years of journalism experience, including serving as managing editor of the Whitefish Pilot, Desch is a graduate of the University of Montana School of Journalism. She has received multiple Montana Newspaper Association awards, including part of the team leading the Daily Inter Lake to Best Daily Newspaper in Montana Award and the General Excellence Award in 2024 and 2025. IMPACT: Heidi’s work connects readers with stories that deepen the understanding of the community beyond daily news. | November 6, 2019 5:24 AM
Voters on Tuesday selected Frank Sweeney, Steve Qunell and Rebecca Norton to spots on City Council.
Mayor John Muhlfeld was also elected to serve a third term after running unopposed in the election. He earned 1,227 votes.
It was a five-way race for Council with the top three vote-getters earning seats. Ben Davis and Harry “Hap” Peters were unsuccessful in their bid for spots on Council.
Incumbent Sweeney earned the top number of votes at 929, followed by Qunell at 883. Norton squeaked out a win earning 793 votes, just 10 votes ahead of Davis.
Peters earned 489 votes.
Sweeney was the only incumbent seeking re-election. In 2009, Sweeney, an attorney, was appointed to fill an empty seat on Council and was later elected to Council in 2011, serving ever since.
Qunell, who is a teacher, is the chairman of the city Planning Board and has served on other city committees.
Norton has served on the city Planning Board and several city committees. She owns Handworks clinic and is certified hand and occupational therapist.
Muhlfeld was appointed in 2006 to serve a two-year vacancy position on City Council, and subsequently served six years on City Council. He successfully ran for mayor in 2011 and 2015. He is a hydrologist and principal with River Design Group, Inc., a water resources engineering firm.
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