Letters to the editor May 2

Montana needs a fighter

Being a Montanan is not something you can teach or buy; it’s gotta come natural. We don’t care much for out-of-state endorsements and big D.C. money telling us who to elect or what’s important. We care about whether this place actually matters to you, whether you’ve put in the time in our communities, listened more than you talk, and have proven you’ll fight for us.

That’s why I’m supporting Ryan Busse for Congress.

Ryan isn’t some candidate cooked up in a D.C. backroom. He’s spent years traveling this state, sitting across from Montanans and hearing it straight, about this healthcare crisis, rising costs, threats to our public lands and the real pressure people feel trying to make ends meet in towns that too often get overlooked.

There’s a lot of money and D.C. influence flowing into this state right now, trying to tell you who to vote for.

Ryan has already proven he will fight and sacrifice for this place, and if there was ever a time to make sure we vote for a proven leader, it’s now. We must win this race and send someone with backbone to Washington.

We’ve got plenty of folks in Congress who don’t have the backbone to fight for universal healthcare or take on the insurance industry. We don’t need another one of those. We need someone who’s willing to call it like it is and fight like hell for the people back home.

If you want a representative who’s tough, independent, and determined to get things done, Ryan’s your guy. I hope you’ll join me in supporting him.

— Former Gov. Brian Schweitzer, Seeley Lake

Heino cares about kids safety

As former transportation director at Bigfork School District, I recall meeting Sheriff Brian Heino. 

He made himself available to conduct training sessions and safety initiatives with our school bus drivers and students. He worked tirelessly to make Safety Resource Officers become a reality in Flathead County schools. When there was an uptick in “red runners” (cars passing school buses stopped with red lights flashing), Sheriff Heino organized a sting operation in which county deputies followed school buses to catch would-be violators. 

Sheriff Henio was a big supporter of HB 267, a state law passed in 2021 which required all school buses to be equipped with a 6-foot stop-arm. To this day, he ensures school buses in Flathead County adhere to this law.

I have firsthand experience in working with Sheriff Heino. What we don’t need is a “traffic consultant” taking over such an important role as sheriff. No one can come close to Sheriff Heino’s accomplishments in keeping Flathead County safe. That is why I encourage everyone to vote for proven results versus glittering generalities.

— Rob Tracy, Bigfork

A voice for everyone

I’m running for the Whitefish Fire Service Area board of trustees because our community is facing a growing fire and insurability crisis-and we need a clear, long-term plan to address it.

A recent First Street study found that 99% of properties in our area face significant wildfire risk over the next 30 years. At the same time, rising, catastrophic losses are making it harder and more expensive for homeowners across the surface area to obtain insurance.

Despite these realities, the current board is proposing a short-term fix to a long-term problem.  Rather than developing a comprehensive plan that identifies priorities, cost, funding sources and timelines, they are asking county commissioners to approve a significant fee increase without a vote of the residence who pay it.

This isn’t about serving a small group — it’s about ensuring fair representation for a large and overlooked portion of the service area, including the many homeowners who live between the city of Whitefish and Farm to Market Road. These residents make up a significant share of those paying for for fire protection, yet many still face long response times and ongoing insurance challenges.

A Carnegie Mellon study highlighted substantial gaps in fire protection on the west side of the service area, yet current proposals, prioritize additional staffing for the city of Whitefish and costly upgrades to existing facilities — neither of which will improve response times or ensure ability for many residents.

I’m running to bring thoughtful, long-term planning, financial accountability and a stronger voice for all who live within the 75-square-mile service area.

We can do better, and we should.

— David Ordway, Whitefish

Cole has energy and experience

I am writing to wholeheartedly endorse Brian D. Cole for the position of Whitefish Fire District trustee. Brian brings an action-oriented uplifting spirit to any endeavor he pursues.

Brian’s roots here are deep. He is well known as the former manager of Nelson’s Ace Hardware in Whitefish (six years). He has 40 plus years of retail business management and leadership experience including with local firms Third Street Market, Midway Equipment Rental and Hanson’s True Value Hardware in Kalispell.

Brian was a volunteer firefighter for the city of Selah, Washington for four plus years. Brian trained as a structural firefighter, wildland firefighter and as an EMT. He was honored to receive the fire department’s “Rookie of the Year” and “Firefighter of the Year” awards. He is proud of his service in the Selah Fire Department to this very day. I recall him telling me more than once that those were among the best years of his life.

Brian will energize the process to create an annual Whitefish Fire Service Area Strategic Plan. His goal is to improve response times to the 75-square mile area, the wildland-urban interface west of the city. The under-utilized Station 22 at Whitefish Stage and Hodgson Roads may be part of the solution. Brian will collaborate with the Whitefish Fire Department, Flathead County commissioners, the west of Whitefish group and other stakeholders. This collaboration will move to improve response times, increase staffing levels and secure long-term funding.

When you first meet Brian, you will understand that he genuinely likes people. He leads with a giving hand. He cares about our community and people from a variety of backgrounds. He leads by example, always keeps moving and gets things done.

Please vote for Brian D. Cole for Whitefish Fire District trustee.

— Coleman Joel Ross, Whitefish