Brenneman understands the big picture

There are alot of discussions right now about state and national political contests. The truth is that the race that will have the most immediate impact on our day to day lives is right here in the Flathead. Joe Brenneman is running for county commissioner. Joe is a 4th generation farmer and firefighter. He sits on a variety of agricultural and business boards but most importantly he is a consensus builder. He understands the challenges that the Flathead is facing and believes that we are all county citizens whether we live in Bigfork, Kalispell, Whitefish, Columbia Falls, or the country.

It is rumored that Joe's challenger would like to bring Dale Williams on as county administrator if she wins the post. She fought hard to get Dale reelected in 2002. Now the favor is being reversed. Previously with Dale, the city/county cooperative planning office of Kalispell was dismantled. Recently, after asking the city of Whitefish if they wanted to increase their zoning jurisdiction -although a larger planning area was lost - two of the current commissioners simply pulled the plan off the table after Whitefish finally agreed. I want to see the county get out of the dark ages of territorial wars. We need a commission that won't make residents feel like we're playing football with Lucy from the Peanuts comic strip.

A recent think tank hosted by county-wide Chambers of Commerce overwhelmingly listed a need for elected officials who can bring a cooperative spirit to issues we face. Someone who can work on the big picture of planning, traffic, and health and protective services. That person is Joe Brenneman.

Karen Reeves