Candidates vie for pair of seats on sewer board

Two new candidates will challenge two incumbents in the election for a pair of seats on the five-member Bigfork County Water and Sewer District board of directors. Election ballots will be mailed to all active voters within the Bigfork district today, Oct. 19.

Mike Houtonen and Bob Hand currently hold the positions that are up for re-election. Houtonen, who has been on the board since 1991, said he is proud of the work the group has done in the last two decades and feels it is in residents’ best interest to maintain continuity among board members.

Mike Haines, Gene Helberg and Mark Langlois round out the five-member board of directors.

“We have been able to keep the cost of our services very competitive, and I’m very proud of that,” Houtonen said.

Hand, who was appointed to fill an opening on the board two years ago, said his experience working on both the Bigfork board and a water board in Woods Bay make him a strong candidate for election.

“I have experience working with engineers to put in water systems, and I think that having spent several years in the excavation business, I can bring that knowledge to the table too,” Hand said.

According to Hand, the current board represents a good mix of expertise and community involvement.

“We have what I feel is good continuity to our board right now,” Hand said.

Challengers Tim Calaway and Fred Sterhan, however, feel the board could use some fresh ideas and perspectives on how water and sewer services are priced and distributed.

“There seems to be some inequality on who is served and how much they are charged,” Calaway said. “I don’t think they are as transparent as they need to be when it comes to the determination of fees.”

Calaway has run a construction business in Bigfork for the last 35 years. He was a member of the Bigfork Land Use Advisory Committee for 11 years, and he served nine years as a member of the Flathead County Planning Board.

“I’ve been approached by several people who feel the (water and sewer) board is anti-development, anti-growth, which is pretty important for my industry,” Calaway said. “I don’t want things to get out of hand, but I think a nice, steady growth is good for the community.”

Sterhan, who has been the director of the Marina Cay Resort for 23 years, echoed Calaway’s sentiments.

“A big concern I have is making sure the policies are well-established and fair, and that everyone is treated equally as far as billing goes,” Sterhan said.

Sterhan has experience serving on a variety of boards over the years. He has been on the board for the Montana Innkeepers Association for 18 years and the American Hotel & Lodging Association for six years.

“Although they (the current board) have lots of experience, I think it might be good to bring in some new ideas and look at things from more of a business standpoint,” Sterhan said. “They (water and sewer) are public utilities. They’re there to serve the public, not to act as a roadblock.”

Ballots for the election are due back to the election department by 8 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 8. Completed ballots can also be dropped off at the secure ballot box that will be placed in the Bigfork Water and Sewer District main office, located at 108 Harbor Heights Boulevard.

Those who do not receive a ballot in the mail may either reactivate their voter registration or register to vote and receive a ballot by visiting the election department at its temporary location, 1035 First Avenue West.

Late registration will end at noon on Nov. 7 and will resume at 7 a.m. and run until 8 p.m. on Election Day.