Six seek interim county position

The names of three nominees to fill a vacant spot on the Flathead County Commission are expected to be delivered to county commissioners today.

Members of the Republican Central Committee interviewed six men who applied for the District 1 commissioner spot Monday evening. The vacancy was created by the March 19 death of Jim Dupont.

Applicants are Mike Shepard, Cal Scott, John Raper, Lyle Phillips, Kirk Gentry and Doug Adams.

“We have six great candidates,” central committee Chairwoman Sandy Welch said. “All have great strengths. We’re going to be lucky whoever gets that seat.”

County commissioners must now appoint a person to work as an interim commissioner until the end of this year. County voters will elect a new District 1 commissioner in November.

Commissioners Dale Lauman and Pam Holmquist tentatively have scheduled interviews with the three nominees during the Monday, April 9 commissioners’ meeting, Lauman said. Those interviews will be open to the public.

Once the applicants are interviewed, the two sitting commissioners will confer and either select a third commissioner or reject all three nominees and ask the central committee for a new slate of names, Lauman said.

Replacing Dupont is a difficult process, Lauman said, but it’s necessary to have a third commissioner to ensure that the business of the county continues.

“We need to move forward and that’s why I’ve urged the central committee to work quickly,” he said.

The District 1 commissioner elected in November will remain in office until the end of 2014, when Dupont’s term would have expired.

Four of the six applicants for the interim job are also candidates for the office, along with four other Republicans. One will emerge from the June 5 primary election to face Democrat Gil Jordan in the November general election. Adams, Gentry, Scott and Shepard are applicants for the interim post and candidates in the election.

Phillips, of Whitefish, worked for years at the Columbia Falls Aluminum Co.

Raper, of Hungry Horse, spent much of his working career employed by the state of Iowa Transportation Department and was the Montana AARP president for two years in the early 2000s.

Gentry, of Columbia Falls, owns the Gentry River Ranch bed and breakfast and is an outfitter and guide.

Shepard is on the Columbia Falls City Council and is co-chairman of the county 911 board.

Adams, of Whitefish, is president of Design Turf Technologies, a firm that installs synthetic turf on golf courses, putting greens and ball fields. He is a former Whitefish City Council member.

Scott, of Columbia Falls, is founder and director of Enhancing The Homeownership Ideals for Communities education and counseling organization.