County race: Schnebel responds to Mitchell

The following letter was sent by Stacey Schnebel, of Coram, the Democratic candidate for Flathead County Commissioner, to her Republican opponent, Phil Mitchell, of Whitefish, in response to Mitchell’s letter to the editor explaining why he wouldn’t participate in a public election debate and posing questions for Schnebel.

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I find your campaign strategy of excluding voters from their due participation in this election to be evasive. Our thoughts on the issues that face Flathead County should not be carefully edited and followed with a “Paid For By...” disclaimer.

And as candidates, it would be beyond inappropriate to “meet to determine ... optimal information flow to voters,” as you have suggested. However, I do welcome the opportunity to engage in some public discourse with you.

The purpose of debating is not to provide canned answers to frequently asked questions. Voters want to see how we think on our feet, how we problem solve, how we react to them and interact with them, and how we might perform as their public servant.

I admit that I will not have the answer to every question or a ready solution for every problem. Yet I still welcome every opportunity to interact with the residents of our county, including you and every one of your supporters.

In your letter to me on Sept. 22, you used the word “we” four times in questioning my stand on issues. Then, in a Sept. 25 newspaper article, you indicated that because you worked in a large successful company, you learned “the importance of surrounding [yourself] with intelligent people.” You stated that your “connections” are what make you the best candidate in this race.

You went on to detail that during your time on the Whitefish City Council, you called upon “friends and mentors with varying expertise” when you needed help with “foreign issues.” And you are quoted as saying, “It’s a lot of work” and “I’ve got a good team.”

The position of county commissioner is guaranteed to be a lot of work if you intend to do it well. If you are elected, will you need help making decisions that will affect our diverse population? Are you planning to call upon your friends from your Whitefish City Council days for advice on how to proceed with the business of the county?

I have to ask, as your opponent, as a voter and possibly as your future constituent, exactly who is the “team” who will be influencing your decisions?

Like many Montanans, I don’t really trust politicians, but I am optimistic that it’s not too late for our representative democracy to work for us. As a voter, I expect my elected officials to be capable of forming independent thoughts, and as a commissioner I will do exactly that.

Can you explain why you are running for county commissioner? Like you, I would have voted “no” on writing the letter regarding the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes Reserve Water Rights Compact, but not for the same reason. I do support the water compact, and I have full faith in the Reserved Water Rights Compact Commission, which has reached 17 successful agreements with Montana’s six other tribes as mandated by the 1979 Montana legislature.

Mr. Mitchell, I appreciate your demonstrated passion for this topic. Why did you choose to run for county commissioner instead of the Montana Legislature, where you would be able to affect the outcome of the water compact?

I do favor Whitefish’s proposal for a City-County Lakeshore Protection Committee. I have heard testimony from several members of the former Whitefish Lakeshore Protection Committee that for more than 30 years, the group was nonpartisan and worked toward one goal only — to protect the resource of the water in these lakes. I see nothing wrong with a group of interested and active citizens coming together to make a part of our county cleaner or to preserve it for future generations.

Mr. Mitchell, in the coming years, county leaders will need to do the work of repairing and rebuilding the relationship between the county and the city of Whitefish. What role do you see yourself playing in this process?

The effects of continual litigation on our changing natural resource development industry is certainly concerning. However, private industry such as F.H. Stoltze Land and Lumber Co. has the unique ability to adapt quickly to a volatile market. As a business person, it is inspiring to watch a heritage logging company like Stoltze adapt and prepare for its future as it has done for well over 100 years.

Mr. Mitchell, you have told the public a lot about what you oppose and what you will fight hard to stop, but I haven’t heard one solution from you to date. If you are elected county commissioner, how could you affect Judge Donald Molloy’s decision [that halted some logging on state lands north of Whitefish]? How will you help companies such as Stoltze?

It is the job of the county commissioner to look far into the future and make hard decisions to keep the Flathead livable and marketable. One definition of “smart growth” is “sustainable development that achieves a unique sense of community and place; expands the range of transportation, employment and housing choices; equitably distributes the costs and benefits of development; preserves and enhances natural and cultural resources; and promotes public health.” (source: Wikipedia) How could some consideration for any of these concepts be bad for the future of Flathead County?

Mr. Mitchell, how does your borrowed slogan of “less government and more jobs” affect your vision of the county’s role in preserving cultural heritage, protecting natural assets, and providing recreational opportunities like bike paths? As our population grows and ages, how do you envision the impact you will make for the future of the Flathead over the next six years?

I do agree with the “Individual Private Property Rights in Flathead Valley” as found in the preface of the 2012 Growth Policy.

Mr. Mitchell, in your Sept. 5 letter you say you stand for “protecting private property rights” and state that yours is a pro-business, pro-freedom platform. Where do you stand on fair and equal representation, regardless of ownership of business or property?

I welcome you to a public discussion at any one of the Town Hall meetings I have arranged for in October. I know voters will appreciate the chance to ask us questions and hear our answers.

Stacey Schnebel is the Democratic candidate for Flathead County Commissioner.