Holmquist seeks second term

Flathead County Commissioner Pam Holmquist filed for re-election on Thursday, touting her ability to solve problems and keep the county financially on track.

Holmquist, current chairwoman of the commission, was elected in 2010 and represents District 2, the central and southeastern areas of the county.

A fiscal conservative, Holmquist, a Republican, said the county budget is in “excellent” shape.

“The new county building construction is on budget and being built without taxpayer debt,” she stated in a press release, referring to the South Campus Building and old jail renovation that are being funded largely with federal money that compensates local governments for nontaxable federal land.

Job creation was one of Holmquist’s biggest goals when she first campaigned in 2010. She said she wants to continue her work to make Flathead County inviting to businesses. She supported the enterprise overlay district to expand commercial uses in Evergreen and the federal grant to remove the railroad tracks in Kalispell and develop Glacier Rail Park.

Holmquist said she also has advocated to make the county Planning Office more user-friendly. She pushed for the property owners’ “bill of rights” that became part of the county growth policy in 2012.

Holmquist said she’s proud of the county’s successful effort to gain planning control of the “doughnut” area around Whitefish and restore representation to the affected property owners.

“Those people can now vote for the officials who regulate them,” she said.

She opposed the controversial tribal water compact that was adopted by the state Legislature.

“I think that if Congress approves it, history will show this was a bad deal for Flathead County and Montana residents,” she stated in the press release.

Holmquist and her husband, Wes, own and operate Rocky Mountain Marine in Evergreen.