Commissioner opponents prepare for primary election By Kristi Niemeyer For the Valley Journal
LAKE COUNTY — Absentee ballots were mailed last week to Lake County voters for the June 7 primary. Polls will be open across Lake County from 7 am.-8 p.m. on Election Day. To check your voter registration status, learn how to register, locate precincts and find a complete list of federal, statewide and district candidates, visit sosmt.gov/elections/. The Valley Journal is profiling candidates for contested primaries at the local level, beginning with the races for county commissioner for the south district. Profiles of the two county sheriff-coroner and three Justice of the Peace candidates will appear in next week’s paper. For more information on federal and statewide candidates, check out the online election guide published by Montana Free Press (montanafreepress.org). Incumbent County Commissioner Steve Stanley faces two opponents in the primary,
Max Krantz of Charlo and Roy Anderson of St. Ignatius. Since all three are Republicans and no Democrats filed, the top vote-getter will represent the south end of Lake County for a six-year term, beginning Jan. 1. Stanley, who lives north of St. Ignatius, was appointed to fill the commission seat last August when Dave Stipe stepped down. He served as county coordinator of Disaster and Emergency Services from 2000-2018 and was deputy coordinator from 1987 to 2000. He was also Lake County’s fire warden and his department took over management of the county’s 911 dispatch center in July 2017. He began his career in emergency services in 1978 as an EMT for Polson Ambulance, and also served as a volunteer firefighter from 1987 to 2007 for the Polson Fire Department. He spent 22 years as director of facilities and building services at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Polson. Those experiences, in tandem with overseeing budgets and personnel and serving as a com-
missioner for nearly a year, add up to “a long history of serving the citizens of Lake County … and significant understanding of Lake County’s governmental operations,” he writes. Anderson, also of St. Ignatius, is a lifelong resident of the Mission Valley and third generation farmer and rancher. He raised his children on the same ranch he grew up on. Over the years, he’s coached livestock teams for 4-H, been involved with school clubs and activities, and served on the St. Ignatius School Board, where he chaired both the finance and building committees. As a dairy farmer, he’s involved in marketing milk through “one of the largest member-owned co-ops in the United States.” His wife is an educator, and family members have served in the military, law enforcement, healthcare, and more – together representing “most aspects of Lake County life,” he writes. “Big changes are in store for us, from the rehabilitation of our irrigation project to resolution of our law enforcement agree-
Valley Journal
ments,” he says. “The right leadership and perspective can lead to better decisions resulting in a better quality of life here in Lake County.” Krantz, a Charlo-area resident, operates a ranch and construction and composting businesses, and is a graduate of Charlo schools. His family homesteaded in the Mission Valley in 1910, and relatives still own the original ranch. Krantz believes over three decades of work in road construction and the building trades, plus 47 years in ranching and farming, will contribute to his “boots on the ground” approach to county government. He also helped build docks on Flathead Lake, which gave him an understanding of the importance of clean water and a healthy environment. “I want to work hard to keep our beautiful majestic place as pristine as possible for our current citizens and future generations to enjoy,” he says. Here’s how the three candidates responded to VJ questions (please note, answers are edited
for length): VJ: With overcrowding an ongoing issue, what concrete steps can you take to move jail improvements and expansion forward? Stanley notes Lake County began improving the jail last September to make it safer for detention staff and prisoners and commissioners aim to complete those projects by July or August. “The biggest hurdle has been acquiring supplies and materials to accomplish the tasks,” he says. Anderson believes the county is taking appropriate steps but calls them “a Band-Aid to the problem. Until we resolve the issue with the Public Law-280 agreement, Lake County simply does not have the money” for a new jail, he says. Krantz supports a cooperative approach between the state, Tribes, and county to find a solution to financing a new jail, as well as pursuing grants and federal assistance. “If a bond is needed to help offset funding, I would look at restructuring the see page 8
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