I spent most of my life as a Republican, but when I came to the Bitterroot I discovered that the local party was very different from the party whose principles I had grown to know and respect.
I am now independent and vote for people I think are honest and intelligent. Being ethical is more important than being loyal to downright odd principles which don’t seem at all like the party for which I voted over many years. My party didn’t take orders from oddballs in Texas.
The treasurer, appointed by the Three who seem to dominate the commission, has “filed” checks in her desk instead of depositing them, neglected the posting of our taxes, forgotten to disburse funds to our schools, libraries, fire protection and irrigation districts, cities, and other necessary entities. It seems we need help for the treasurer to do her job. We need to hire a treasurer to help the treasurer. The treasurer couldn’t even come to a meeting called by the chairman specifically for her to answer questions! By the way, why does she go by two last names and have her payroll check made out to a third name, Valerie Scott? But she is a Ravalli-style Republican… and the candidate of the Three.
After all, didn’t the commission hire the head of the local Republican Party to be in charge of planning? And didn’t he need to hire a planner, because he is a surveyor, not a planner; but he is a Ravalli-style Republican, appointed by the Three.
Who appointed the “ambassador” to the Tribal Nations, causing our county to apologize for his words? The Three!
Whoever heard of checking candidates’ backgrounds after hiring? The HR director and the Three!
What about the mess in the road department? Isn’t there a legal suit or more stemming from the mess made there by the actions of the Three?
The three have spent more county funds to have a new report on an airport the citizens don’t want. We voted that what we have now should be fixed. Who is pushing for this noisy and polluting redo? The Three! If Suzy International is ever built I hope the planes fly over the Foss property several times a day. Who would benefit from a greatly expanded airport close to Stevi and Missoula? Supporters of the Three!
I will never pull the lever for either party again without a good look at the candidates.
There must be others like me who want to know who hijacked the Republican Party and caused its principles to become so distorted that incompetents hire incompetents.
From here on out I will vote for people who respect the public interest, who have integrity and not ideology as their guide. I will carefully educate myself on the candidates. It is my fond hope that others will do the same, and in November we will see the end of this blatant abuse of the public interest by the Three!
Kathie Roubik
Hamilton