by Nathan B0ddy
For the past two weeks, the Bitterroot Star has run side-by-side looks at the candidates for City Council. In this last installment, the candidates for Ward 3 have their opportunity to introduce themselves to readers. Due to Councilor Claire Kemp’s decision to not seek reelection, Ward 3 residents will be choosing from two candidates, Darwin Ernst and Kenneth Allen. Ballots have been mailed and must be received by 8 PM on November 2nd.
Both candidates have been asked to write a piece about themselves and to answer the following questions:
1. Why are you running for a seat on the City Council?
2. What issues are most important to you and why? (Feel free to add ideas that you might bring to the table.)
3. Why are you the best candidate for the position?
Darwin Ernst
My parents moved to Montana from Minnesota when I was seven years old. We lived in a manufactured home on Cooley Street in Missoula where I slept in a small bedroom with my two sisters in the middle of a three-tiered, staggered “bunkbed”, my father had crafted from used lumber he brought home from the Bonner Mill where he worked the night shift applying glue to boards. It wasn’t the greatest initial Montana experience, but we all somehow made it work and looking back, I feel as though it was a milestone that helped me with making good life decisions.
Since the family move into Montana, I have had more than few different experiences, held a variety of jobs, and received a sound education. After graduating with honors and a Bachelor of Arts Degree (Pre-med) from Concordia College in Chicago, I now have a career working remotely from my home in Hamilton as a residential review appraiser for HomeStreet Bank as a Certified Residential Real Estate Appraiser with licenses in WA, ID, UT, and MT, and I am also a Montana licensed Real Estate Broker working at Eickert Realty, LLC, which is located here in the beautiful Bitterroot Valley of Montana.
Prior leadership positions include: Adjudication Panel Chair and Board member on the Montana Real Estate Appraiser Licensing Board for six years, President of the Montana Chapter of the Appraisal Institute, and member of the 2020 Z765 Square Footage Standard Update Committee (national method standard for calculating square footage of detached single family residential homes). I also had nine years as a biology lab assistant at Rocky Mountain Laboratories studying mad cow disease.
Ultimately, I now have 20+ years of experience as a Montana certified residential real estate appraiser, 13 years of experience as a real estate agent (now Broker) serving the Bitterroot market area, and experience as a member on both State and National Boards/committees. I also currently serve as the Chair of the Ravalli County Tax Appeal Board, Chair of the City of Hamilton’s Zoning Board of Adjustments, Governor on the Montana Regional Multiple Listing Service, elected by the Bitterroot Valley Board of Realtors, and volunteer for the Bitterroot Winter Special Olympics. I also was recently elected to be a future National board member representing Region 1 (MT, ID, WA, OR, AK & Northern CA) of the Appraisal Institute.
1) Why are you running for a seat on the City Council?
I am running to become the next Council member of Ward Three in the City of Hamilton, because I feel it is my responsibility to do so at this time in my life. I have held, or currently hold, a number of other positions on other State and/or National Boards and/or Organizations, so I think it is my responsibility to offer some of my time and leadership skills and experience within the City of Hamilton.
2) What issues are most important to you and why?
Safety of our citizens, cleanliness of our community, affordable housing, adequate funding, responsible leadership, support for local businesses, adequate school facilities, adequate elderly care facilities, and an over-all goal for a community awareness and cohesiveness. This list of important issues can obviously be much longer, but these are the first things that come to mind when asked about issues that are important to me. Here are my current top three issues, which all of nearly equal priority:
I believe the citizens of Hamilton would benefit greatly from working with Amy Fox, the new Hamilton City Parks & Urban Forestry Director, connecting the various public parks currently located along the river corridor, so people could traverse from one end of our city to the other end along pathways near the river with minimal impediments or interference from road traffic.
Affordable housing is at a critical tipping point for many people living in and/or around the City of Hamilton, so potential solutions need to be a priority for the Council, or we will have many more homeless people living in our community.
Safety for the citizens living in Hamilton and those who are visiting our community, regardless of their political affiliation, religion, sex, or race. I believe it is imperative for our city council members to make every effort to have everyone in our community feel that they are part of a community that promotes harmony among its citizens and extends a warm and friendly welcome to others who may have recently joined our community.
3) Why are you the best candidate for the position?
I have lived in (or near) the City of Hamilton since 1987, which is far longer than my opposition, so I am more familiar with the citizens within Hamilton and its immediate surroundings, as well as any potential issue to be considered by the Council.
I have the most experience serving on similar Boards and/or Committees, including National Boards/committees, State Boards, and most importantly the City of Hamilton’s Zoning Board of Adjustments, which I currently serve as the Chair.
I am also the most rational, reasonable, and reliable candidate, who is ready to take on the challenges of being the next Council member for the City of Hamilton, representing Ward 3!
I am grateful for this opportunity and hope to serve the Citizens in Ward 3 of the City of Hamilton pending the election this coming November!
Kenneth Allen
I settled down in Hamilton, Montana seven years ago. I decided to chase after the American dream and become an entrepreneur. I opened Brewskis Sports Bar in 2014. Right out of high school I served in the US Marine Corps. It taught me many of the basic corps’ values that I still hold myself too today. Serving also inspired my pursuit of a career in the Criminal Justice Field. I worked as a Corrections Officer for six years and earned a degree in Criminal Justice. I am currently a Volunteer Firefighter with the Hamilton fire department and live here in Hamilton with my beautiful family including three step kids and a newborn son.
1) Why are you running for a seat on the City Council?
The Bitterroot Valley is a place to be protected along with our Conservative values. Today our community is facing challenges that we have never seen before. Many of these challenges infringe on our personal, God given rights. In order to have your voice heard, you must make some contribution. For me, running for City Council is my opportunity to be involved and to represent the interests of our community. The fight starts at the local level.
2) What issues are most important to you and why?
There are many issues facing our community, but I feel that the most important surround growth, infrastructure, affordable housing, traffic, and safety for pedestrians.
3. Why are you the best candidate for the position?
The purpose of a City Council Representative is to protect the public’s interest, to look at the city’s goals and major projects, and to make meaningful changes for the community’s benefit. Being a representative for the people isn’t about pushing my opinions and personal agenda. I will be a voice for the people. I will uphold community values and make effective changes to local policies for public benefit. And I will face the difficult challenges that our community is fighting against while upholding our rights.