Dave Smith, 56, has filed as a Democrat for Ravalli County Commissioner in District 2, the seat currently held by Greg Chilcott.
Smith is a fourth generation Bitterrooter and owner of Smith Roofing, Inc. which he founded in 1978 and incorporated in 1985. He has also worked for an outfitter as a hunting guide and packer, as well as contracting trail maintenance for the Forest Service.
Smith is married to Marci Mansfield Smith, owner of Mansfield Graphic Design, and they have two children, Gracie, 10, and Henry, 13. Marci serves as a trustee with the Victor Schools, currently the Vice Chair of the Victor School Board.
Smith completed four years of higher education at MSU in Fish and Wildlife management, and is a Hamilton High School alumni.
“We have a long family heritage of hunting, fishing and trapping,” says Smith. “My great uncle earned his living as a government trapper. I look forward every year to our family hunting trips and we rely on game to help fill out our freezer.”
He and his family live on the family farm west of Victor, originally settled by his grandfather, Otto, which he purchased from his parents over the past 30 years.
“I am a stockgrower/rancher and a member of the Western Montana Sheep Growers’ association,” says Smith. “We raise sheep and meat goats, are avid gardeners, and pride ourselves in eating as much as possible from what we produce on our farm. My wife bakes all of our bread, cans and freezes produce, makes yoghurt and cheese.”
According to Smith, his roofing company supports the community in many ways, and has installed roofs on a volunteer basis for the Gordon Reese cabin, Victor baseball field buildings and Victor School crow’s nest, to name just a few. He’s also a long time sponsor for All-Valley kids’ basketball program (formerly Kids’ First) as well as coach and also sponsors county little-league teams.
“I believe as your commissioner I can bring common sense, reason and an ability to work with all sides,” says Smith. “I think that as commissioner I will stick to the county business at hand, providing for adequate law enforcement and the general health and well being of residents. I will budget in a fair, consistent and conservative manner, keeping in mind the basic services the residents of the county expect and deserve. I would work to promote economic development of our natural resources – water, wildlife and wood – in a sustainable manner to support recreation, tourism, agriculture, wood products and energy.”