The Daily Inter Lake reached out to Kalispell City Council candidates running in the Nov. 7 municipal election. The information below was provided by the candidates and edited for spelling, punctuation and space.
Name: Kevin Aurich
Age: 55
Family: Two daughters, one son and three granddaughters
Occupation: Outside sales, Western Building Center
Community involvement: Kalispell Planning Board; member, National Rifle Association; volunteer, Veterans Coalition of NW Montana
Why are you the right candidate for the position?
I am a longtime resident of Northwest Montana, graduating from Lincoln County High School in 1986. I have seen Kalispell grow and I’m concerned that outside influences of West Coast beliefs will destroy our unique corner of Montana.
How can Kalispell manage infrastructure needs amid rapid growth?
The Council has been very proactive with infrastructure planning over hte past decade. You have to plan for the next 30 years. This growth pattern will slow down as we have seen in the past.
Audits of the police and fire departments point out the need for additional staff and equipment. How should Kalispell address public safety?
Public safety is a primary reason to have local funding. It is critical, and the needs outpace the government’s ability for taxes to fund services. This is a citizen issue where we need citizens to support the level of service they want.
What is the role of the city in addressing homelessness and housing issues?
Housing is a supply and demand issue for a city the size of Kalispell and the federal programs for assistance are for larger cities. The reduction of impact fees was a huge step to increasing our housing supply. If you look at the history of impact fees in Montana, they have been used to limit growth and development. Without the growth and development you reduce new inventory and prices go up. Just look at the history of Whitefish and Jackson Hole over the past 30 years.
Homelessness is not an issue the city can address other than to establish expectations of public behavior. The lax enforcement of crimes and illegal drug use make it seem accepted in society. I reject that. The issue of homelessness is also multifaceted: 1) mental health 2)drug abuse and addiction with the ease of access 3) pricing of homes (rent).
What other issues should the city be addressing?
With the influx of population I think that public services (KPD and fire department) along with transportation issue are of our biggest concerns. Traffic congestion can hinder response times for those life and death situations. We also have the need for more staff in both departments.
