Polson mayoral candidates speak out
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POLSON — Polson’s three mayoral candidates — Heather Knutson, Michael Brandt and Bob Fulton — spoke about themselves and their reasons for running for mayor at the Pachyderm meeting on Sept. 27.
Michael Brandt moved to Polson four years ago. He grew up near Philadelphia is a community dealing with some of the same problems Polson does. This is his first bid for political office.
One of his reasons for running for mayor is based on his understanding of media coverage of local, state and national issues.
“It looks like our system is broken,” Brandt said, “with spending, favoritism and a general failure to get things done.”
Local spending, favoritism and corruption are problems, and Brandt said he doesn’t see why people “stand back and let this happen.”
Another reason he’s running for mayor is his analytical nature. Combined with a pretty open schedule and owning his own business, Brandt said he could block out time to look at issues.
When questioned about his background working with people and personalities, Brandt said he worked in retail and managed a store in Philadelphia for five years.
In his own business, as a web designer, Brandt contacts his clients daily. He also operates a business, stemming from the four-leaf clovers found on his and his girlfriend’s lawn. The couple laminates and sells the clovers over the internet.
“I believe in service to my community and my county; I have the ability, resources and time,” Brandt finished.
Besides running his own business, Bob Fulton worked for the City of Polson as City Engineer for 24 years so he has an advantage in knowing about its inner workings.
He’s made no secret of his feelings about current city government and its “failure to graciously accept citizen input.”
There’s favoritism in city hall, for certain developers and certain employees, Fulton said.
“For people to have trust and confidence in city government,” Fulton said, “everybody who comes before it gets the same treatment.”
As chair of the city/county planning board, he said all are treated the same before that board.
When questioned about whether he felt he would be more helpful as a commissioner or as a mayor, since the mayor doesn’t vote, Fulton told the questioner that, under the charter form of government, the mayor can vote at any time.
“The mayor does represent the city, but more importantly, they establish the tone of city commission meeting,” Fulton said.
He doesn’t like the way some people are “isolated as a group and treated with disdain.”
Another problem Fulton said, was that, “right now, if you submit a question to the city, either in writing or by phone, you are not likely to get an answer.”
Since he grew up in the south, Fulton said he thinks “people deserve the courtesy of an answer, even if you don’t like the answer.”
“There’s something wrong (with Polson’s city government,” he said. “I waited until the last day to run. It is firmly my belief that a change needs to be made in the way this government works.”
“I am running for mayor because I have to quit complaining or do something,” Fulton said.
He added that he loves Polson, but city government should be responsive to the people who live here.
Asked if his history questioning city government would put him at a disadvantage, Fulton replied that Polson City Attorney James Raymond dislikes him but that if he were elected mayor, it would be Raymond’s responsibility to work with whoever was elected mayor.
Heather Knutson was born and raised in Polson, a third-generation Polsonian. After attending Polson schools, she attended Montana State University and studied business and marketing. Before returning home to Polson, Knutson worked in advertising. She was working full time at Country Foods, the business founded by her parents Dean and Linda Knutson, before stepping up to the plate when her father got sick, managing 15 to 20 people and selling product nationally.
A questioner asked how Knutson would transfer her management experience to being a staff leader.
Knutson said she felt good communication is key as well as everybody understanding their role and accountability.
During early campaigning, Knutson said in knocking on doors she’s found a lot a people who own businesses in Polson but live outside the city. They are concerned because they don’t have a voice in city government.
While that’s a law she cannot change, Knutson said she would look for ways to get input, such as Survey Monkey.
Knutson said she believes her education, her skill set, her energy and her personality align well with the mayor’s job.
“I love our town, and I want to give back to the community that helped me,” Knutson said.
