Helena City Commission: Endorsements

Written by: PogieOctober 27th, 2007
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Category:Helena
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I’ve really had to think about this, to the point that my endorsement probably is coming awfully late to influence anyone’s thinking, in the event that it would have done so. It’s certainly a testament to the quality of these candidates that I have really struggled with this decision, and at one point or another, became certain I would vote for all four candidates. After a great deal of discussion and thought, I plan to cast my ballot for Paul Cartwright and Jack Stults.

Paul Cartwright was the easy part of the decision for me. In a number of difficult and contentious issues, from the Walking Mall to the deer “problem,” I have found Commissioner Cartwright to be a conscientious and thoughtful member of the Commission, even when I have disagreed with his decisions. What separates Cartwright from the pack is that his answers on tough questions avoid simplistic responses that might to appeal to voting blocs; when asked about the importance of keeping Blue Cross/Blue Shield downtown, for example, he avoided the temptation to make a politically safe response, and offered a sensible one: from a cost benefit calculation, it would have to benefit the city. Commissioner Cartwright may not have the most dramatic platform, but I am confident he will continue to be a strong, sensible voice for controlled development and balanced budgets.

To some extent, my second choice is driven by the fact that I do think the existing City Commission needs to change. I think that Bob Throssell is probably the most articulate current candidate, but I’m not convinced that he will fight against the developers who seem to want to build houses on top of Mount Helena and sprawl the community out to Townsend. I’m concerned about the quality of life in Helena and the ever-increasing expansion of our community, and just haven’t seen Commissioner Throssell commit to changing that.

Matt Elsaesser is probably the most passionate candidate and likely even the most closely aligned with me politically, but I have been deeply troubled by the lack of specificity in his responses on the issues. In The Hometown Helena debate, he seemed unprepared and without the specific knowledge necessary to be a commissioner. As someone wiser than me recently said, the City Commission isn’t a job where you change the world, but one where you make sure that the streets are cleaned. As much as I like to see youthful enthusiasm in politics, knowledge and preparation matter, too, and I’m not sure that Matt is quite there yet.

So why Jack Stults? He’s offering specific proposals: to incentivize development inside Helena, to deal with traffic issues, and to increase public involvement in government. It’s possible that his approach may be a little less formal and a bit more rough and tumble than the current commission, but new energy and new ideas are exactly what the commission needs, even if they come from a former member. In terms of preparation, experience, and yes, even attitude, Jack Stults seems like the best companion candidate to send with Paul Cartwright to the City Commission.

Tuesday’s Election in Helena

Sleazy Campaigning in the City Commission Race?

Sat, Oct 27, 2007

Helena

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Pogie - who has written 947 posts on Intelligent Discontent.

I am an English and debate teacher from Helena, MT.

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12 Comments For This Post

Alice Says:
October 27th, 2007 at 5:02 pm

i don’t know pogie!!! matt is an easy yes for me but i am having problems picking my second vote. jack stults????

Pogie Says:
October 27th, 2007 at 5:12 pm

I think Cartwright is definitely a good choice, if you’re unpersuaded by my endorsement of of Mr. Stults.

I think he’s done a good job as comissioner. Even when I disagree with him, I understand his point of view.

Hoss Says:
October 27th, 2007 at 11:22 pm

Nice pick

pflum Says:
October 28th, 2007 at 3:23 pm

Both good calls. I cast my vote earlier this week and stumbled upon this today…nice to see similar sentiments. For me, Jack Stults was an easy one–former commissioner, knows the issues, really involved, nice guy, etc. I think Jack will make an excellent addition to the commission. As for Paul, that one was a bit more difficult for me. I knew that I couldn’t support Throssell, and I feel that Matt, while a great guy and a strong progressive, doesn’t realize the huge responsibility that being a commissioner would bring. (Give Matt a few years to round out his resume and read up on the issues, and I think he would be great. It’d be nice to have some youthful energy on the commission.) Paul knows the issues and has helped to implement important changes in Helena. My one concern with Paul, however, lies in his inability to articulate his opinions without turning himself around and confusing himself. Paul has supported many valuable efforts in the Helena community, but when it comes to controversy, his ability to see all sides of an issue often leave him spinning in circles and unable to pinpoint where he stands. In the end, however, I feel that Paul knows the history behind the issues and his continued presence on the commission would be beneficial to Helena. And if nothing else, it’s always amusing to watch Jim Smith roll his eyes and sigh when Cartwright talks! (Is anyone ever going to tell him that people can see him doing that on local TV?!)

Oh, the Helena City Commission…

Pogie Says:
October 28th, 2007 at 3:32 pm

Of course, someone would have to be watching the City Commission on TV to notice the Mayor rolling his eyes. I watched one meeting, and found myself slumbering moments later.

pflum Says:
October 28th, 2007 at 11:46 pm

Oh, c’mon–it’s local government at its finest! I’ve found it’s sometimes more enjoyable to watch Jim than to watch cable tv shows! (Sad confession: we upped our cable service just so we could watch the meetings! Now that’s family support if I ever heard it!)

ochenski Says:
October 29th, 2007 at 4:19 pm

I gave Paul Cartwright his first campaign contribution more than 4 years ago. I will not be voting for Paul this time around. Just remember the Walking Mall debacle in which Commissioner Cartwright and others on the commission decided that, like Dr. Science, they “knew more than we do” on the Walking Mall. His bold position was that he wanted “10-inch curbs” where the rest of us wanted it to remain as is. Hence his new nickname “Curbright.”

I can’t see how anyone would believe this guy stands for representative government. Quite frankly, he wasted the 4 years he has had while Helena has basically stood still in the face of the challenges before this community. And that says nothing about the nice new development by former commissioner Marc Parriman that we now have forever scarring the face of Mt. Helena. He’s supposed to be some big energy expert, but let’s see — did the City move ahead on energy conservation in a significant way? Well, not really. No low-consumption street lights, no solar on the City-County building or Courthouse. Still terrible curb-side recycling, and all we hear is “more growth, more economic development, more taxes.”

In the end, it was Matt Elsaesser who had to create his own non-profit group (SAVE) to even begin to scratch the surface of real recycling. Did the City reduce it’s budget? Not a dime. Did we do something about sprawl? Nothing. What we did was embrace a false “smart growth” zoning plan, backed by Cartwright, that stuffs more people into less space with little or no concern for existing residents under the false assumption that there is some quid pro quo that if we crowd Helenans more there won’t be building in the valley. Totally a joke.

Faced with hard decisions, Paul prevaricates and mumbles — which may be why Jim is rolling his eyes.

Vote for Matt Elsaesser and no one else — and maybe, just maybe, we’ll get someone on the commission who actually gets things done.

If you just want talk, however, Curbright is your man.

Anonymous Says:
October 29th, 2007 at 6:26 pm

Maybe you’re just getting jaded in your old age. Since when is youthful exuberance and enthusaism not good enough (especially if you agree with his politics)? As you point out yourself, he’s not saving the world, he’s making sure the streets are clean. Running the Commission is not a place for grand new projects, but rather being able to vote and discuss issues that come to the Commission. With that in mind, the most important issues are finding thoughtfulness someone to bring the right point of view to the table the most important voting issue. Youthful enthusasm and a fresh point of view is precisely what the commission needs.

Matt may not be quite as well-versed in the particulars of zoning regulations. After all, he’s the only candidate who hasn’t already been a commissioner. This kind of mundane experience will come quickly. Matt’s the candidate to bring a fresh perspective to a commission that’s become too habituated to approving suburbs.

As for the others, Cartwright is the obvious choice, with his past experience and rational approach to Commission issues. Throssell’s not an option and Stults has had a rocky enough experience in his current job at DNRC (as a subject of lawsuits to get him to do his job and enforce stream access laws) that I’m not sure what to make of him.

–Tyler
(Is it to much of an endorsement to throw in a MattEforHelena.com?)

Pogie Says:
October 29th, 2007 at 8:53 pm

Thanks for the thoughts, gentlemen. This is definitely an interesting race, and I appreciate your comments. I still haven’t actually cast my ballots, so who knows?

Jaded? Jaded?

Bob Giordano Says:
October 31st, 2007 at 2:46 pm

Having worked on bike/ped/car safety issues for 10 years in Missoula, I’d suggest this: do implement roundabouts in Helena but only do single lane roundabouts. Avoid double lane roundabouts. Email me or call at 406-880-6834 to discuss. Please pass this note onto Jack… thanks, -Bob.

Van Says:
November 1st, 2007 at 12:21 pm

My brother is Jack Stults - although nobody in Helena knows me, everyone should know that Jack embodies the highest level of dedication to sincere public service to the community. He cares about all views and there is no doubt that the people of Helena would benefit from electing him as a Commissioner.
Van J. Stults

Harry Drucker Says:
November 13th, 2007 at 8:09 pm

I hope I am not too late to add my words of support for Jack Stults, candidate for Commissioner. I am from Chicago and know Jack from when he led a group of High School kids on a canoe trip to Hudson Bay. I was one of those kids. Given the hardships and danger we we faced, one gets to know another person on a fundamental level. And I can say this: Jack Stults is a solid human being who cares about what is right, has integrity beyond reproach and would be a credit to your city. Harry Drucker

Alice Says:
October 27th, 2007 at 5:02 pm
i don’t know pogie!!! matt is an easy yes for me but i am having problems picking my second vote. jack stults????
Pogie Says:
October 27th, 2007 at 5:12 pm
I think Cartwright is definitely a good choice, if you’re unpersuaded by my endorsement of of Mr. Stults.

I think he’s done a good job as comissioner. Even when I disagree with him, I understand his point of view.
Hoss Says:
October 27th, 2007 at 11:22 pm
Nice pick
pflum Says:
October 28th, 2007 at 3:23 pm
Both good calls. I cast my vote earlier this week and stumbled upon this today…nice to see similar sentiments. For me, Jack Stults was an easy one–former commissioner, knows the issues, really involved, nice guy, etc. I think Jack will make an excellent addition to the commission. As for Paul, that one was a bit more difficult for me. I knew that I couldn’t support Throssell, and I feel that Matt, while a great guy and a strong progressive, doesn’t realize the huge responsibility that being a commissioner would bring. (Give Matt a few years to round out his resume and read up on the issues, and I think he would be great. It’d be nice to have some youthful energy on the commission.) Paul knows the issues and has helped to implement important changes in Helena. My one concern with Paul, however, lies in his inability to articulate his opinions without turning himself around and confusing himself. Paul has supported many valuable efforts in the Helena community, but when it comes to controversy, his ability to see all sides of an issue often leave him spinning in circles and unable to pinpoint where he stands. In the end, however, I feel that Paul knows the history behind the issues and his continued presence on the commission would be beneficial to Helena. And if nothing else, it’s always amusing to watch Jim Smith roll his eyes and sigh when Cartwright talks! (Is anyone ever going to tell him that people can see him doing that on local TV?!)

Oh, the Helena City Commission…
Pogie Says:
October 28th, 2007 at 3:32 pm
Of course, someone would have to be watching the City Commission on TV to notice the Mayor rolling his eyes. I watched one meeting, and found myself slumbering moments later.
pflum Says:
October 28th, 2007 at 11:46 pm
Oh, c’mon–it’s local government at its finest! I’ve found it’s sometimes more enjoyable to watch Jim than to watch cable tv shows! (Sad confession: we upped our cable service just so we could watch the meetings! Now that’s family support if I ever heard it!)
ochenski Says:
October 29th, 2007 at 4:19 pm
I gave Paul Cartwright his first campaign contribution more than 4 years ago. I will not be voting for Paul this time around. Just remember the Walking Mall debacle in which Commissioner Cartwright and others on the commission decided that, like Dr. Science, they “knew more than we do” on the Walking Mall. His bold position was that he wanted “10-inch curbs” where the rest of us wanted it to remain as is. Hence his new nickname “Curbright.”

I can’t see how anyone would believe this guy stands for representative government. Quite frankly, he wasted the 4 years he has had while Helena has basically stood still in the face of the challenges before this community. And that says nothing about the nice new development by former commissioner Marc Parriman that we now have forever scarring the face of Mt. Helena. He’s supposed to be some big energy expert, but let’s see — did the City move ahead on energy conservation in a significant way? Well, not really. No low-consumption street lights, no solar on the City-County building or Courthouse. Still terrible curb-side recycling, and all we hear is “more growth, more economic development, more taxes.”

In the end, it was Matt Elsaesser who had to create his own non-profit group (SAVE) to even begin to scratch the surface of real recycling. Did the City reduce it’s budget? Not a dime. Did we do something about sprawl? Nothing. What we did was embrace a false “smart growth” zoning plan, backed by Cartwright, that stuffs more people into less space with little or no concern for existing residents under the false assumption that there is some quid pro quo that if we crowd Helenans more there won’t be building in the valley. Totally a joke.

Faced with hard decisions, Paul prevaricates and mumbles — which may be why Jim is rolling his eyes.

Vote for Matt Elsaesser and no one else — and maybe, just maybe, we’ll get someone on the commission who actually gets things done.

If you just want talk, however, Curbright is your man.
Anonymous Says:
October 29th, 2007 at 6:26 pm
Maybe you’re just getting jaded in your old age. Since when is youthful exuberance and enthusaism not good enough (especially if you agree with his politics)? As you point out yourself, he’s not saving the world, he’s making sure the streets are clean. Running the Commission is not a place for grand new projects, but rather being able to vote and discuss issues that come to the Commission. With that in mind, the most important issues are finding thoughtfulness someone to bring the right point of view to the table the most important voting issue. Youthful enthusasm and a fresh point of view is precisely what the commission needs.

Matt may not be quite as well-versed in the particulars of zoning regulations. After all, he’s the only candidate who hasn’t already been a commissioner. This kind of mundane experience will come quickly. Matt’s the candidate to bring a fresh perspective to a commission that’s become too habituated to approving suburbs.

As for the others, Cartwright is the obvious choice, with his past experience and rational approach to Commission issues. Throssell’s not an option and Stults has had a rocky enough experience in his current job at DNRC (as a subject of lawsuits to get him to do his job and enforce stream access laws) that I’m not sure what to make of him.

–Tyler
(Is it to much of an endorsement to throw in a MattEforHelena.com?)
Pogie Says:
October 29th, 2007 at 8:53 pm
Thanks for the thoughts, gentlemen. This is definitely an interesting race, and I appreciate your comments. I still haven’t actually cast my ballots, so who knows?

Jaded? Jaded?
Bob Giordano Says:
October 31st, 2007 at 2:46 pm
Having worked on bike/ped/car safety issues for 10 years in Missoula, I’d suggest this: do implement roundabouts in Helena but only do single lane roundabouts. Avoid double lane roundabouts. Email me or call at 406-880-6834 to discuss. Please pass this note onto Jack… thanks, -Bob.
Van Says:
November 1st, 2007 at 12:21 pm
My brother is Jack Stults - although nobody in Helena knows me, everyone should know that Jack embodies the highest level of dedication to sincere public service to the community. He cares about all views and there is no doubt that the people of Helena would benefit from electing him as a Commissioner.
Van J. Stults
Harry Drucker Says:
November 13th, 2007 at 8:09 pm
I hope I am not too late to add my words of support for Jack Stults, candidate for Commissioner. I am from Chicago and know Jack from when he led a group of High School kids on a canoe trip to Hudson Bay. I was one of those kids. Given the hardships and danger we we faced, one gets to know another person on a fundamental level. And I can say this: Jack Stults is a solid human being who cares about what is right, has integrity beyond reproach and would be a credit to your city. Harry Drucker

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