Following are unofficial final results from city council races in Tuesday's election.
Numbers on building-reserve requests by Kalispell Public Schools also are final, pending one remaining school district.
Kalispell
Mayor
Tammi Fisher - 2,331
Pam Kennedy - 1,364
City Council
Ward 2
Hank Olson - 467
Jeffrey Zauner - 669
Ward 3
Jim Atkinson - 348
Marc Rold - 300
Golf-course lease renewal
For 3,164
Against 473
Whitefish
City Council
(three positions open)
Chris Hyatt - 1,415
Bill Kahle - 1,344
Phil Mitchell - 1,057
Frank Sweeney - 961
Kalispell Schools
Elementary building reserve
$2.8 million
For 2,789
Against 2,086
High school building reserve
$4.1 million
For 3,542
Against 3,806
photoguy
You have your feeling on this issue, I have my feeling on this issue and it is quite obvious we will not change each others position.
halcyon
photoguy, do yo know what a school board is? Did you vote for the members? Are they your representatives who oversee the fiscal and practice policies of this public institution? Do you attend meetings? Do you write them letters? I am not a "bleeding heart oh it's for the kids" type. I happen to think that our schools are doing a great job and would like to keep the quality of what we have going.
photoguy
halcyon, I have looked at the budgets every single year, an you might find it sad, but I don't find it sad, that I want to have oversight as well as say on how my money is spent and how the people WE hire, yes even those of us that don't have kids in school, manage that money as well as the business, we are all required to support. You sound like one of those who pitch these levy and bonds to us, Oh it for the kids!
It is time people have a say in how the money gets spent, lets be real here, the business of education is a very important one, it determines the future of the nation, unfortunately it is full of people who don't know how to manage a business, or don't care to manage it properly, I should not have to run for office to ensure my tax dollars are spent properly, the taxation without representation clause comes into effect here.
halcyon
Whatever happened to the days when a community was proud that its school was the best building in town; when people wanted their kid to be educated in a setting that exuded quality in its design and structure? Yes, that includes a functional commons that enhances and contributes to the educational atmosphere of the school. Think about the high school where YOU went. It's very sad to hear that some of you are saying that you won't support the fund because you don't have kids in school. I don't either. I never will. But the quality of the school is the quality of my community. That's civic pride and civic virtue. If you have issues with the way the money is being managed, run for the school board; but don't punish the kids because you thought a dishonest person should have gone to jail. As far as sports are concerned, where do you think the money comes from to run the sports? Have any of you looked at the district's budgets? A single one of you?
It's just sad.
MrMark
I agree with cuzican and photoguy, although the players already do pay to play, maybe they have to increase the amount. A couple of years ago I forked out I think it was $60.00 for him to play varsity football and about the same the previous 3 years. I think many schools in the nation are going to this as well. But ultimately, I think they will need to cut back. There are the major programs that the whole community gets involved in like football, basketball and maybe volleyball or soccer. These are the programs that are bigger than just the teams themselves because so much of the community is vested in the games. Radio and print sell advertising to support the teams and ultimately it helps those who advertise. But the minor sports programs will probably have to be let go someday so that we can pour more of the funds into education.
photoguy
Let preface this with, I am 110% in favor of a good education.
Now, I will never vote yes on a school issue, my reasons
1. I have never had a child in school in the state of Montana.
2. Until such time as I can voice my concerns about how money is being spent, I was told as a budget meeting, I had no right to speak, because I didn't have a child in school! Basically they were saying, we want you to pay, but you can't have any say in how we spend.
3. After the mess over the embezzlement at GHS/FHS and they were going to let her off, its time for new management, people who know how to be fiscally responsible and also follow the law, any normal person who ripped off the community would be in jail and would not have been let off even for a minute, it took community outrage to get this case prosecuted, there should have been no question to the correct direction this should have taken...
4. With the continue rising costs in education, I think that we need to par back on extra curricular activities and concentrate on education, far to much money gets spent on the extras and not the needed services, we pay them to educate the children, not make them hopeful pro running backs! If they want the extra programs, the parents of the children participating, should foot 100% of the bill, I will gladly pay for education as long as I have a say, but I'm not willing pay for the extras...that have nothing to do with education.
cuzican
I have to agree with MrMark about the schools. They get enough of our money as it is.
If we are supposed to make sure that education is first then we can start by doing away with all the stupid sports and extra activities. If education is the most important thing then we wouldn't allow them to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on coaches, uniforms, equipment, and buses/fuel/hotel rooms to haul them all over the state to play GAMES.
I agree with the schools needing good textbooks, computers, classroom materials but instead of them getting more money for it they need to cut some of the dead weight that they already waste money on.
I don't have any kids in school yet....but if my kids were in school I'd still feel the same way. Drop all the extra bullsh*t that has nothing to do with education and they would have plenty of money without having to beg for more every year.
MrMark
Checkingthefacts, you're absolutely right. My kid graduated a couple of years ago, otherwise I probably would have voted for it. But then again, when I see where the money went, to update the front of the high school and make a big new beautiful commons area and entry to the gym, I thought gee, couldn't that money have gone to build more classrooms and update the ones that have been there for decades, and you get a little jaded. And to all you loons that think that it would have gone to technology or whatever, get a grip. It would have been mis-handled just like before. Well tough. Make due with what you have, just like the rest of us. And yes, she is a bimbo.
checkingthefacts
Here's the most difficult part of it all...even though the reserve ballot wouldn't have raised taxes a dime, you can be sure that the NO voters have kids in school, family friends in school, etc. Isn't our job as adults to make sure education is FIRST? I agree that there is serious waste and unfortunate mishandling of funds that really upset voters (FHS/GHS fiasco with the athletic money embezzlement) and maybe there should have been firings within the departments for those that should been paying attention, but we can't hold the kids hostage. Certainly, the NO VOTE won, the vote is in, and now we must do inventory and earn the respect those voters in the future. We have our work cut out for us = we must do better!
halcyon
Wow, Mr.Mark. Are you for real? You refer to our schools derisively and call Mrs. Kennedy a bimbo. Your assertion that "taxes are going up" is flat out wrong. Just more simplicity and ignorance. It's sad that you get to vote based on your inability to grasp facts and childish attitude towards others. That's a fact.
Kalispell Since 1971
Very sad day for education in the Kalispell Public Schools. Hard to imagine how voters reject a proposal to update technology in a vote that wouldn't have increased taxes...Frustrating to say the least. How can nearly all of the rural districts who send kids to both FHS and GHS reject this request?
checkingthefacts
Mr. Mark's post reflects his very low IQ and inability to articulate on an intelligent level. Just keep making these posts Mr. Mark - you make yourself out to be quite an idiot. Now Mark, you'll get a lot more respect for your comments if you just congratulate the new leaders and thank the outgoing for their public service. They did the best they could. They served our community.
voiceofkids
Maybe you should check your facts, Mr. Mark. www.sd6.k12.mt.us - it shows that taxes aren't GOING UP they are going down, and check out what the money is going to be used on. Your post makes you sound like an arrogant uninformed man, who doesn't support education and treating women with respect... no matter who they are. Nice way to represent Kalispell. Very nice...
MrMark
Ding dong the witch is outa here! And we're 50% better with Zauner beating out Olson! Oh well, taxes are going up because of all the parents with little kiddies that need new desks and computers. Let's see how they waste that money! Maybe they'll figure out what to do with the old gym or, better yet, build another parking lot! Congrats to Tammi. Now, enough of the niceties. Shape this city up young lady! Otherwise, you won't last 2 terms like that other bimbo!