2015 could bring big change to City Council

The first meeting of the Libby City Council in 2016 could feature a number of new faces. Four of the Council’s six seats will be up for grabs when the candidate filing period officially opens May 4.

Libby’s council is composed of six council members, each elected to a four-year term. Elections are held every two years, and the terms are staggered so that in any normal election year, three of the seats are up for election.

This year, however, four seats will be available as the seat of newly-appointed councilwoman Dejon Raines will also be on the ballot. Raines was appointed last month to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of Robin Benson, who was elected in November to the office of clerk and recorder for Lincoln County. That election will be for the remaining two years of Benson’s original term, not for the full four years.

In addition to Raines, council president Bill Bischoff, councilwoman Peggy Williams and councilman Allen Olsen are all up for reelection this year. Of the four, only Raines has committed to running. Olsen, Bischoff and Williams all said they are in the process of deciding whether or not to seek an additional term.

The City Council is responsible for the overall management of the city. “Council’s sole purpose,” said Libby Mayor Doug Roll, “is to set policy and procedure for the city, through both resolution and ordinance.”

In addition to twice-monthly full council meetings, each council member is assigned to committees which oversee various city functions. Roll, who served on council from 2003 to 2008, before being appointed mayor, said council members spend an average of 6-7 hours per week on council business outside of the regular council meetings. That time commitment goes up or down depending upon the issues facing the city at any particular time.

Roll said critics of the council don’t always understand the amount of time and energy the members put into the jobs in the background. “People say the council members already have their minds made up before the meeting,” he said. “But that’s generally because they do committee meetings and research before the public council meetings. There is a lot more to these issues than what the public sees.”

Committee meetings are also public and are generally held at noon at Libby City Hall, in order to accommodate the work schedules of committee members. The dates and times of committee meetings, as well as the agendas, are posted at City Hall.

Roll said the biggest issue facing the new City Council will be the budget, although other issues invariably arise. Nobody anticipated the need to replace the Flower Creek Dam and the requisite water delivery projects associated with it, Roll said, but they had to learn, adapt and deal with the problem.

The budget, however, is an issue that has been brewing for nearly two decades. “For at least 15 years now our general fund revenue has been stagnant,” Roll said. “We need to figure out how to prioritize and deliver the services the city provides.”

Roll said he has enjoyed working with the current council. “Every one of these people put time and effort into this,” he said.

Roll hopes for a positive council, one that will work to make Libby a better place. “I’m looking for folks who are looking forward. People with positive, real ideas to help move Libby forward,” he said. “It’s much easier for people to sit on the sidelines and throw rocks, but it would be better to have people involved in a positive way.”

Procedurally, in order to appear on the ballot candidates must file with the county clerk between May 4 and July 2. Within five days of that filing, candidates must also complete the C-1-A form with the Commissioner of Political Practices.

Candidates for municipal office may receive contributions totaling $170 from any individual during the election cycle. They may also receive up to $170 from a political action committee. All contributions must be reported to the Commissioner of Political Practices.

There will be two separate ballots for Libby City Council this year, one for the two-year term and one for the four-year terms. The primary election, if necessary, will be held Sept. 15. The general election is Nov. 3.