Neff ready to help City of Libby progress

Gary Neff moved to Libby about five years ago. Six months ago he decided he was going to run for a seat on the City Council in 2017. Monday night he was appointed to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of former Councilman Bill Bischoff.

Neff said the four month appointment is his chance to help the city and the council while learning the ropes for the full term he hopes to win in the 2017 election.

“I’m going to run for this office in two years,” Neff said. “Right now I’m going to throw myself in there. I’m going to show up at every committee meeting. This is my time to learn. I’m not going to try to take a leadership position. I’m going to try to help the other council members with their issues and help the city move forward.”

Neff was appointed to the council Monday on a 3-2 vote. Mayor Doug Roll then vetoed the appointment, but Councilwoman Peggy Williams sided with council members Brent Teske, Dejon Raines and Allen Olsen, who had voted in favor of Neff’s appointment, to override the mayor’s veto on a 4-1 vote. Councilwoman Barb Desch sided with Roll.

Neff said he doesn’t take it personally.

“Mayor Roll came to me afterward and told me what he’d done,” Neff said. “It’s no big deal.”

Neff said his priority is to focus on issues within his control for the next four months. He declined to weigh in on the controversy facing the council in the wake of Montana’s Commissioner of Political Practices finding earlier this year which alleged the mayor and five current and former city council members, along with former City Attorney Jim Reintsma, violated Montana campaign practice laws with their suit against Councilman Allen Olsen.

“I have just a short time on the council,” Neff said. “I don’t believe this will come up during that time. I will need to focus on other issues, issues I can affect, during my time.”

Neff said those issues include the city’s problems with water and sewer infrastructure, as well as roads and sidewalks.

“The infrastructure is the number one issue on people’s minds,” Neff said. “Some streets never get plowed, outside of the main thoroughfares. We need a viable walking path between the high school and the elementary school. From Main to Dakota on 10th Street East folks have to walk in the street. A lot of people speed through there, it’s amazing there haven’t been injuries, but there will be if we don’t get a sidewalk or path.”

Philosophically, Neff said it is the role of the council to manage the city and to set the city’s priorities.

“I have been studying the city charter and the Montana Code Annotated,” Neff said. “The council is the policy maker, the legislative body. The mayor directs the city operations in accordance with the wishes of the council. I believe the mayor is subordinate to the council.”

Neff said his independence makes his most suited to assume the seat on council.

“There’s been some divisiveness on the council,” he said. “I think they need someone on there who’s neutral, who has no bones to pick, someone who can bring some civility to the council.”

He pointed to Mayor Roll’s decision to run for City Council and his stated desire to not be elected, but to campaign against candidates D.C. Orr, Arlen Magill and Allen Olsen as an example of the lack of civility on council.

“It’s unprofessional, spiteful and childlike,” Neff said. “He’s taken a personal issue and let it interfere with his official duties.”

Neff’s first council meeting will be Tuesday, Sept. 8, instead of the typical Monday meeting due to the Labor Day holiday.