Meet Lincoln Co. Commissioner candidate Doug Davies

Name: Douglas R. “Doug” Davies

Age: 77 and still rocking!

Family: One sister in Eureka, a son and a daughter, two granddaughters, one nephew and his wife and their two kids.

Occupation: Retired from the American Merchant Marine. (Chief Engineer). Formerly project manager/consultant to the US Navy and several private maritime companies.

Community Involvement: 5.5 years service as an Eureka Town Council Member. Prior to moving back home to Montana, five years service to the Valdez, Alaska Senior Citizens organization, including one year as treasurer and four as president.

The county has received $12 million in Local Assistance and Tribal Consistency funds in the last two fiscal years. What do you think the county should use the money for?

The “Local Assistance and Tribal Consistency Fund” enabling legislation specifies that this funding can be used in any manner consistent with county responsibilities and practice other than political lobbying. I find it disturbing that no mention of this funding has been made to either Rexford or Eureka local governments. I believe the same is true for Libby and Troy but I have not been able to verify that. It is inconceivable to me that the county commissioners have not reached out and sought input on how these funds can best be used to benefit residents of Lincoln County. 

All of our communities face sever infrastructure needs for improvements to things such as roads. Our libraries could easily be funded by allocating a small portion of this, slightly more than $12 million. The only reference to these funds that I have been able to find on-line in county records indicates that a portion of this money was used to patch the $1.6 million hole in the current budget caused by the commission's abject failure to budget for the current fiscal year in a responsible manner.

In the same vein, this newspaper reported, three weeks ago the receipt of $4 million from the “Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.” The primary focus of this money is stated to be roads and schools. Again, I have firsthand knowledge that nothing has been said to Eureka or Rexford soliciting input on how these funds can best be used.

In my view, these funds should be used to improve infrastructure within our communities county wide and not to make up for deficits in the county budgeting process. The budgeting process needs to be done based on standard revenue sources such as property taxes and not on occasional largess from the Federal Government. (Thank you Sen. Tester)

Do you feel the county’s problems with elections in the last several years are about integrity or human error?

The isolated problems with elections in the past few years are strictly due to human error, some of which was beyond local control. Both the current Election Administrator and her predecessor have operated to the highest standards of both personal and professional integrity.

What should the county’s plan be when and if illegal squatting becomes a bigger problem?

The unlawful occupation of another person’s property should be an offense with jail time and/or community service as a consequence. County ordinances should be established to accomplish this. During the investigation and trial phases of the enforcement actions, the rights of the accused must also be given full consideration.

What other issues should the county address?

My first consideration is the apparent lack of fiscal/budgeting responsibility. The county budget must be more accurately tied to the traditional revenue stream. A thorough review of county spending, at all levels, must be undertaken with the view of curtailing all but absolutely necessary spending. The folks who make the spending decisions must be held accountable for their decisions. 

In order to accomplish this, the following should be instituted:

A. An immediate freeze on elected officials’ salaries. The argument that this is necessary to protect Sheriffs’ Department wages against inflation is specious at best. Montana Code specifies that each level of Department employee is to be paid as a percentage of the Sheriffs’ wage. None of our current employees are paid at the maximum allowable. It appears that there is sufficient room to support inflation generated raises for at least one, if not two years.

B. Apart from the landfill upgrades, which are supported by grant funding, an immediate freeze on all capitol spending must be put in place. This action will allow for a systematic review of current and near future projects along with community benefits as well as revenue sources.

C. Except for a dedicated grant writer an immediate freeze needs to be placed on all hiring. This grant writer should be available to department heads to assist/guide the writing and submission of grants that support dounty goals. This person should also be available to our local communities to provide awareness and expertise in obtaining grants which address our community's needs.

These actions will facilitate an in-depth review of county spending and budget development.

My second consideration is the diversification of our economic base coupled with job skills training to meet the needs of the 21st century. In addition, we must move our attention away from building the McMansions and focus on the affordable housing that will encourage our young folks to make a life here in Lincoln County.

We must work to broaden or tourist based services while also working to bring additional business which not seasonal in nature.

In conclusion, Lincoln County is blessed with rich natural resources as well as human resources. We have a population that is ready and willing to work hard to build good lives for themselves and their families as well as develop a sound economic base for our county and communities.