Page 12 - Flathead Beacon // 5.21.14

12 | MAY 21, 2014 NEWS FLATHEADBEACON.COM

Commissioner, Sherif Candidates Face Of in Lincoln County

Candidates say economy by his other job as a backcountry outit-
biggest issue facing ter. Rhodes said an issue that has often
cropped up is inadequate prosecutions
Linoln County
because the department does not have
a close relationship with the county at-

torney, something he wants to improve.
By JUSTIN FRANZ of the Beacon
Rhodes acknowledges that challeng-
ing his boss for the same job has split the
While the June primary in Lincoln department.
County features a gamut of races, the “If I didn’t feel so strongly about
two attracting the most attention are for the direction of the department then I
county commission and sherif. The top wouldn’t put the department through

two men in each race will move on to the this,” he said. “Everyone needs to pull
general election in November.
their own weight and I don’t think it’s
Unlike other counties, Lincoln happening right now.
County has nonpartisan local elections.
Clark is aiming for the sherif’s oice
In the District One commissioner for other reasons. He said the biggest
race, incumbent Tony Berget faces of threat to the department is the “federal-
against two newcomers, Russell Bache ization” of local law enforcement. Clark
and Mark Peck. Meanwhile, in the sher- is a retired police chief who worked in
BEACON FILE PHOTO
if’s race, incumbent Roby Bowe is tak- sues facing the county, which consis- rience at the DNRC will help him work Washington and California starting
ing on William Clark and Duane Rhodes.
tently has the highest unemployment more efectively with federal agencies.
in the 1970s. He was also a member of
Berget has served on the commis- in the state. Bache was raised in Libby In the race for sherif, Bowe has a a SWAT team and ran a jail before be-
sion for six years and before that was and retired from the Navy in 1998. He simple argument for his reelection, “I’ve coming a port commissioner in eastern
mayor of Libby for 11 years. He said his moved back to the area in 2008. He said lived in this county all my life and I al- Washington in the early 2000s. He pur-
experience and relationships are why he he would create a task force to look at job ready know the ins and outs.”
chased land in Lincoln County in 1999
should be reelected as the county’s most creation in the area and said his military Bowe has been with the department and moved to the area fulltime in 2012.

tenured commissioner. Berget acknowl- experience shows he can lead.
for 24 years and was elected in 2011.
Clark said he would refuse federal fund-
edges that he has made unpopular deci- Peck, also a Libby native, was in the One of the candidates trying to un- ing and look for other ways to support
sions, especially regarding budget cuts, Air Force for 20 years and was Flathead seat Bowe works for him. Rhodes has the department.
but for good reason.
County’s Emergency Services Director been with the sherif’s oice for 15 years “I want to turn back the clock to
“I don’t want to be the guy at the from 2006 to 2010. Since then he has and is currently a detective focusing on when we were peace oicers and stop
helm when we go into the red,” he said.
served as a unit manager for the Mon- sex crimes. Rhodes said he disagrees the federalization of law enforcement,”
All three candidates for commission tana Department of Natural Resources with how things are run in the depart- he said.
say the economy is one of the biggest is-
and Conservation. Peck said his expe-
ment and said Bowe is often distracted
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