Page 13 - Flathead Beacon // 5.21.14

FLATHEADBEACON.COM NEWS
MAY 21, 2014 | 13

Four Candidates Take Aim at
Find

Sherif Post in Lake County

SAFETY

Three top county
missed in 2013.
cases so that they “aren’t always being
positions to be decided Yet in the aftermath, prospective
dismissed” and “providing supervision
candidates for the sherif’s post are fo- for the oice and making sure everyone
in primary election
cused on improving transparency and stays professional.”
accountability in the oice.
Young disagreed with the assess-
“I have the skills the sherif’s oice ment of his oice and its case manage- and
needs to progress forward and to get ment, saying the small staf has done its
By DILLON TABISH of the Beacon
past some of our past, and also be able to best to manage a large, persistent low of
A powerful position that’s been un- build a strong future,” Yonkin said.
cases. EVERY
der heavy scrutiny in recent years, the Four candidates are vying for the “I’ve been here 25 years, and I’m not
sherif of Lake County will be decided county’s top law enforcement position— going to tell anyone that I never made
in next month’s primary election along Don Bell, Kim Leibenguth, Rick Schoen- a mistake while I was here. It happens. SECURITY
with two other top county positions fea- ing and Yonkin.
You hate to see that, and you try to avoid
turing partisan contests.
Yonkin, who has a background as a that, but a certain amount is inevitable,”
The sherif post requires candidates detective, has worked for the Lake Coun- Young said, adding, “ We’ve made a lot of

to declare a party in the election, and ty Sherif’s Oice for 15 years and served improvements in the oice in the time
this year four Republicans and no Dem- as the undersherif the past two. He ran that I’ve been here. I just want to contin-
ocrats iled in Lake County to replace unsuccessfully for sherif in 2010.
ue doing what I’ve been doing.”
Jay Doyle, who is not running for reelec- Bell, a native of Ronan who has lived in banking with
tion after serving one term.
in the county his whole life, is an oicer DISTRICT 1 COMMISSIONER
Among the four candidates, there is with Tribal Law Enforcement on the Incumbent Bill Barron is seeking
little disagreement on the issues con- Flathead Reservation and has 22 years another six-year term in District 1 as one a local bank

fronting the sherif’s role, starting with of law enforcement experience.
of three county commissioners, who are
rebuilding trust between the oice and “I want to build back rapport with responsible for running the county. He that knos you.
local residents after years of scandal and the sherif’s oice and the public,” Bell faces Rory Horning.
investigations.
said. “That’s my goal, to build a working Barron, the former sherif who has
“There has been some damage to the trust between the sherif’s oice and the lived in Lake County for more than 18
public trust and the team spirit inside public.”
years, has served as a commissioner
the oice. I think rebuilding those two Both Bell and Yonkin pointed at high since 2008, when he was irst elected.
things go hand-in-hand,” said Dan Yon- rates of drug and alcohol abuse as lin- Horning, a retiree who has lived in

kin, the current undersherif and a can- gering issues that need to be addressed the county for more than 16 years, was
didate for sherif.
in the community, including underage tabbed as a inalist to ill in for the vacant
The races for county attorney and drinking.
state Senate seat after John Bruegge-
District 1 commissioner are in similar Leibenguth, a native of Missoula man of Polson resigned abruptly in late
scenarios, with two Republican candi- who moved to Lake County a decade ago, 2010.
dates apiece squaring of in the primary.
is a detective with the sherif’s oice.
Absentee ballots have been mailed She previously worked as a detective in
and polling locations will be open June 3 Oklahoma and as the executive director Lake County Candidate Forum

throughout Lake County from 7 a.m. to 8 of CASA, a group of trained advocates
p.m. Voting will take place at the Dayton for abused or neglected children.
May 30, 7 p.m., at the Museum in the old
Presbyterian Church, Polson’s Linder- Schoening, a resident of Lake Coun- Round Butte gym
man Elementary School gym, the Ronan ty for more than 26 years, is an oicer Candidates from all precincts were
Community Center, Charlo School, St. for the Polson Police Department with invited to attend and will answer
Ignatius School gym, Ferndale Sewing more than 30 years of experience in the
Club House, Swan River State Forest ield.
questions that were submitted
beforehand. Send potential questions to
headquarters and the Arlee Senior Cen- Leibenguth and Schoening could not [email protected]. Deadline is May
ter.
be reached for comment.
23. The Round Butte gym is four blocks
out west of the light on U.S. 93 & Round
SHERIFF
COUNTY ATTORNEY
IDAHO STREET BANK
In recent years, the state’s POST Mitch Young is seeking his third Butte Road at the Museums.
council, a quasi-judicial board that cer- four-year term as county attorney Lake County Elections - 6/3 233 E Idaho St.
tiies and investigates police oicers against irst-time challenger Steve Kalispell, MT 59901
accused of misconduct, looked into Eschenbacher.
CONTESTED PRIMARY RACES
755-4271

multiple claims leveled at four difer- Young, who earned a law degree at
ent law enforcement agencies in Lake the University of Montana, has worked SHERIFF/CORONER
County, including the sherif’s oice. in the Lake County attorney’s oice Don Bell (R)
Accusations centered on oicer miscon- since 1989, when he began as a deputy.
Kim Leibenguth (R)
duct involving a range of ofenses, both Eschenbacher, who also received a Rick Schoening (R)
criminal and ethical, including perjury, law degree at UM, has been the manag- Dan Yonkin (R)
poaching, nepotism and witness tam- ing attorney for the Oice of the Public MERIDIAN ROAD BANK
552 N Meridian Rd.
pering and intimidation.
Defender in Polson for nearly six years.
COMMISSION DISTRICT 1
Kalispell, MT 59901
Among the consequences, former Eschenbacher said he ran at the last *William “Bill” Barron (R)
Lake County Sherif’s Sgt. Dan Duryee minute to ensure the race for county at- Rory Horning (R)
755-5432
was stripped of his badge.
torney would be contested. He said he
Other inquiries and accusations believes the attorney’s oice has had a ATTORNEY
A Locally Owned,
were deemed unfounded and dropped, hand in the broken trust between public Independent Community
however, and a lawsuit by current and oicials and the community.
*Mitch Young (R)
Bank Since 1974
former Lake County sherif’s oice em- “I’m looking to provide a change and Steven Eschenbacher (R)
* incumbent
ployees against the sherif and three of give people a choice,” Eschenbacher said, www.ThreeRiversBankMontana.com
www.ThreeRiversBankMontana.com
his oicers, including Yonkin, was dis-
adding that his goals would be managing