Homelessness has become rampant in Kalispell lately but House District 7 has been hit the hardest by this horrific epidemic.

Shaun Pandina (who is running for House District 7) is extremely concerned as he lives in the district he is running for and yet his opponent (Courtenay Sprunger) is tucked far away in Creston and doesn’t appear overly concerned over this pressing issue.

In fact at Monday night’s intensive and heated Kalispell City Council meeting which embraced the subject of the homeless in light of the ‘Conditional Use Permit’ and how it pertains to the Flathead Warming Center, Pandina got up and spoke while his opponent Courtenay Sprunger was ‘MIA’ (missing in action and nowhere to be seen).

Pandina claims (and he’s right) that “the issue of homelessness is one of the top 3 issues in House District 7 but perhaps my opponent does not recognize the issue living all the way out in Creston.”

Additionally Pandina was quoted in the Flathead Beacon, (to read the full Beacon article click here). BY MAGGIE DRESSER

“Pandina, too, said he was against low barrier facilities.”

“There’s other shelters in the area that seem to be doing a good job,” Pandina said. “A Ray of Hope – they’re not getting the kinds of complaints that this one is and the main difference that I see is the low barrier aspect of this shelter.”

(you can listen to Pandina speak below on this urgent issue)

As Pandina spoke there appeared to be what was a homeless man leaning against Kalispell’s once upper echelon ‘Hockaday Art Center’ (and charging his cell phone) which at one time exemplified the height of class in Kalispell only now to be a center which is forced to lock up (off and on all day long) for fear of being overrun by the homeless community.

Friends we desperately need political candidates who are willing to take this issue very seriously and who will work diligently to help procure solutions.