There’s a lot that’s reported on and stated in the public arena that just isn’t true. It may just be a lack of research, but it’s important in a race which was as heavily contested as the recent Mayoral race in Kalispell to really try to get the facts straight.
Recently in a video put out by the Daily Interlake the reporter (Taylor Inman) stated that “Ryan Hunter will “appoint” his Ward 3 City Council seat”. (Click here to listen to the Daily Interlake Reporter Taylor Inman who stated, “After he takes the reins as mayor in January, he will appoint a replacement to fill out his term”). Begin listening at time stamp 1:14 minutes. by NEWS NOW PODCAST-DIL Reporter Taylor Inman.
However, this just simply isn’t true and even when we heard it-it just rang as false information because this is just not how a mayor operates. The mayor of a city works within the confines of the city council. Councils vote on everything; there aren’t dictatorial moves made by a mayor; that’s just not how it works.
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Here’s the protocol.
First off, whoever chooses to (and is at least 18 years of age) may apply for the Ward 3 Council seat. Then if (say for instance) several people interview for the seat Hunter will recommend one of them to be voted upon by the Kalispell City Council (including himself as one of the voting members). If the council rejects Hunter’s recommendations for his ward seat and the council continues to vote “NO” on such persons hoping to occupy the Ward 3 seat recommended by Hunter, then the Kalispell City Council will recommend someone to be voted on. Never at any point does Hunter “appoint” anyone.
That’s it. The future Mayor will not be jumping in and “appointing” anyone. These are important facts to know because it tends to give the community a better sense of trust knowing that the full council are involved in the process of choosing who will sit in the former councilman’s seat. It gives the community a sense of how the council works and is supposed to work.
Even Hunter himself has stated that he won’t be “appointing” anyone.
