The 44 Ranch subdivision is in the fastest-growing part of Ward 2, between Mullan Road and Missoula International Airport. (Antony Jo)
The 44 Ranch subdivision is in the fastest-growing part of Ward 2, between Mullan Road and Missoula International Airport. (Antony Jo)
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Now that they’ve made it past the first, cursory review by Missoula City Council members, the eight remaining applicants for the open Ward 2 seat face a double set of questions posed by council members.

The eight applicants are Ronald Barker, Mirtha Becerra, Jason Krumbeck, Jack Metcalf, Jim Polk, Jay Arthur Raines, Madison L. Schroeder and Mark Storud.

Starting at 8:45 a.m. Wednesday, each would-be appointee will meet with the council for a 30-minute interview during which he or she will be asked a series of eight pre-determined questions. Applicants received the questions by email on Tuesday:

  1. Why do you wish to serve on the City Council? What skills, talents, knowledge, or interest would you bring to the City Council?
  2. What should the role of a City Council person be?
  3. How would you encourage public participation in City government?
  4. What do you consider to be the most important challenges facing Missoula municipal government during the next two years?
  5. The City budget is funded largely by property taxes, do you feel the city provides a good value and are good stewards of those dollars?
  6. Do you plan to run for Ward 2 in the City election in 2019?
  7. In addition to Monday evening meetings, City Council meets Wednesdays during the day, plus other Do you have the time and flexibility to make this commitment?  What is your schedule like weekdays/late afternoons? Evenings?
  8. Is there anything you would like to add that we have not asked?

Here’s a link to the list of the applicants with their biographical information and the time of their interview with council members. Some interviews are this Wednesday and the rest are on Wednesday, Nov. 1.

Applicants also must complete a more detailed written questionnaire, which they received Tuesday morning as well. The deadline for those answers to be submitted to the city clerk is 5 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 2.

The responses will be posted online.

Then council members will make their final pick during the regular Monday night Missoula City Council meeting on Nov. 6.

Here is the written questionnaire:

  1. Have you thought about any legislation you are interested in seeing the City Council enact, repeal or revise? If so, what is it?  What would you propose?
  2. The City’s ability to increase property taxes is limited to half the rate of inflation by the state legislature. How would you address the continued provision of city services given these constraints?
  3. How do you see the relationship between Missoula’s economy and growth management? How would you facilitate that?
  4. How do you view our city's responsibility to our most vulnerable populations (i.e homeless and mentally ill citizens?)
  5. How should Missoula as a community address people with active addictions to drugs and alcohol who lack housing?
  6. As Missoula grows, the cost of housing continues to rise. What role should the City Council play in making housing more attainable?
  7. The City of Missoula is in the process of creating commercial design standards. Do you support this effort? Why or why not?
  8. What do you see as transportation issues in Ward 2 and how would you address them?
  9. Have you thought about any legislation you are interested in seeing the City Council enact, repeal or revise? If so, what is it?  What would you propose?
  10. The City’s ability to increase property taxes is limited to half the rate of inflation by the state legislature. How would you address the continued provision of city services given these constraints?
  11. How do you see the relationship between Missoula’s economy and growth management? How would you facilitate that?
  12. How do you view our city's responsibility to our most vulnerable populations (i.e homeless and mentally ill citizens?)
  13. How should Missoula as a community address people with active addictions to drugs and alcohol who lack housing?
  14. As Missoula grows, the cost of housing continues to rise. What role should the City Council play in making housing more attainable?
  15. The City of Missoula is in the process of creating commercial design standards. Do you support this effort? Why or why not?
  16. What do you see as transportation issues in Ward 2 and how would you address them?

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