John Muhlfeld: Protecting Water Quality Makes Economic Sense

This November Whitefish residents will have a full slate of candidates to choose from for both a new mayor and the three open city council seats. Running for Mayor are current acting mayor Cris Coughlin, current councilman Nick Palmer, and Mike Jenson. Competing for the three open seats on the city council are Turner Askew, Ryan Friel, Mark McGlen, Martin McGrew, John Murdock, Kent Taylor, and incumbent John Muhlfeld.
The Whitefish Free Press will interview each candidate separately with a focus on their philosophies concerning some of the hot-button issues facing the city. This profile of city council candidate John Muhlfeld is the third in the series.

Muhlfeld, 33, said his first job out of college was with the U.S. Forest Service in Fortine and he learned to love the area. He has lived in Whitefish for 13 years and was appointed in January 2006 to serve the remaining two years of Whitefish City Councilman Tom Yuri’s term after Yuri resigned. Muhlfeld, who is single, is a hydrologist and along with three others owns River Design Group with offices in Whitefish and Oregon. The company is currently a major player in the removal of Milltown Dam on the Clark Fork River near Missoula.
The Free Press asked Muhlfeld several specific questions.

Why are you running for a seat on the Whitefish City Council?
Muhlfeld said the main reason he wants to continue as a city councilor is to maintain continuity. “I believe there is follow up work implementing and modifying the policies and regulations that this council and past councils have adopted,” Muhlfeld said, adding he admits that not any council or anyone individual sitting on a council is perfect. “We need to be flexible in order to review and modify some of our decisions to reflect community interest.”

What do you like least about Whitefish city government?
“I see problems brewing in regards to how each department is geographically separated,” Muhlfeld said, citing the fact the city’s planning and building departments are blocks apart with no common computer server to access and share. “A new city hall will improve communications which in turn will improve efficiency and improve service to the public,” he said.

What do you like most about city government?
“I think the city staff, the council, and volunteer boards all work well together. Information is shared. I think we can improve on all aspects of government, but in general the government functions well.”

Name three specific challenges facing Whitefish.
According to Muhlfeld, the primary challenge facing Whitefish is to maintain the character and quality of the community as we know it. He cited statistics showing the city has grown 53% since 2000 and the population is projected to be 20,000 by 2020. “A majority of the public is concerned with the character of the community, jobs, and the maintenance of a quality natural environment, especially water.”
Muhlfeld said the implementation of the downtown master plan is also an important challenge. “The plan provides a vision how we want the downtown to grow competitively both locally and regionally.”
A third challenge facing Whitefish is to come up with a valid transportation and parking plan. Again Muhlfeld cited the need to keep the downtown merchants competitive.

What qualifies you to run for council?
Muhlfeld pointed to his experience, having already served two years on the council and nine years on the Whitefish Lake Protection Committee. “I understand how government functions,” he said, adding he already has a working relationship with city staff. He also said he has made an effort to reach out to a broad range of constituents and find common ground, including the real estate community, developers, and environmentalists. “We have to stay centered,” Muhlfeld said. “Can’t be right, can’t be left. We have to keep the pendulum near the middle.”
Muhlfeld said one of our common interests is water quality, and as a professional hydrologist, he has the expertise to be useful. “In the last two years we’ve all been aware of issues related to water quality. Whether you are a developer, in real estate, or a fishing guide, everyone has in interest in maintaining water quality in our streams and rivers.” He said he is proud of his part in the formation of the Whitefish Water Quality Advisory Committee and the Lakeshore Ad Hoc Committee with a focus on clarification and enforcement of city ordinances.

What are your greatest strengths?
“I’m fair. When I am making decisions I can leave aside my personal bias on certain issues. As a public servant, I’m there to represent what’s best for the greater community, not any special interest group.”
Muhlfeld said he listens to both sides of an argument. “A perfect example is the contentious slope aspect of the Critical Areas Ordinance. I nominated Greg Carter to represent the real estate development community on the Ad Hoc Critical Areas Committee.”
Muhlfeld said he recognized immediately that a blanket 30% slope restriction didn’t make sense and was going to have an impact on citizens’ rights to use their property. “As a result, I felt I played a large role in bringing a diverse group together to come up with a modified slope restriction that will allow construction on steep slopes with appropriate engineering methods and water quality safeguards. The language now going to the planning board will allow people to use their property and get the city out of litigation.”

What is your greatest weakness?
“The ability to delegate.”

What might be the most controversial stand or view you have?”
“It’s pretty clear. My support of having environmental protection codified in city regulations. I think that’s a priority issue in the community. We have to do it now or it’s going to be too late.” Muhlfeld said he was surprised to find this issue is nothing new in other growing mountain communities and that these types of reasonable policies have been implemented all over the Rocky Mountain region. “We have to safeguard the lakes and rivers for future generations without impacting an individual’s right to reasonably develop his property.”
Muhlfeld said scientific data shows Whitefish Lake water is deteriorating at an accelerated rate. “Let’s listen to the data and take the recommendations of the experts,” he said. “That alone will protect property values tremendously. Studies show as water quality degrades, property values die off.”

What are your views on the city council’s recent proposal to raise the resort tax?
“I’m opposed to the city council advocating for the rate increase. If it’s going to happen, it has to be from a citizen’s based initiative.”

Do you support efforts to build a new city hall?
“I’m in favor of that. I’ve seen how spread out and inefficient it is now to have branches in different buildings all over town. Yes, it’s going to cost money, and yes, Gary Marks (Whitefish City Manager) has a plan to finance the capital expenditures.”

Do you support the city’s height limit on buildings?
“I believe there needs to be a limit, but I don’t know if there’s a magical number.”

What are your thoughts on the political action group Citizens for Fair Land Use and Government (CFLUG)?
“I think like any group of individuals, they need to be heard and their opinions need to be respected. They are part of the community. They have different views than I do, but ultimately they are part of the public, so they deserve to be able to provide input into the decisions.” Muhlfeld said he thinks people are struggling with how to deal with a public interest group like CFLUG because political action groups are a new thing in the community and it is difficult to judge their intent. The end answer, he said, is to “be open about it. It’s part of the process.”

Muhlfeld concluded the interview by saying, “Bottom line, I have no self interest other than to serve the community and make decisions that are in the best interest of Whitefish. I believe I’ve been able to accomplish that in the last two years.”
 

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Whitefish Free Press is distributed each Wednesday to over 100 locations in Whitefish and the surrounding area with a circulation of approximately 2000. When you advertise your business with the Whitefish Free Press, your ad will appear online at no additional charge. 'The Freep' is a locally owned and operated newspaper that offers first-rate photography, timely news, weather, local sports and events that are of interest to people in our community.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
Whitefish Free Press • PO Box 4517 • Whitefish, MT  59937 

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
© Copyright 2006 WHITEFISH FREE PRESS, All Rights Reserved