Hutton to step down from Senate seat
Tim Leeds 
John Kelleher
A freshman Havre legislator has announced that the end of the legislative session will be the end of his first term as a state senator, and the end of his more than a decade leading a Havre church.  Sen. Rowlie Hutton, R-Havre, told the Havre Daily News Wednesday that he would resign his seat at the end of the legislative session and is stepping down as pastor of the Fifth Avenue Christian Church.  “Because I have been a part of this congregation for almost 14 years, and due to the fact I will be involved in the Senate for the next four months, I wanted to give ample time to make this transition, ” Hutton wrote in a letter to his parishioners dated Jan. 27.
He said Wednesday that he is taking a job in Omaha, Neb. He is officially resigning from the Fifth Avenue church April 4, and his last Sunday will be May 1.  “For some time now, I have sensed the ‘alignment’ was off in my ministry at Fifth Avenue. It wasn’t until I traveled to a conference with one of our elders that I was able to assess … and put into words how I was feeling …, ” Hutton wrote. “I have arrived at the pain-staking conclusion that I am not really in alignment with the leadership at Fifth Avenue. Theologically we are on ‘target’; the other three (philosophy, relationship, organization) we are ‘wobbling’. ”  A representative of the church said this morning that a decision had not yet been made as to who would take over as head pastor. Dale Mueller will serve as interim pastor during the legislative session.  Hutton won the seat in Senate District 17 in a surprise upset for former Speaker of the House Bob Bergren, a Havre Democrat. Hutton won the seat 3,515-2,324, startling many in Hill and Blaine counties, traditionally strongholds for the Democrats.  Hutton's announcement took many political leaders by surprise.  Hill County Republican Chairman Andrew Brekke praised Hutton's public service.  "I think he did a great job," he said, "and his constituents think he did a great job.
"But he's got to do what he's got to do," Brekke added.  Brekke said once the resignation is official, the Republican committees in Blaine and Hill counties will meet to nominate a successor.  The Hill and Blaine county commissions will meet as a single body to make the appointment.
Although Democrats control both county commissions, state law requires that a Republican be named to succeed the outgoing Republican.  Brekke said several people expressed an interest in running for office prior to the 2010 elections, and he anticipated the party would not have a problem finding a candidate.  The person appointed by the commissioners would serve until 2012. Voters would select a senator in the 2012 election to complete the final two years of Hutton's four-year term, he said.  Hutton has been a vocal critic of Gov. Brian Schweitzer’s policies and on lack of a push to expand business opportunities and natural resource extraction before and after he was elected.
Five of his legislative proposals have been assigned bill numbers and appeared before committees. A hearing is scheduled for today on his proposal for the Legislature to urge Congress to submit a proposed parental rights constitutional amendment to the U. S. voters, SJR 9.
His other bills include a proposal to allow Montana to use eminent domain to take land in the state from the federal government, allow Montana to opt out of using Medicaid payments for abortions and revising salvage title laws.
His proposals not yet assigned bill numbers are to revise fertilizer and pesticide lien laws, to allow legislative authority to regulate greenhouse gases and to join an interstate compact on that issue.

A freshman Havre legislator has announced that the end of the legislative session will be the end of his first term as a state senator, and the end of his more than a decade leading a Havre church.  Sen. Rowlie Hutton, R-Havre, told the Havre Daily News Wednesday that he would resign his seat at the end of the legislative session and is stepping down as pastor of the Fifth Avenue Christian Church.  “Because I have been a part of this congregation for almost 14 years, and due to the fact I will be involved in the Senate for the next four months, I wanted to give ample time to make this transition, ” Hutton wrote in a letter to his parishioners dated Jan. 27.

He said Wednesday that he is taking a job in Omaha, Neb. He is officially resigning from the Fifth Avenue church April 4, and his last Sunday will be May 1.  “For some time now, I have sensed the ‘alignment’ was off in my ministry at Fifth Avenue. It wasn’t until I traveled to a conference with one of our elders that I was able to assess … and put into words how I was feeling …, ” Hutton wrote. “I have arrived at the pain-staking conclusion that I am not really in alignment with the leadership at Fifth Avenue. Theologically we are on ‘target’; the other three (philosophy, relationship, organization) we are ‘wobbling’. ”  A representative of the church said this morning that a decision had not yet been made as to who would take over as head pastor. Dale Mueller will serve as interim pastor during the legislative session.  Hutton won the seat in Senate District 17 in a surprise upset for former Speaker of the House Bob Bergren, a Havre Democrat. Hutton won the seat 3,515-2,324, startling many in Hill and Blaine counties, traditionally strongholds for the Democrats.  Hutton's announcement took many political leaders by surprise.  Hill County Republican Chairman Andrew Brekke praised Hutton's public service.  "I think he did a great job," he said, "and his constituents think he did a great job.

"But he's got to do what he's got to do," Brekke added.  Brekke said once the resignation is official, the Republican committees in Blaine and Hill counties will meet to nominate a successor.  The Hill and Blaine county commissions will meet as a single body to make the appointment.

Although Democrats control both county commissions, state law requires that a Republican be named to succeed the outgoing Republican.  Brekke said several people expressed an interest in running for office prior to the 2010 elections, and he anticipated the party would not have a problem finding a candidate.  The person appointed by the commissioners would serve until 2012. Voters would select a senator in the 2012 election to complete the final two years of Hutton's four-year term, he said.  Hutton has been a vocal critic of Gov. Brian Schweitzer’s policies and on lack of a push to expand business opportunities and natural resource extraction before and after he was elected.

Five of his legislative proposals have been assigned bill numbers and appeared before committees. A hearing is scheduled for today on his proposal for the Legislature to urge Congress to submit a proposed parental rights constitutional amendment to the U. S. voters, SJR 9.

His other bills include a proposal to allow Montana to use eminent domain to take land in the state from the federal government, allow Montana to opt out of using Medicaid payments for abortions and revising salvage title laws.

His proposals not yet assigned bill numbers are to revise fertilizer and pesticide lien laws, to allow legislative authority to regulate greenhouse gases and to join an interstate compact on that issue.

 

Click here for the full text of Hutton's resignation letter to Fifth Avenue Christian Church.