By Ron VandenBoom
Gary Schubert is the Republican candidate for the Ward 2 City Council seat.
Schubert, a Highland Park resident and general contractor, is a relative newcomer to the Havre political scene. He has been a member of the Hill County Republican Party for about nine months and this is the first time he has campaigned for political office.
He said he has considered himself to be a silent Republican for years, but also admits a tendency to vote for the man and take an independent political stand when he chooses.
Schubert said he considers his inexperience in politics a good thing in that he feels that he enters politics with an open mind.
He said he entered the Ward 2 race because he felt strongly that there were a lot of issues before the city council where the people were not being heard.
Their complaints werent heard, he said, referring to the people and what he perceives as their dissatisfaction over water rates and water use issues. And I dont think they got a fair shake.
There have been several other issues Ive listened to in campaigning where they call them (city council members) up and nothing is done, Schubert said, and I just want to bring that forward.
Schubert refers to the campaign as a learning experience and he said he has been attending city council meetings and planning board meetings to become better informed of the issues.
You think you know everything about Havre, he said, but you really dont unless you start attending some meetings and get yourself informed.
Schubert said keeping the public informed is also an important issue and he believes the city council should put something in the paper, call people and let them know, or even get a private survey in the ward going, to better gauge public sentiments before decisions are made.
Schubert said his phone is on the hook and he is ready to answer any questions the public might have before the election. His number is 265-5006.
Vickie Clouse is the Democratic candidate in Ward 2 and like Schubert is a Highland Park resident who has never before run for public office.
Clouse said she is running for city council to give something back to the community.
Its just a situation where living here all of my life in a safe and good environment, I want to give something back, she said. We all live here and we all want a nice place to live and we want it to be better.
She has taught biology and paleontology at MSU-Northern and has served on several boards including the H. Earl Clack Museum and Foundation Boards. She has also served as the student regent for the Montana State Board of Regents.
She has also served on the board of the Montana Higher Education Student Assistance Corporation.
I think that if Im elected my experience on the boards will help me serve the people well, she said.
Clouse said she does not have an agenda as such, but believes tourism in Havre is becoming very important to economic growth. It is a belief she has attempted to fulfill with her work in paleontology research in the Havre area and in helping the H. Earl Clack Museum establish a dinosaur exhibit.
Theres a lot of candidates that are offering change to the city of Havre and I agree that change is good, she said, but empty changes made hastily, strictly for the sake of change can be devastating even to the health of large communities. As an educator and researcher, I will look at all sides of the issue and make changes that will benefit Havre in the year 2000 and beyond.
Clouse will also have her phone on the hook for the next few days waiting to answer voters questions. Her number is 265-6293 or 265-3759.
