Name: Jerry Hanson
Occupation: Ag department service manager at Tilleman Motors
Educational background: Graduated from Havre High School in 1976.
Favorite TV show: Abbott and Costello movies
Favorite book: none
What makes you more qualified than your opponent?
I believe that my background through my job, listening and solving problems, will enable my ability to make the best discussions for the City Council. I also feel by serving on the Great Northern Fair Board has given me great experience with solving community problems and experience with the budget process.
Please identify the top two problems faced by Havre and explain your proposed solution(s).
Business economy affected by the drought. I feel it is important to work with the businesses and the community of Havre to encourage local hometown shopping.
New business. I feel we must work hand in hand with the Chamber to make Havre a more appealing place for new businesses.
Do you support the proposed widening of Highway 2 to four lanes? Why or why not?
My initial thought would be yes to support the widening of Highway 2 to four lanes to free up the flow of traffic and with the possibility of bringing in more tourist traffic.
Do you support the Chamber of Commerce's current plans to build a town square park? Why or why not?
Yes, I do support the Chamber's plan to build a town square park. I believe that any time we can make improvements to beautify the town is in our best interest to do so, but we also need to listen to and address all the pro's and con's of the proposed project.
What do you think the city should do, if anything, to help the financially strapped Heritage Center?
At this time I do not believe the city should become involved financially in this matter.
Name: Richard F. Pierson
Occupation: Materials specialist. General Electric Transportation
Educational background: Graduated from Havre High School in 1969. One year at Northern Montana College. Graduated in electronics in weapons in the U.S. Navy
Favorite TV show: Live coverage of New York Yankees' games
Favorite book: "Tangent Factor" by Lawrence Saunders
What makes you more qualified than your opponent?
After being on the council for nearly eight years, I have seen the problems facing this city. Tax cuts have cut into the city's revenues and with shortfalls in funding, we still have to make this city department work with less dollars and I have, as a member of the council, made these things happen. I have also faced the problems in my ward and tried to the best of my ability to fix them.
Please identify the top two problems faced by Havre and explain your proposed solution(s).
From the standpoint of the city and its citizens, the completion of the water plant is top priority. This project completion has an effect on all of the citizens of Havre. We need to get to the heart of the matter, address the problems that have curtailed its completion, and fix them. Its completion in a timely manner is of the utmost importance.
The business and economic environment is also of the utmost importance. As a former business owner who had to close after the downsizing of BNSF in 1992-93, I understand the pain of closing a business and the hardships it creates.
I believe that the chamber, Bear Paw Development, the mayor's office, the city council, county commissioners, and the people of Havre should all get onboard the same vessel to not view the problems but to focus on the solutions to make our community grow and thrive once again.
Do you support the proposed widening of Highway 2 to four lanes? Why or why not?
Yes, I do. If the fund is to come for this project and the right steps were taken for its building and completion, it would create short- and long-term prosperity for the northern tier of Montana and our Hi-Line communities and could help make Havre thrive during its construction and after its completion.
Do you support the Chamber of Commerce's current plans to build a town square park? Why or why not?
Downtown beautification has always been a concern of the city council and the mayor's office. Putting in the downtown park will definitely be an added plus for downtown. On the other hand from a business point of view and I believe we should look at all views, we are also giving up some prime land that could, in fact, be used for building of new commerce. We need to look at facts of incoming business that maybe larger than we have vacant to accommodate a large entity in downtown Havre.
What do you think the city should do, if anything, to help the financially strapped Heritage Center?
Legally, I don't know what else the city government of Havre can do for the Heritage Center. We have given CTEP funds, purchased the building, and given a lease agreement. The city should not and actually cannot become involved in private business. But as an individual, I believe all citizens of Havre should work towards a common goal of finding new ways of funding this project. The foundation and the board of directors of the Heritage Center should also work together to solve any problems they may have and they should try to solve them. The loss of the Heritage Center would be a detriment to Havre and its citizens.
