Election 2015: J.D. Cass, Ward 3

James David Cass, or J.D., as he is affectionately known, has an interesting resume: ranchhand, government employee, train engineer, store clerk and soon, if he gets his way, member of Havre City Council.

Cass, 69, is running for the city council Ward 3 seat occupied by Allen "Woody" Woodwick who is retiring.

Cass will face Caleb Hutchins in elections that begin by mail-in ballot Thursday.

"I decided to run in order to give back in service to the people of the city of Havre," he said.

He was born and raised in Central Ohio. Much of his time as a child was spent feeding livestock and doing chores on his family's farm.

"My father paid me a quarter a week, whether I worked or not," he said.

Cass said, though, that he always did the work.

He attended all 12 years of grade school in the same school building.

Cass was in the U.S. Air Force from 1965 to 1969, all three years stationed in Texas. He later attended Utah State University where he graduated in the early 1970s with a Bachelor of Science in wildlife management. Afterwards, he worked as a ranch hand, before moving to Montana and taking a job with the Department of Natural Resources and Conservation, where he worked on water projects among other things. He moved to cities including Augusta, Helena and Whitewater as his work demanded with his wife, Nonna, and his three children.

In 1983, his work took him to Havre where he settled down. In 1988, he began working for BNSF Railway, eventually becoming an engineer. Cass retired in 2010 and now works at Big Sky Images & Collectibles at the Holiday Village Mall.

Cass said he has no specific agenda but hopes he can be an effective voice for the constituents of the ward in which he lives.

But this election season, Cass and other candidates will be joined on the ballot by a 20- year mill levy. The additional $1.5 million generated each year will be used to repair the city's aged streets and infrastructure.

"I realize it's controversial and expensive, I wish there were some way around it," Cass said.

The candidate said he would rather the city carry out this effort through the use of special improvement districts, or SIDS, where a project proposal is organized and voted on by those who live in a particular district of the city. If the measure gets a majority of support, it is then done and financed by increases to those who live in the area where that project is being carried out.

Critics of such a move, though, say SIDS are hard to organize and would end up creating a patchwork street system where some roads would be repaired, while others would continue to deteriorate.

When asked further, Cass said he is glad it is on the ballot, but stopped short of endorsing it.

Cass thinks the city should contemplate changing to a city manager form of government where a manager is hired to carry out daily operations of the city.

"I think we should hire a city manager, a professional who would be able to deal with the issues."

On annexation, where the city would absorb 14 properties west of Havre into its limits and thereby allowing the city to bring in additional tax revenue, Cass said he was open to looking into it, noting that in terms of property it is the only way a city can grow.

Controversy was sparked some months back when some tried unsuccessfully to amend ordinances that prevent those within city limits from having chickens on their property.

Cass said he would support altering the ordinance, provided there be "limitations and specializations" on how many a household can own, how they are housed and a process where each request for chickens can be decided on a case-by-case basis.

In the coming weeks, Cass plans on going door to door to seek the support of Ward 3 residents.

Voter Information

• Voting will take place by mail ballot only. Ballots will be mailed to registered voters Wednesday.

• Ballots must be returned by Tuesday, Nov. 3. County officials urge people who have not mailed them by Monday, Nov. 2, to deliver them by hand.

• People can register at the Clerk and Recorder’s Office at the Hill County Courthouse in downtown Havre. People can cast their ballot when they register.