Three vie for Hill County Commision seat

Diane McLean has won two elections for Hill County Superintendent of Schools, but this year she is seeking a different office,

McLean, a Republican, is campaigning to be Hill County commissioner. She faces independent Ted Solomon and Democrat James Bedwell in the election to replace retiring incumbent Jeff LaVoi.  

“I searched long and hard (as to) whether I had the desire and the will to learn a different position and a different office,” McLean said.

Solomon is a neighbor of hers and that initially made entering the race uncomfortable, she said.

However, if she did not enter this year, she would not get another chance to do so for at least another six years, when the seat will be on the ballot again.  

“So even though my term for county superintendent is not over, I really felt that I needed to go ahead and file to run,” McLean said.

She said that she is confident that she can make tough — and sometimes unpopular — decisions after examining the facts of an issue and considering all viewpoints.

Throughout her campaign, McLean said, she has heard concerns from county residents about the condition and availability of the Great Northern Fairgrounds as well as the deteriorating roads.

The county website could also be upgraded, and she said filling vacancies at the county attorney’s office will be another priority.

However, it is the county budget that is most pressing, McLean said.

In recent years, the county has experienced budgetary challenges due to a tax base that has not expanded, while at the same time expenses have gone up, McLean said.

Though she does not have a plan, McLean said the county might have to explore ways to combine existing services, and ways that offices can share or exchange resources to save money.

She said Hill County should do more to work with Rocky Boy’s Indian Reservation.

The economies of both Havre and Rocky Boy are closely intertwined, she said.

“People from Rocky Boy live in Havre,” McLean said. “They commute and do business in Havre and obviously this community has to take a look at that neighbor and say, ‘Are we treating that neighbor well? Is this neighbor a viable piece of what happens in Hill County?’

Though the relationship presents challenges due to Rocky Boy’s status as a federal reservation, there are likely places where the county can work better with them, she said.

McLean said Hill County also has great potential, with many job openings listed at the Job Service  and with Montana State University-Northern in Havre training workers.   Northern has degree programs in nursing, teaching and other areas, in addition to certificates in welding, plumbing and other trades, including four-year programs in fields such as diesel technology and automotive technology, many of which have high employment rates for students upon graduation, she said.