A little bit about me

For your own copy of a campaign flier that you may print out and distribute, click here.

I thought it may be helpful if you know a little more about me and my involvement within Rosebud County and the City of Colstrip.  See the first post for a Q&A concerning my political philosophy and my reasons for seeking office.

My family and I moved to Colstrip in the summer of 2007.  We came here to be closer to my wife's parents, Don and Lisa Nolte, as my wife was pregnant with our first child.  Abigail Faith was born a week after we arrived in Colstrip (Emma Joy is will be born in early January).  We also came to serve at a local Cosltrip church, Life's Journey Christian Fellowship (www.lifesjourneymt.org).

I graduated from Texas A&M University with a bachelors degree in Environmental Design (digital art/design) in 2006 and moved to Louisville, KY in December of '06 in order to attend the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.  I was enrolled in the seminary, but did not have enough money to begin classes.  My wife and I moved to Kentucky in order to settle in and begin to save for school.  Upon hearing that a former pastor of Life's Journey (LJCF) was looking for a young man to assist him in church ministry and possibly his local business, Autumn and I decided that this would be a great opportunity for us to receive "on the job training" before pursuing the academic training and also a great opportunity to be closer to her family.  After much prayer, we followed God's calling to Colstrip.

Since living in Colstrip, both Autumn and I have worked with the Colstrip school district as substitute teachers.  Autumn still substitutes at the elementary school and I substituted at all three campuses.  I have worked as an administrative assistant for the pastor of LJCF and I am currently the technology director for LJCF.  I also substitute preach and serve, alongside my wife, as a youth leader.  I worked with the Rosebud County Sheriff's office, in Forsyth, as a emergency dispatcher for nearly a year and now work at the Western Energy coal mine in Colstrip.  I still hold Montana state public service communicator (9-1-1 dispatcher) certification and know the local law enforcement and emergency medical community well.

On July 28, I was appointed to the Colstrip City Council to continue the remaining term of former Council woman Susan Hert.  I have greatly enjoyed serving Colstrip as an appointed representative and I will enjoy serving Colstrip for four more years.

You can learn a little more about me at my personal website, www.singletreeproduction.com.

Questions & Answers

Thank you for your support. The Colstrip City Council election is on Nov 3 and the ballots have already been mailed out. I am a Write In Candidate and therefore my name will not be on the ballot, but you can...write it in.

Below are some questions you have asked. I have enjoyed serving you as a Council member since July and I will be privileged to serve you for four more years as your elected official.

1. Why did you not get your name on the ballot?
By the time I was appointed to the City Council, on July 28, the deadline for the full ballot filing was expired or soon to expire. When I gave my letter of interest to the City Council for appointment consideration, I only wanted to serve my community by actively involving myself in local politics by serving the remainder of former Council member Susan Hert's term. After a few weeks on the Council, some citizens asked me to consider running in the election. By this time I was only eligible to declare my intent as a write in candidate. I considered the idea, sought wise counsel, prayed about it and decided to run.


2. What difference do you think you will make being a member of the Council?
I will encourage people to get more involved in their city government. I am a young man and did not grow up in Colstrip or Montana. I offer an outside view that is vital to Colstrip since Colstrip is not like many other Montana cities in that Colstrip is a melting pot of different parts of the state and country. I am the husband and father of a young family and I intend to raise my family here. I am not tainted by any past city controversy and therefore can help the city move forward and build relationships that others are not able to build.

3. What are your reasons for running for City Council?
I believe I will be an asset to the Council because I am willing to sit and listen to people and other Council members offering the people a representative that they can approach. I want to raise my family in a safe, prosperous community and believe Colstrip is that and can continue to be this. I have served on the Council for two months, since July, and I enjoy solving problems and being a more active part of Colstrip's success.

4. Who or what is the ultimate authority here in Colstrip?
The ultimate authority in Colstrip is the people of Colstrip. The elected and appointed officials of Colstrip are representatives of the people.

5. What will be your responsibilities as a Council member?
As a Council member I will be a part of the four member legislative and governing body of Colstrip. I will be responsible to decide what ordinances the city will enforce, how city funds are allocated and what kind of projects the city will be involved in.

6. What constitutional rights of the individual do you think a local government is obligated to respect no matter what problem or crisis occurs?
A local government is obligated to respect and honor every right granted to a citizen by the United States Constitution and the constitution of the State where a citizen lives. No crisis or problem, national or local, shall provide a government the justification to prohibit or restrict a citizen's constitutional right unless a restriction is granted by the Constitution.

Where law cannot, by its function and authority, assist the people during a time of crisis, the governmental leadership must then exhort the people, not by legal authority but by appealing to reason and wisdom, to act appropriately in respect to whatever crisis or problem may be ongoing. In other words, our representatives should be men and women of such integrity and character that during a crisis the governed people will look for a proper example of behavior set by the representatives and thus voluntarily follow that good example.

7. Should all city services be under the direct control of the city government?
The city government retains the right to choose whether or not it directly controls any service it is required to provide. Any service a city government is required to provide may be provided by the government in a manner decided by the government through the recommendation of the people and the wisdom and final decision of the elected or appointed officials.

In other words, not all city services should necessarily be provided by the city government but all required services may be directly provided by the city.

8. Having been on the council, what mistakes do you think our local government is making, and what would you try to do to change course?
One concern that has drawn much of my attention is the lack of public participation at the council meetings. Our local government is truly the citizens of Colstrip.

Viewing the citizens as our government, the absence of the people at council meetings is a major mistake I think our government has made. Granted, I did not attend council meetings before I was appointed. However, seeing an empty room at every meeting I have attended makes me wonder why the people are consistently absent.

The absence of the people is a problem that I hope to remedy if elected. I do not think it necessary for everyone to always attend Council meetings. However, I do want to encourage every citizen that they have a voice and it should be heard. As a Council member I want to do what I said I would the night I was appointed; that is to be an ear of and a voice for the people.

9. What new programs would you like to see our city take on?
I would like to see the City continue to encourage the development and safety of the CPRD parks. I have visited the CPRD skate park and I am greatly concerned by the run down condition of the park and the criminal behavior that the current condition will encourage.

10. Have there been any plans/preparations made to respond to any potential disasters?
I do not know what kind of disaster plan the city has on file. This is something I will research. However, having worked with local law enforcement and emergency responders, I do know that the Sheriff's office and the county ambulance team does have disaster plans on file and emergency personnel receive consistent refresher training over the plans. The 9-1-1 dispatchers also receive disaster training. While I was an active dispatcher I attended a conference with another county dispatcher and two Colstrip dispatchers that dealt with mass shooting situations. The lecturer was the emergency communications director who handled on scene communications during the Amish school house shooting that occurred a few years ago in Pennsylvania.

I have handled communications in emergency situations and therefore I will be able to read the plans with knowledge of proper emergency response and the basic resources needed for an emergency.

11. What is your political philosophy?
Elected office is a privilege; any position of leadership is a privilege granted by the people who follow. Elected leaders of a Republic are representatives of the people. They are a voice for and an ear of those represented. As representatives of the people, we are servants of them. We are called to serve them and bound by moral law to do what is best for them.

Evan Stewart - Write It Down