Cassidy Kipp Letter of Interest, Ward 3Cassidy Kipp
820 Third Avenue East
cyvonnekipp@gmail.com
Dear Mayor and Council,
Please accept my letter of interest in the Ward 3 seat. I am excited for this opportunity. I
celebrated my first birthday in Ward 3 and have been a homeowner in the ward since 2006. I
love the character of the neighborhood. On my street we greet hundreds of kids on
Halloween, we walk to the Kruise on Friday nights, and we cheer on the solid waste crews as
they tackle the east side leaves. It's a great little pocket of Kalispell that holds unique charms
that make our community appealing.
As per the notice, I am providing narrative regarding my experience and a conclusion
paragraph outlining why I am interested.
Experience:
I returned to Kalispell directly out of college. I worked for Adult Protective Services, often
alongside law enforcement, emergency responders and local government agencies to
investigate abuse/ neglect/ exploitation of the elderly and disabled. During this time, I often
coordinated with Kalispell Fire Department and Police. My office was located side -by -side
with MT Highway Patrol. We had daily contact there. These front row interactions with law
enforcement introduced me to the depth and scope of services that can fall upon their
shoulders in the line of duty. And it was through this experience that many of my beliefs on
officer safety and capacity were developed. These are non-negotiables for effective policing.
Through my work with Adult Protective Services, I realized that opportunities exist to
intervene in problematic situations prior to them becoming costly crisis scenarios that siphon
excessive resources from public and private entities. As a result, in 2009 I started working in
housing stabilization, with a focus on responsible programming and accountability to help
keep folks out of crisis. For many years I worked directly with people encountering housing
insecurity. This work included developing and following household budgets that were
maintainable without any type of outside help; increasing earning capacity for people who
were unemployed or underemployed through stabilization planning; and working with local
partners to leverage cross -sector expertise to achieve sustainable outcomes.
In the past five years, my housing work has shifted to development activities that are
influenced by land use policies and state/local rules. I spend a great deal of time reading
policy, exploring funding options, including the related underwriting requirements, local
regulations/ code/ building department work flow and market conditions. I enjoy the process
and work involved in understanding complicated land use scenarios. I hold certifications for
low-income housing tax credit programs and I keep up to date with industry trends.
I hold two national certifications to teach and implement a management style known as
Result Oriented Management and Accountability. The process is outcome -focused in its
philosophy and orientation, requiring effective planning based upon proper information. I am
certified to teach an 8-hour course that introduces this process to organizational staff.
Additionally, I complete an annual audit of internal operations to assess how the organization
could improve performance based upon prior year results and targeting accuracy. The audit
helps assess our ability to meet the double bottom -line of mission and margin.
Outside of work, I spent many years volunteering on the board of Special Friends Advocacy
Program, a local group that provides social and recreational outings to adults with disabilities.
This organization is 100% self -supported and a great example of a private sector local
response to a community need. I am also a member of the board of the Flathead County
Agency on Aging, addressing unique needs and resources of the senior populations in our
area. This board includes a sitting County Commissioner.
Why am I interested?
When I think about the future of Kalispell, I first get a little nostalgic so that it's clear why I
care so much. I worked at the Army Navy on Main Street during high school in the 1990s and
then spent another 15+ years working on Main Street in the 2000s. I worked, drove, walked
and shopped in our downtown area. I raised my family walking to the library, and to Norm's
News and to Music in the Park. We live in a ward that allows us easy access to much of what
Kalispell can offer. Walks to the Parkline and season passes to the pool. We live here because
we feel safe and confident in it being complementary to the needs of our family.
My professional experience reinforces my deep Kalispell connection. I have a sensibility to
the economic realities of budgeting and execution of municipal projects, and I realize that
money doesn't grow on trees. I know how to strike that balance.
I am compelled to be involved with the next steps of our city planning by bringing my skills
and my experience and my love for this area to the table. I believe there is momentum behind
the work that council has started, and I am excited at the prospect of engaging and
contributing more directly in this process.
Thank you for your consideration,
Passdy Kipp