Arthur Fretheim Letter of Interest, Ward 3Dear Mayor and Council:
I am writing to offer my services for the open City Council seat for Ward 3. 1 am a
Kalispell resident and citizen who has lived at my current place on the east side of the ward for
a little over 10 years. I am the third generation of my family to have lived in Kalispell, although
the first to seek local office. My grandparents, Dick and Norma Fretheim, were longtime Kalispell
residents and members at Bethlehem Lutheran Church, with my grandfather having been
librarian at Flathead. My dad went to Russell School, and I currently have family on the west
side. Professionally, I am a certified teacher and have worked in the local schools as a special
education teacher, paraprofessional and substitute, having obtained my teaching credentials
from the University of Montana -Western. Previously I worked for the Daily Inter Lake and at
local Kalispell grocery stores and restaurants. Outside of work, I enjoy playing trivia at local
establishments and visiting parks. My work schedule should not prohibit me from attending the
work sessions and regular meetings at 7 pm Monday nights.
Currently, I serve on the City Impact Fee Committee. Over the past few years, I have
been a regular listener at Council meetings. When I have given public comment, I have always
tried to keep it relevant and useful to the topic at hand and will strive to continue to do so.
In the interests of full disclosure, I have run for the Montana Legislature to represent
House District 7 in central Kalispell, an office which requires candidates to state a party
preference. However, I believe that I can separate my partisan views on state issues from the
local matters that come before the Council. One of the things the City Council does better than
other levels of government is in avoiding explicitly partisan decisions and I would like to keep it
that way. Having knocked numerous doors in town I have found that when you remove the party
labels there is a lot we agree on, from education, to taxes, to public safety. I do have some
issues that I would like to bring forward to the city, including improving snow removal and
general road and pedestrian safety, but more importantly I would like to be a voice for my
neighbors. The powers of the city only exist because they are delegated by the people of
Kalispell and my object would be to serve them, not my own personal interests.
While I would like the opportunity to run and think that I would have a good chance if I
could place my name before the voters, I understand that state law requires you to make the
choice to fill the vacancy. With that in mind, I hope to be selected but more importantly I hope
that whatever choice you make reflects the genuine interests of the people of Ward 3.
Thank you for your consideration. Please do not hesitate to reach out with any further
questions.
Sincerely,
Arthur Fretheim
240 9th St E #201
Kalispell, MT, 59901
afretheim(a)gmail.com
Cell: 641-260-0125