![\"\"](\"http:\/\/lastbestnews.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/Ward-2-map-771x400.jpg\")
<\/a>Three candidates are vying to replace Angela Cimmino of Ward 2, who is nearing the end of her second consecutive four-year term on the Billings City Council and is running for mayor. The City Charter limits council members to two consecutive terms.<\/p>\n
Ballots were mailed out Aug. 25 for the primary election. For this mail-in-only election, all ballots must be mailed back to or brought into the Yellowstone County Elections Department by 8 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 12. The two top vote-getters in each race will advance to the General Election on Nov. 7.<\/p>\n
Last Best News asked all City Council and mayoral candidates to respond to a written questionnaire, which featured questions suggested by several former council members, mayors and community leaders. Council candidates were asked to answer as many of the questions as they wished to, but to limit their total response to 1,000 words. First, a look at the candidates:<\/p>\n
![\"Frank](\"http:\/\/lastbestnews.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/Frank-Ewalt.png\")
<\/a>Frank Ewalt<\/p><\/div>\n
Frank Ewalt,\u00a0<\/strong>retired\/self-employed<\/p>\n Political experience<\/strong>:\u00a0None <\/p>\n Roger Gravgaard<\/p><\/div>\n Roger Gravgaard, <\/strong>58<\/p>\n Political experience: <\/strong>No public office. <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Ta’jin Perez<\/p><\/div>\n Ta’jin Perez<\/strong>, 27<\/p>\n Occupation<\/strong>: Program coordinator 1.\u00a0If elected, what scares you most about serving on the council?<\/strong><\/p>\n Gravgaard<\/strong>: I\u00a0don\u2019t believe that I\u2019m scared of being elected. I do<\/em>\u00a0see serving as a very serious responsibility. I would be serving with a group of citizens who are responsible for setting a course for our city into the future.<\/p>\n Ewalt<\/strong>:\u00a0Not meeting the expectations of the people in Ward 2, who I represent.<\/p>\n Perez<\/strong>:\u00a0I\u2019m not scared about serving on the council. I see it is a welcomed challenge and opportunity to serve the Billings Heights community.<\/p>\n 2.\u00a0There are some 400,000-plus square feet of vacant commercial space becoming available in downtown Billings. What are your plans for solving the vacant retail and commercial space problem?<\/strong><\/p>\n Perez<\/strong>:\u00a0My approach would include visiting with the Downtown Billings Alliance, and other organizations to identify the specific obstacles and setbacks that keep local businesses from thriving downtown.<\/p>\n Ewalt<\/strong>:\u00a0This is private business and should be solved by private entities.\u00a0 If the reason for the vacancy is city government caused, then the City Council should look into it.<\/p>\n Gravgaard<\/strong>: Regarding the 400,000-plus square feet of vacant commercial property in our downtown area: I\u2019m not sure how that is an issue for the City Council to address. It is private property and I would leave it up to the owners of that property. The exception to that is if any tax increment finance dollars are requested to be made available for renovations and repairs.<\/p>\n 3.\u00a0The trail network has become an integral part of the Billings landscape. With less federal funding available for alternative transportation, how would you help expand and maintain the network as a viable transportation option?<\/strong><\/p>\n Gravgaard<\/strong>: Expanding the trail network is essential to continuing to attract new people to hopefully make our town their home. Completion of the \u201cMarathon Loop\u201d would be at the core of that expansion. The real question is: How do we pay for it?\u00a0\u00a0 Perhaps the answer is a public\/private collaborative effort.<\/p>\n Perez<\/strong>:\u00a0Working with the rest of the council, as well as a dynamic mayor, I would look to find better ways of using available funds, as well as forge outside-the-box fundraising strategies. Initially, the priority, rather than focusing on aesthetics would be to complete the infrastructure for the trail system, and then work for additional funding for marketing and research to make it attractive.<\/p>\n Ewalt<\/strong>:\u00a0The state of Oregon recently pass a tax on bicycles, seems like they\u2019re on the right path to funding. 4.\u00a0With an administration running the city and overseeing city departments, what do you see as your role as a member of the City Council?<\/strong><\/p>\n Ewalt<\/strong>:\u00a0The City Council has final judgment on all matters.\u00a0 It is important that council members work hard to become familiar with the issues from both sides, the city management and the citizens they represent.<\/p>\n Gravgaard<\/strong>: If elected, my role as a member of the city council would be to set policy for the city under the guidelines of the City Charter.<\/p>\n Perez<\/strong>:\u00a0I see my role as a member of the city\u2019s legislative body to help craft policies that benefit the Heights, specifically, and the city, in general. This task will be done with the aid of the best information and analysis possible from department heads, city administrator, private sector leaders, and individual community members.<\/p>\n 5.\u00a0What is the optimal role for a city administrator? Idea person, implementer of council policy, manager of city employees, budget watchdog or something else?<\/strong><\/p>\n Perez<\/strong>:\u00a0First and foremost, a good city administrator will swiftly implement and enforce policies and forge strong relationships with the various departments for a streamlined city governance.<\/p>\n Gravgaard<\/strong>:\u00a0<\/strong>The primary role of the city administrator is to run the day-to-day operations of the city. That person also would be responsible for implementing council policy. The city administrator is the only city employee hired by the council.\u00a0 Ideally, that person would communicate any ideas for things that might be improved to the council.<\/p>\n Ewalt<\/strong>:\u00a0All of the above plus being a real PEOPLE person and someone who can fall in love with Billings and the rural atmosphere we all enjoy.<\/p>\n Mayoral candidates’ responses to a similar survey were printed<\/a> Sunday, and responses from Ward 1 council candidates were published<\/a> Monday. Other City Council candidates’ responses will be published in the coming days: Ward 3, Wednesday; Ward 4, Thursday; Ward 5, Friday.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n 6.\u00a0What ideas do you have for including and promoting diversity in the Billings community?<\/strong><\/p>\n Ewalt:\u00a0<\/strong>I don\u2019t think we really have a problem with diversity.\u00a0 We do have a problem with an arm of our diversification, that being gangs and drug users\/dealers we can live just fine without their presence.\u00a0 I\u2019ll help in any way toward a path of drug and gang freedom.<\/p>\n Perez<\/strong>: Working with the Billings Human Relations Commission, I would promote public forums that begin conversations that address racism and how they intersect with public institutions and social conventions. Additionally, it is in the city\u2019s best interest to have a nondiscrimination ordinance in place, and I would vote for an iteration of one while on the council.<\/p>\n Gravgaard<\/strong>:\u00a0I\u2019m not sure what this question is asking: including and promoting diversity of what? Are we talking about diversity of ideas? The current slate of candidates citywide shows a great deal of diversity of ideas. Are we talking about ethnic diversity? We live in Montana; a homogenous state and Billings reflects our state. I would say even more ethnically diverse than Montana in general. I see Billings as a welcoming place. When my wife, daughter and I moved here in 2000, we were received warmly by everyone we had the pleasure of meeting.<\/p>\n 7.\u00a0Have you read the City Charter<\/strong>?<\/p>\n Gravgaard<\/strong>: I have read the City Charter and refer to it often in my discussion with members of not only my ward, but the city.<\/p>\n Ewalt<\/strong>: Yes, a couple of times.<\/p>\n Perez<\/strong>: Yes.<\/p>\n 8.\u00a0Should the City Charter be changed? If so, how?<\/strong><\/p>\n Ewalt<\/strong>:\u00a0Right now I don\u2019t have any changes in mind<\/p>\n Perez<\/strong>:\u00a0At this time, I do not see a change that needs to be made. If the people of Billings find a compelling reason to modify the City Charter I would be open for discussions.<\/p>\n Gravgaard<\/b>: I don\u2019t think that the City Charter needs to be changed.<\/p>\n 9.\u00a0Does the proposed One Big Sky Center make economic sense? How do you respond to hotel owners who might be hurt by this subsidized competition?<\/strong><\/p>\n Gravgaard<\/strong>:\u00a0Does the proposed One Big Sky Center make economic sense? I don\u2019t have enough hard facts about the proposed project to make an informed decision and thus, am unable to give a definite answer. If in fact it does come to fruition and it gets built, I would hope that the other hotels in the downtown area would also benefit from \u201coverflow\u201d occupancy during large gathering or conventions.<\/p>\n Ewalt<\/strong>:\u00a0This needs further study, but if it is such a great deal why doesn\u2019t private enterprise just submit plans and get the project going.\u00a0 I have a problem using public funds to the extent of 22-28 percent of the project cost.<\/p>\n Perez<\/strong>:\u00a0The One Big Sky Center project is concerning to me. The first issue is not knowing the whole picture as far as municipal financial risk. I do not believe that taxpayer money should be used in a lopsided deal. Secondly, many small businesses in the area are at risk of being undermined. Residents are also at risk of being displaced by the very possible gentrification of downtown.<\/p>\n 10.\u00a0Considering that Billings has\u00a0an international reputation\u00a0as a community of tolerance dating back to the early 1990s, how do you think our reputation may have been affected if the national media had\u00a0gotten hold of the story about Billings government rejecting a nondiscrimination ordinance?\u00a0 More specifically, how could such national publicity affect our competitive position about economic development, considering that other major cities in Montana have a nondiscrimination ordinance in place?<\/strong><\/p>\n Perez<\/strong>:\u00a0As stated above, it is in the best interest of the city, both in the short-term and in the long run, to pass a nondiscrimination ordinance. The fact of the matter is that the business world is beginning to strongly stand by their employees from all backgrounds and lifestyles. Billings must diversify economically. In order to do that, our City must embrace the diverse workforce that will drive our diverse economy. Otherwise, we will squander this unique opportunity to set Billings on the path towards a world-class city.<\/p>\n Ewalt<\/strong>: Just look at how select and special interest groups are decimating the history \u00a0of the United States of America today, and to what end.\u00a0 The USA Constitution, the Billings City Charter, and the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag all guarantee equal rights for all.\u00a0 What is wrong with just being AMERICANS?<\/p>\n Gravgaard<\/strong>:\u00a0The nondiscrimination ordinance is not an issue that should be dealt with at the local level. It should be addressed by the state Legislature. Having ordinances in place in various cities is counter-productive in my opinion. There needs to be uniformity, thus enacting something at the state level is the way to go about dealing with this issue.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Three candidates are vying to replace Angela Cimmino of Ward 2, who is nearing the end of her second consecutive four-year term on the Billings City Council and is running for mayor. The City Charter limits council members to two consecutive terms. Ballots were mailed out Aug. 25 for the primary election. For this mail-in-only […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[15,14],"tags":[640,4531,6194,6192,6193],"class_list":["post-19064","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-billings","category-news","tag-city-council","tag-election","tag-frank-ewalt","tag-roger-garvgaard","tag-tajin-j-perez","prominence-top-story"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/montana-mint.com\/lastbestnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19064","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/montana-mint.com\/lastbestnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/montana-mint.com\/lastbestnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/montana-mint.com\/lastbestnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/montana-mint.com\/lastbestnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=19064"}],"version-history":[{"count":13,"href":"https:\/\/montana-mint.com\/lastbestnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19064\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":19264,"href":"https:\/\/montana-mint.com\/lastbestnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19064\/revisions\/19264"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/montana-mint.com\/lastbestnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=19064"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/montana-mint.com\/lastbestnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=19064"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/montana-mint.com\/lastbestnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=19064"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\nThree favorite books<\/strong>: Left blank<\/p>\n![\"Roger](\"http:\/\/lastbestnews.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/Roger-Gravgaard.jpg\")
<\/a>
\nThree favorite books: <\/strong>“The Purpose Driven Life” by Rick Warren, “The Inheritance” by Niki Kapsambelis and “The Slight Edge by Jeff Olson.”<\/p>\n![\"Ta'jin](\"http:\/\/lastbestnews.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/Tajin-Perez-copy.jpg\")
<\/a>
\n Political experience<\/strong>: First time running for elected office
\n Name your three favorite books, or those that influenced you most deeply<\/strong>: “Braiding Sweetgrass,” “Cod: A Biography of the Fish that Changed the World” and “The New Jim Crow.”<\/p>\n<\/h5>\n
Questions and Answers<\/h5>\n
![\"CapreAir_Variable\"](\"http:\/\/lastbestnews.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/201703_capeair_variable.jpg\")
<\/a><\/div><\/div><\/p>\n\nThe other races<\/h5>\n