Candidate wants to contribute to Whitefish

My name is John Repke and I am running for Whitefish City Council.

I am relatively new to the area, so my name is probably new to you. My wife and I were part-time residents for seven years before becoming full-time residents of Whitefish a year ago. We chose to make this area and Whitefish in particular, our permanent home because we love it here — spectacular natural beauty and a wonderful community.

Why am I running? Quite simply, I care about the community and I believe that municipal government is critical to the quality of life in the community. I am at a stage in life where I have the time, energy and desire to contribute in a meaningful way.

What do I bring? My background is in corporate finance and management — so that means analysis, budgeting, planning, risk management, financing, negotiating, and managing efficient organizations. I believe my experience in these areas will serve me well as a council member as will my experience dealing with complex issues with multiple stakeholders.

Beyond that I have lived in a number of other communities and can bring perspectives from those experiences to the discussions.

Where do I stand? Whitefish is a great place. In my opinion, this is a reflection of a city government that has done its job well.

That said, progress is inevitable and dealing with growth and development while maintaining charm, vitality, and livability is an ongoing challenge. This requires a thoughtful, objective council willing to make the effort to understand the issues from all sides — and make, sometimes difficult, decisions.   

In this effort, I can and will be analytical, thoughtful, objective and decisive. I am not running to change Whitefish, but to contribute to keeping it the great place it is.

— John Repke, Whitefish