Election 2015: Muhlfeld touts 'balance and focus' of council

John Muhlfeld wants to serve a second term as mayor of Whitefish to take care of what he calls unfinished business.

Muhlfeld, 42, says he’s been working the last four years to build consensus. He sees his role as mayor as serving as a liaison between the city staff, council and the public.

“The four to six years prior to me being elected mayor was a contentious time,” he said. “I believe I brought some balance and leadership to the position that helped redirect the focus. We’ll always have diverse opinions on how the city moves forward, but in the last four years we’ve been able to demonstrate how we can do that as a collective.”

Muhlfeld was first elected mayor in November 2011. He was appointed to city council in 2006 to fill a two-year vacancy and was elected in 2007 to a four-year term. He is running unopposed.

Muhlfeld is a hydrologist and principal with River Design Group, Inc., a water resources engineering firm based in Whitefish and Corvallis, Ore.

Originally from Connecticut, Muhlfeld moved to Whitefish in 1995 after studying water resources at the University of Queensland in Australia. He worked here with the Forest Service and Department of Natural Resources and Conservation before teaming up with partners in 2003 to launch River Design Group.

Muhlfeld is keen on finishing the Haskill Basin easement by the end of the year or first of 2016. He wants to see through the three easements on the property owned by F.H. Stoltze Land & Lumber — a conservation easement that will protect the 3,000 acres from development, a water utility easement that will preserve access to the city’s water source and a trail easement through the property.

“Providing continuity with those three projects is very important,” he said. “I do consider the Haskill Basin project one of my biggest accomplishments and gifts back to this community.”

Challenges

Muhlfeld says the most pressing issue facing the city is a lack of affordable workforce housing.

“We’re at that critical juncture where affordable housing availability needs to be prioritized or we’re going to see a serious deterioration in the character of our community,” he said.

He points to the recent Affordable Workforce Housing Summit as a first step in the right direction. Muhlfeld plans to work alongside the Whitefish Chamber of Commerce and the Whitefish Housing Authority to create a task force to build a consensus about how to address it.

“There is a whole host of tools that we can use to move forward,” Muhlfeld said. “We can provide incentives to offer to private developers to create affordable housing. We can work together in a public-private partnership to create affordable housing.”

He said the second priority for the city is dealing with the aftermath of the Montana Supreme Court’s decision that gave control of the planning doughnut back to Flathead County. Muhlfeld said the city needs to evaluate and update its growth policy and its extension of service plan to prepare the city for planning and development.

Revising those documents will be critical in planning for future growth in the city, he noted.

In addition, completing corridor studies for Highway 93 South and Wisconsin Avenue are important, he said.

TIF district

Whitefish’s tax-increment finance district sunsets in 2020. TIF money has already assisted a number of projects, including the construction of the Emergency Service Center, helping purchase Depot Park, helping lower the bond for Whitefish High School, the construction of City Hall and parking structure, funds were allocated toward the remodel of Mountain Mall and construction of a new hotel at the corner of Spokane Avenue and Second Street.

The city has about $4 million, that won’t be available until 2018-19, that is unearmarked for specific projects. Muhlfeld said it will be a challenge to use those limited funds to maximize the economic impact.

“One thing I would like to see this council consider is partnering with organizations, local businesses and large employers to acquire land within the TIF district that could be deeded to a community land trust that could help affordable housing,” he said. “That needs to be prioritized.” 

City Hall

Muhlfeld remains adamant that the council made the right decision in deciding to construct a new City Hall and parking structure at the corner of Baker Avenue and Second Street.

“There was significant public input, in fact, probably the City Hall project was provided more opportunity for public comment than any other public project I’m aware of in this community,” he said. “I don’t think it should go to a public vote. I think the electorate votes us into office to make these decisions.”

Economic development

Muhlfeld said forward planning that started many years ago has made Whitefish a place where businesses and people come because of the quality of life.

“The city has done a remarkable job over the past 10 to 15 years to create a town that is business-friendly,” he said. “While we can always improve, when I look around the valley I don’t believe there are any downtowns that are as thriving as Whitefish.”

The city’s plan for a shop local campaign to help promote local businesses is one effort Muhlfeld points to, adding that the city can do more moving forward.

“We need to continue to look at incentives to help attract new business to Whitefish, in particular light manufacturing and industry,” he said.

“With the expiration of the TIF in 2020, the city is also poised to help with redevelopment of blighted properties in town, in particular the former Idaho Timber site,” he added. “We have leveraged TIF in creative ways over the years, most recently providing assistance to redevelopment of Block 46 and the Mountain Mall.”

County relationship

“There is no working relationship with the city and county,” he said. “I find that very unfortunate. I hope in the next few years, we both recognize that we have mutual interests when it comes to how Whitefish grows and how the county lands around Whitefish grow.”

Muhlfeld said he would like to have the ability for the city and county to sit down together so that both entities can reach their goals.

“Some issues don’t involve politics,” he said. “When we talk about important issues for the city and county — affordable housing, clean water.”

As an example, he names plans to improve Whitefish Lake water quality based upon studies showing failing septic tanks are leaking into the lake. He notes the lake is not just a source for the city’s water, but is also a major economic driver for the county.

“Water quality issues don’t stop and start at jurisdictional boundaries,” he said. “I will continue to have hope that the county will get involved in that process.”