below is the official notice that was sent to all precinct folks. Hopefully I have a complete list.

This is your invitation, as well, to attend the meeting and watch the convention and it’s election of your new officers, that will serve you for the next two years. Please plan on attending.

Will Deschamps

Missoula County Republican Central Committee

PO B0x 16084

Missoula, Mt 59808

Dear Precinct Committeeman/woman:

This is your official notice of our Republican Central Committee County Convention. The Convention will be held April 26, 2011 at the Double Tree, and will begin at 7:00 PM. You may come earlier if you desire to eat for $15.00.

The object of the Convention is to elect officers for the upcoming two year cycle.

The only people allowed to vote will be precinct committeemen and committeewomen of record with the County Elections Office.  There will need to be a quorum of precinct committeemen and committeewomen in order to have a properly recognized election of officers.

I encourage all of you to participate in order to meet all requirements of the State Party to have representation at the upcoming and following conventions at the State Party level.

Proposed partial agenda for official Missoula County Convention

Purpose:               Biannual election of Missoula County Republican Central Committee Officers. #

Offices to Elect:    Chairman

Vice Chairman*

Secretary

Treasurer

Finance Chair

State Committeeman

State Committeewoman

National Committeeman

National Committeewoman

Any other office deemed necessary i.e. 2^nd vice chair

AGENDA

Welcome

Pledge

Invocation

Certification of Precinct Committee men and women

Presentation of Nominating Committee, appointed by chair

Nominations from the floor for Chairman

Election of Chair

At this time the State Party Representative will turn the meeting over to the newly elected chair to continue the election process.

#.  Under State Party Rules, the local biannual election must take place between February 1 and May 15 in each odd-numbered year^.

*. Under State Party Rules, if the Chair is a male the Vice must be a female.

President: Thad Brinkman

First Vice President: John Quandt

Second Vice President: Susan Muralt

Treasurer: Fleda Campbell

Secretary: John Angwin

Directors, Term Ending 2013: Ethan Heverly, Chris Warden, and Will Biggs

Nominations will also be accepted from the floor at the election meeting on November 12th.

The Nomination Committee was chaired by previous President Charlie Olinger and was comprised of other past Presidents, including Thelma Baker, Col. Sam Roberts, Pete Pettersen, Dr. Dave Farnham, and Mike McCullough.

Judge Wm. Nels Swandal is a third generation Montanan, born and raised in the same valley his grandparents settled when they emigrated from Norway 100 years ago. He graduated from Wilsall High School in 1971, Montana State University in 1975, and the University of Montana School of Law in 1978. He and his wife, Debra, and their three children moved from Livingston back to his family ranch in 1994, where he and Debra still reside after 30 years of marriage.

For the past 15 years, Judge Swandal has been the District Court Judge for Montana’s 6th Judicial District. In 2008, Judge Swandal retired from the United States Army after 30 years of service to our country. During that time, Judge Swandal was on active duty from 1978-1981, followed by the U.S. Army Reserves until 1988 when he became a member of the Montana Army National Guard. Judge Swandal retired as a Colonel and the State Staff Judge Advocate for the State of Montana. He worked as the Park County Attorney 1983-1994. Prior to that, Judge Swandal worked with his mother at the law firm of Swandal, Douglass & Swandal and as the Park County Public Defender.

Judge Swandal is currently the President of the Montana Judges Association. He has formerly served as the President of the Montana County Attorney Association, in addition to chairing the Southwest Montana Chemical Dependency Center and Youth Dynamics. He has also chaired the Gateway Hospice Advisory Board, and served on the Board of Trustees for Livingston Memorial Hospital. He is a member of the Montana Bar Association, Montana National Guard Association, and National Guard Association of the United States. He has also been active in Big Brothers Big Sisters. In 2009, Judge Swandal was named CASA Judge of the Year. He has also received the Army Commendation Medal as well as the Legion of Merit

Locally, the results did not go as well.

We were thrilled and congratulate Dick Haines on his victory in retaining his seat in Ward 5. He has served Missoula well and look forward to his leadership for another 4 years.  And it will be great to have Jon Wilkins back in Ward 4 – he ran unopposed.

The ward 4 race did not go as well as John Hendrickson was not returned to the council in another close race. We thank Hendrickson for his service to the city of Missoula.

There were also several other top notch people that ran this year that would have served Missoula well and we are sure we will hear from them more in the future. John Quandt and Kathy Greathouse both ran great campaigns as well. Thank you.

Missoula City Council races are non-partisan.

In Other City Council news – Perhaps you saw the Missoulian’s local front page coverage of Five Valley’s own, Billie Hicks, Missoula City councils’ number one fan. While others are watching their favorite shows, she is too. She has been watching the Missoula Community Access Television’s (MCAT) weekly broadcast of the City Council meetings since they started broadcasting the meetings in 1990.
“I go to sleep with you at night,” she tells council people, “I’m addicted.”