"Now The Race Is On" For County Commissioner

Two candidates have filed for the position of County Commissioner for the upcoming election, ballots which are due by June 4th. Bruce Christofferson, incumbent, has filed for re-election, and is being opposed by Kip Young. Both have filed on the republican ticket, so the candidate winning the primary race will be declared the winner, and there will not need to be a run-off come November. So, yes, the race is on...and as of Wednesday, May 23, (aka "paper day"), there will be 13 days before the 2024 race is determined.

Each candidate was provided a set of questions about matters connected with the office, and their answers are shared with readers. They are listed alphabetically. Candidates are identified as BC (Bruce Christofferson) and KY (Kip Young).

PCN: Share what things you considered when deciding to run for the position.

BC: This job has an extensive time commitment to it. You are on call 24/7, 365 days a year. I want to continue to serve the needs and interests of our county residents and be a voice for Phillips County on the state and local level. I have always encouraged residents to call me with their concerns. I can not always fix them, but I want to be aware of the problems first hand, not by word of mouth, or hearing about it on the street.

Every person has the right to be heard, and someone to tell their concern to. I have testified in legislative committee hearings in Helena, and I am on the Montana Association of Counties Ag Committee and Public Lands Committee.  We need to stand up for ourselves and our county on this level. Protecting private property rights is becoming more of a concern all the time.  State mandated taxes and regulations continue to rise. Government overreach is at an all time high. In my previous two terms in office, I have encountered a lot of issues and i have learned what our rights as a county are. I would like to continue to represent Phillips County on your behalf.

KY: During my years of employment with the county I have encountered multiple areas that I feel could be improved upon.

PCN: What do you hope/plan to bring to the Commissioners as far as new ideas/plans/ and/or changes.

BC: I have no predetermined agenda of things I want to change.  That would be making up my mind without knowing all the facts.  Rather, each situation is unique and needs to be addressed on its own. I am always listening and searching for ways to improve current services the county provides, or make them more efficient.  I plan to continue to seek Federal Grants for help in maintaining county roads and bridges. I just finalized a $3.2 million dollar road project that I have been working on for 11 years. Federal Agencies move very SLOW. But persistent pressure and A LOT of communication with them finally got this done. In the last few years I was able to get Bowdoin Road and Short Oil paved at very little cost to the county, another $5 million dollars for the county between those two projects. We will also be doing a road rebuild project in the Loring area, but without Federal help.

KY: I hope to bring open lines of communication between the commissioners, the county employees and taxpayers. I would also listen to our taxpayers and strive to find solutions to their concerns to the best of my ability.

PCN: What is your background and experience? Schooling? Education? Work?

BC: I attended Malta Public Schools, graduating in 1979.  I attended the Billings VoTech Center, graduated with a degree in Diesel Mechanics and Welding. I returned to the family farm / ranch full time. I married Barbara (Watson) Christofferson. We raised four children Justin (Audrey) Christofferson, Brianna (Devin)Brooks, Carlee (Chase) Sanderson, and Kameron Christofferson in Malta Schools.  In 1998 I went to work at Malta Auto as a farm mechanic for 10 years until it closed. When it closed, I went to work at Malta Ready Mix as a mechanic for 13 years. In 2012, I ran for Commissioner and started in January 2013. I continued to farm with my Dad, Artt, and mother, Joan, and my brother, Ross. I still continue to farm and ranch with my brother Ross and his son, Tom.

KY: I have been a county employee for almost eighteen years.

PCN: Have you ever worked with a budget (and staff) the size of Phillips County's?

BC: A lot of farms and ranches, and local businesses have pretty complex budgets.  The county budgets are quite large and complex and regulated by state law. Which seems to change after every legislative session. Annual budgets are monitored weekly, and monthly, and require a cash percentage that can not be spent. Each entity within the county has a budget.

KY: Although I have not worked with a budget of this size I am familiar with budgets after owning and operating a ranch for the past 30+ years.

PCN: What are some of the issues you feel the county is facing, if any?

BC: We continue to see the ripple effect of nonprofit organizations buying up private property and obtaining the federal lands that go with it.  The dollars not spent by the non profits  for services in our local stores hurts our local business owners by reducing their cash sales. Things such as fuel, fertilizers, weed spray, equipment repairs, vehicle repairs, cattle feed, as well as equipment purchases, vehicle purchases made in neighboring towns. 

The non-tax revenue seen in the past from natural gas sales, and Federal mineral sources has dropped considerably. That amount has been down to $4000 a quarter from 1 million a year.  Those dollars were saved but are now depleted to fill budget shortfalls in recent years. The oil pipeline that was canceled would of solved that revenue issue for us. A source of revenue is a huge concern for the future, as we have been reducing the budgets for several years already.

KY: I feel our county has the same issues many other employers are facing, and that is employee retention, high insurance rates, and competitive wages. Another area I have first hand knowledge of is how our county workers spend hours blading our rural roads but there needs to be more focus on reshaping and graveling these areas.

PCN: Do you feel there are any necessary cuts in the budget, and if so, where?

BC: We have reduced the amount of employees and combined some offices to help reduce the budget where we can. 

KY:  I am looking forward to increasing my knowledge in our county budget and consistently trying to find ways to make improvements and adjustments as necessary.