The 24-year-old state legislator and Iraq war veteran begins 144 days of officer training with an Army Reserve unit at Fort Sill, Okla., on Saturday.
That leaves Montana and the Democratic Party one legislator shy of a full House when a special session is called, most likely in the next few weeks.
“I recommended my dad to do it, and hopefully they'll honor my recommendation,” Furey said Tuesday while en route to Oklahoma. “But, you know, it's not my choice.”
It's up to the Missoula County Democratic Central Committee to recommend three candidates. The county commissioners will appoint Furey's replacement from that list, or request another three names.
“I told him I'd be honored to take his place and it truly would be something I'd be proud to do,” said Tim Furey, 52, director of development at Opportunity Resources in Missoula for the past three years. “But there's a whole big process to it.”
County Commissioner Jean Curtiss said the county Democratic Central Committee will meet Tuesday to come up with names for Curtiss, Barbara Evans and Bill Carey to consider.
The commissioners hope to complete interviews and make their appointment the following day.
“We'll try to put this on a little bit of a fast track with the special session coming up,” Curtiss said.
An appointment by Wednesday is a goal, not a set-in-stone timetable, she cautioned. “We're trying to fit that all into everybody's schedule, and those schedules are already busy.”
Normally, the local Democratic committee has up to 45 days to propose its list of candidates, and the county commission has 15 more to make an appointment. In the case of a special session, the time periods are reduced to five days each, beginning when the session is scheduled.
Curtiss, one of two Democrats on the commission, is scheduled to leave town May 10, the day after she hopes an appointment is made. If it's not, the final decision would probably be left to Evans, a Republican, and Carey, a Democrat, she said.
Republicans held a 50-49 advantage over Democrats in the Montana House with Furey on board. There's also one Constitution Party representative, Rep. Rick Jore of Ronan.
Jessica Rhodes, communications director for the Montana Democratic Party, said she knows of no other representative who won't be able to make the special session.
“We have confidence in the Democratic Central Committee and Missoula County commissioners to make sure the people of Missoula County have representation,” Rhodes said. “It's important for the Democrats and for the voters of this district. There are still key budget votes, still key votes on alternative energy and education and health care. The people of Missoula County definitely will want representation for this.”
Kevin Furey, a Hellgate High School and University of Montana graduate, served an eight-month tour of duty with the U.S. Army Reserves in Iraq in 2003. He was commissioned as a second lieutenant a year ago and was scheduled to begin officer training in the summer.
“I called and told (the Army), look, I have to get re-elected,” he said. “They said OK, we can delay it a year from when you were commissioned. I was commissioned on May 14 of last year. It was pretty much the latest possible date I could go.”
Furey was elected to his first term as a representative of House District 91 at age 21. He's disappointed to leave his second term with unfinished work.
“It's really frustrating,” he said. “I mean, the one thing that the Legislature is required to do by the Constitution is to establish a budget, and the House Republicans wouldn't let us do it. It was really frustrating to know that not only would we have a special session, but that I wouldn't be there to do it.”
His parents, including his mother Sue, were heavily involved in both campaigns and keep tabs on his work in Helena “as much as anyone can,” he said.
Furey said his father is the logical choice to carry on his work to get a property tax rebate, and invest in public education and in health and human services.
“He knows the difference between putting a new roof on a house and buying a new house,” Furey said. “He's the one who taught me my finances, so he knows a lot more than I do.”
Reporter Kim Briggeman can be reached at 523-5266 or at kbriggeman@missoulian.com.
|
 |
 |
Add your comment now! Write your comment in the form below.
(Email address is for verification only. If you'd like to email a story, look for the link above)