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Prior to retiring and moving to Badrock Canyon six years ago I had lived in New York, Michigan, Ohio, Missouri, Florida, Alabama, Tennessee and Colorado. My career path as an aerospace engineer and computer scientist and various vacations had me travel to every state in the union, except North Dakota. But nowhere did I ever encounter the unique sunshine-state atmosphere, the concept of open government public hearings or the civility of citizen testimony, which exists here in Montana and flourishes in Flathead County and its three cities of Whitefish, Kalispell and Columbia Falls. We may take it for granted, but it is as impressive as the political caucus system seen in Iowa, and the town hall meeting style of government politics in New Hampshire. I have not yet discovered who to give credit to for first starting our form of government in Montana, but I pay them tribute here and now.

There is one caveat. I have often been critical of more attention given to the vocal minority than the silent majority in our local city-county government system of public hearings and testimony, since that minority represents a conflict of interests between its own livelihood and the general health, safety and welfare of the public at large. While this concept of government basically has merit, it seemingly gets lost when our elected officials cannot absorb the long hours of speakers’ testimony and only “count noses” at the public hearings, without regard for the general good of our entire silent majority who, with their work and family schedules, cannot attend most public hearings.

But then, I am aware of another element of democracy that comes into play with a vital role, namely a robust free press in Flathead County that embraces the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, adopted and ratified by the 1972 Montana Constitution, and provides a convenient forum for public discourse through its publishing of letters to the editor and op-eds. The Daily Inter Lake, Whitefish Pilot, Bigfork Eagle and Hungry Horse News all make an exemplary commitment to this form of democracy. The Missoulian and Great Falls Tribune also offer that opinion page service to us and distribute their newspapers here in Flathead County as well. They are all due our gratitude for an essential contribution to our system of fair government.

If the general health, safety and welfare of our citizens would be placed ahead of general business capitalism, this system of government, combined with the check-and-balance offered by a free press, could work well for us all.

Bill Baum lives in Badrock Canyon in Flathead County and is a retired aerospace engineer and computer scientist.

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