POLSON - Incumbent Charley Gariepy won a three-way race for mayor of St. Ignatius Tuesday, in a contest one of his opponents attempted to turn into a referendum on how the town's police department is run.

Gariepy got 123 votes, or 55 percent, and won another four-year term as mayor.

John Wayne Mitchell, who had accused Gariepy of putting the town at risk by hiring a police chief who was not qualified under Montana law, finished second with 71 votes. Joseph Mitchell, no relation to John Wayne Mitchell, had 29.

John Wayne Mitchell had accused Gariepy of re-hiring former chief P.D. Van Hoose despite knowing Van Hoose "had no powers of arrest" because he had never attended the Montana Law Enforcement Academy in the time allotted.

Gariepy said Van Hoose was hired as a reserve officer, not chief, and that he was under the impression it had been OK with the state.

St. Ignatius also elected two council members. Clarence "Mack" McConnell and Rod Arlint were the top two vote-getters in a four-way race for the two seats.

McConnell had 122 votes and Arlint 117, beating out Daren Incashola (107) and Roger Lemon (48).

Reporter Vince Devlin can be reached at (406) 319-2117 or at vdevlin@missoulian.com.