Audio Clip: Mayor Kelly Endorses National Heritage Area Now, But Ducked Question Before Ballots Were Sent
On Wednesday this week E-City Beat received an email from a reader which included the following:
“Mayor Kelly strongly supports the proposed Big Sky Country National Heritage Area for all of Cascade County and parts of Choteau County – even though he refused to answer that question for E-city Beat when candidate questionnaires were sent out.
On October 25, one week before the election, Kelly clearly stated his position on a KMON Radio interview. His comment that the “City isn’t the County” indicated in effect that private property owners of Cascade County don’t count, many of whom oppose the proposed BSCNHA – and for him, they don’t.
They can’t vote against him in this City election. And perhaps he felt confident answering that question on KMON Radio since many city citizens have already mailed in their ballot…”
So we looked into it and, sure enough, here’s the audio clip taken from an interview with Bob Kelly on the local ‘Pat & Randy Show’ – KMON 560’s Morning Show on the radio:
If Kelly thinks it’s appropriate to answer a question about the City of Great Falls’ endorsement of and advocacy for the Big Sky National Heritage Area now, why didn’t he think it was appropriate to do so when we asked the very same question in our candidates questionnaire in mid-September?
Our question: Should the City’s official policy regarding the Big Sky National Heritage Area and its agenda be to support, oppose, or remain neutral? The City’s current policy is to support.
Kelly’s response: “Thank you for the opportunity to participate but I will respectfully pass on these questions. Several of these issues are currently being discussed by the Commission and it would be inappropriate for me to comment due to my current position. Thank you. Bob Kelly“
What changed between mid-September when it was ‘inappropriate’ for Kelly to comment on the BSCNHA and this week when he went out on the airwaves and loudly proclaimed his opinion on the topic?
Our reader’s email, quoted above, gives the obvious answer, “… many city citizens have already mailed in their ballot” .