Hansen files for spot on Blaine County Commission

Blaine County Commission Chair Charles Kulbeck said Monday he will not file to run for a second-term, a decision that comes less than a week after Harlem Mayor Ken "Kim" Hansen filed to run in the Democratic primary for the seat.

No other candidates had filed to run for the seat as of print deadline today.

Kulbeck, a Democrat from Harlem who represents the county's third district, announced his decision in an email to county employees Monday and later released to the media.

Kulbeck said during an interview Monday that the battle his wife, Julie, is having with breast cancer and his ongoing recovery from a car accident in December 2016 that left him hospitalized for eight months were factors in his decision.

"Although (Commissioners) Frank (DePriest) and Delores (Plumage), other elected officials and you the employees have done an excellent job in 'pulling up the slack' for myself and the district, I feel that I have cheated my constituents of representation for their best interests because of my absences," he said in the email. "This is the main reason I have decided to not file for this office."

He said in the email that the decision to not seek re-election was one of the hardest that he has had to make in his life. Though the timing of his announcement is bad, Kulbeck said, he does not see, but he does not know of a time between now and the March 12 filling deadline that would be better.

Kulbeck said Hansen's desire to run for the seat was something he knew about, but that did not play a role in him not seeking re-election.

Hansen said Monday he did not know Kulbeck had made a decision on whether or not to run for re-election.

A Harlem native, Hansen has served on the District 12 Board of Harlem Elementary and High Schools and two terms in the Montana State Senate. He has was a Harlem City Council member and last November was elected Harlem's mayor by acclamation.

Hansen said if elected to the commission he will resign as mayor.

"I can't do both," he said.

He added that he opted to run for commissioner out of a long-standing desire to serve the county, which he said is now struggling financially.

"The county has always been where my heart is. I want to help the people of Blaine County," he said.

In other election filings news, Blaine County Superintendent of School Valerie M. White, a Democrat, has filed to run for re-election. White was appointed to the position last September to fill a vacancy created when Superintendent Kelly. L. Mills resigned in July.