Two Democrats file for commissioner

In the upcoming election for county commissioner, two Democrats from Mineral County have thrown their hats into the ring.

Duane Simons of St. Regis and Glenn Ferren of Cabin City have both filed to be in the election for the county commissioner seat about to be vacated by Judy Stang.

Both candidates have different ideas and different backgrounds, but both say they hope to represent Mineral County as a commissioner.

Simons was born in Whitefish, Mont., and moved to St. Regis from Kalispell in 1972. He has been married to Donna for 33 years and they have two children.

Their daughter, Corrie, lives in Drummond with her husband Chris Jackson and their three children: Kate, 9, Brian, 8, and David, 5. The Simons' son, Travis, is a building contractor in Missoula and St. Regis.

Duane Simons worked as a timber faller for a helicopter logging corporation until he broke his ankle in March 2007. "Timber's been my heritage," Simons said.

He is currently working and retraining to operate heavy equipment at the Tricon Timber lumber yard in St. Regis. Before he worked there, he spent a lot of time traveling for work, and he says that his new job will allow him to participate in community politics.

"Since I broke this ankle, that's all behind me, and hopefully I'll be staying right here," Simons said.

Simons was the president of the St. Regis Community Club for three years and the president of the St. Regis Sewer District. He also served on the St. Regis School Board for nine years.

Simons says that he is confident that his experience will translate well into this new position. If elected, he wants to work to build up jobs in the area.

"I don't have anything against retirees, but we're becoming a community of retirees; and our kids are leaving the state faster than we can make them," Simons said. "We need more jobs here." He said he'd like to see more timber industry in the area.

"I don't think that we can do enough to help the timber industry," Simons said.

Ferren moved to Montana in 1991 after living in Washington and Alaska. He has a home in Cabin City with his wife Robin. They have four children, two sons who live in Missoula, a daughter who lives in North Dakota, and a son in Minnesota.

Ferren graduated from Miles Community College, the University of Alaska, and Wenatchee Valley College. He has worked in several fields, including: a software analyst for the Bureau of Land Management in Miles City, a school bus driver, a patient service tech/oxygen delivery man, irrigation worker, warehouse worker, meat cutter, factory materials handler, concrete worker, construction worker, farm laborer, and a fire camp cook's assistant. Ferren has also held several clerical positions with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

Ferren said he is running for commissioner because he wants to participate in his local government.

"The county commissioner position would be a good place to start," Ferren said. "I believe it's a job I can do well."

Ferren said that as county commissioner, he would look, listen and learn about the county and try to find ways to make the local government operate as efficiently as possible.

"I'll invest the time and energy to do the job and make sure it's done right," Ferren said. Ferren would also like to see the county develop its recreation and tourism opportunities. "An increase in recreation and tourism related activities could increase the county's funds," Ferren said.