Housemates Make For Strange Politics Harrison Council Appoints Mayor’s Roommate As Election Judge

Harrison’s election will be supervised by one of Mayor Dean Christensen’s closest friends - his longtime roommate Betsy Turner.

That strikes some Harrison residents as odd, seeing as how Christensen’s locked in a tight three-way race for re-election.

“It just doesn’t look right,” said John Gish, the Gateway Resort owner who has frequently butted heads with Christensen. “I don’t care how you look at it. If you’re living with somebody, I don’t think it’s right.”

“I think it’s a bad idea,” said former city clerk Maria Dodson. “None of the other candidates have a personal representative judging the election.”

Turner is employed part-time by the city as temporary deputy clerk, at $7.20 an hour. She’s been the city clerk during most of Christensen’s eight years as mayor, and for several years before that.

Christensen said he sees nothing wrong about the mayor living with the deputy clerk, and nothing wrong with her appointment as election judge.

The situation’s not considered nepotism under state law, he said, because the two aren’t married.

“The city attorney says there’s no problem,” Christensen said.

Plus, he said, the two are just friends.

“We just live together,” he said.

Turner, who has also worked as city clerk and deputy clerk under Christensen, also sees nothing wrong with her election role.

“I don’t intend to run a crooked election, and I don’t think I could even if I wanted to,” she said.

She said residents can come in to City Hall Wednesday and count the ballots themselves, if they’d like.

City Councilwoman Deanie Curry defended the council’s choice of election judge, saying Dodson, the former clerk, quit abruptly in August. The city had no time to recruit another election judge, Curry said. Turner’s run Harrison elections for 15 years.

“There was not another person in this town who could run an election,” said Turner.

Dodson questions that, saying Kootenai County could quickly train the city’s new clerk, Sheila Gustin, to handle the election. To avoid the appearance of impropriety, Dodson said, Turner should step down.

“I think she should think about the people’s concern,” Dodson said.

Another former city clerk, Bill Egert, also questions the situation.

“It wouldn’t happen in a larger place, that’s for damned sure,” he said. “Even if everything was above board, it still wouldn’t be good.”

Christensen’s being challenged by state dam inspector Dave LePard and restaurant owner Jerry Kirkpatrick.

Gish supports Dave LePard, whose son, Doug LePard, Gish employs as general manager of the resort.

“I’ll tell you one thing,” said Egert. “I’m sure going to vote, if I have to reach out of a wooden box to do it.”

, DataTimes