Write-In Candidate Says He’S Against Diversity Bertollini Says He Would Do Away With Affirmative Action If Elected Mayor

FOR THE RECORD: 10-8-99 Wrong town: Vincent Bertollini is a write-in candidate for mayor of Sandpoint. A headline in Thursday’s edition misidentified the town. (In Spokane edition only)

Write-in mayoral candidate Vincent Bertollini isn’t granting interviews yet, and the phone number he gives out is disconnected.

But Bertollini issued a press release Wednesday outlining his platform for candidacy for Sandpoint mayor.

He mostly addresses issues of public safety and economics, but social issues also made the platform.

“Diversity and multi-culturalism will be challenged at every front as being wrong and not in the interest of the citizens of Sandpoint,” he wrote.

Bertollini also said affirmative action would be eliminated from every hiring policy in city government, and local businesses would be encouraged to eliminate affirmative action “attitudes.”

In the press release, Bertollini says he decided to run for office “because no qualified candidates were able to petition to the ballot.”

Bertollini, a self-described evangelist, cites his 30 years experience as an executive in the high-tech industry as his qualification to run.

Bertollini is known locally as one of the founders of The 11th Hour Remnant Messenger, a ministry that preaches the supremacy of the white race. He and Carl Story bankrolled the massive distribution last fall of anti-Semitic literature and Aryan Nations videotapes throughout North Idaho.

In his press release, Bertollini advocates combining the city fire and police departments, wresting control of the city streets from the Sandpoint Independent Highway District and economic development through tourism and private industry.

He also calls for the return of Christian prayer at all public meetings and in public schools.

Sandpoint City Council meetings typically begin with a prayer, but the City Council has no authority over prayer in the schools.

The Sandpoint mayoral candidates who will appear on the ballot are Thomas Boone, Paul Graves, Moneca Jardey and Jesse Warburton.