I would like of offer my name, Mike Goffena, as a replacement for Tom Berry’s vacancy as a Republican for County Commissioner for Musselshell County.

My experience includes having served 10 years on the Lower Musselshell County Conservation Board. I was a past Secretary, Vice President, and President of Musselshell County Stockgrowers; President of the Musselshell County Farm Bureau; Chairman of the Musselshell County Weed Board, on the ASI sheep board: as well as served on the Board of the former Farmer’s Union Board in Roundup.

In all these positions I participated in setting budgets and following them. I have been part owner and President of 54 Livestock Company, Inc., a large ranch, setting budgets and managing cash flows. Musselshell County has been my home my entire life, and dealing with employees, good and bad.Goals for the County: I would work to lower our taxes and run a more efficient county government. I bring to the table a conservative viewpoint and the ability to relate to people in our community.

With Tom Berry’s resignation, my thought was this is an opportunity for someone from rural Musselshell County to replace him, and I thought, why not me. Having leased out my grazing and downsizing my farming, I have more time to devote to community service.

Musselshell County needs a member of the commission who can represent agriculture. Agriculture is the main stay of our county. Coal mines and oil production come and go but farming and ranching has always been the steadfast tax base in our county. The commissioners we have now do not represent our rural roots and cannot relate how much agriculture supports our county.

While I can represent agriculture, I do not want to seem not to care about our towns and our main street businesses, who I know work on a slim margin. The tax hike was hard hit, and with this health crisis it is even more important to do what we can to reduce our expenses, which includes taxes. Two more mill levies accessed would only hurt businesses more, agriculture most of all.

I can’t promise that as a representative of District 2, which is mostly made up of hard working tax paying farmers and ranchers, that I can sway our two liberal commissioners, but I can be a voice for our conservative interests.

As much as I want to see improved infrastructures and roads, we must balance between tax revenues and what can be spent on those improvements.

The Musselshell County Republican Committee is to meet on May 20th, to select someone to run in the November General Election to fill the vacant District 2 seat. I hope to be that choice. Thank you.Mike Goffena, 331 Allen Road, Roundup, MT 59072Phone Home: 406-323-2631Cell: 406-855-8151