Election Preview: Three candidates running for justice of the peace

Three Republican candidates are vying to become Lake County’s next justice of the peace, a judicial position that oversees the county’s Justice Court. Ballots for the June 7 primary election were mailed to registered voters May 13. Election preview articles for Lake County sheriff/coroner and the Lake County Commission were published in the May 19 issue of the Leader and are available online at leaderadvertiser.com.

Current Justice of the Peace Randy Owens did not seek re-election. Candidates seeking to replace Judge Owens are: Polson City Commissioner Tony Isbell; City of Polson Judge Michael Larson; and retired state game warden Rick Schoening.

The top two candidates in the primary election will move on to the Nov. 8 general election.

Ballots are due back to the Election Office at the Lake County Courthouse by 8 p.m. on Tuesday, June 7. Residents may check their voter registration status by visiting https://app.mt.gov/voterinfo. The county website has a Frequently Asked Questions section on the election at www.lakemt.gov/election/faq.html.

The Leader recently sent questionnaires to candidates running in contested primary election races. Today we share some of the feedback we received. We’ll provide a background section for each candidate, alphabetically, then list answers to some key questions.

Polson City Commissioner Tony Isbell, 34, is married with two children. He owns Flathead Designs Construction Group and is co-owner of ZJ Company Property Management. He earned bachelor's degrees in business administration and human resource management at Dickinson State University and associate degrees in arts and science from Miles Community College. Isbell has worked as a city police officer in Miles City and with the Montana Highway Patrol. He holds certificates in police officer basic, intermediate, advanced, field training officer and instructor and has more than 1,000 hours of law enforcement training. During his time as a state trooper, he was assigned to the MHP’s Special Response Team, which included work with tactical situations involving armed and dangerous fugitives, working national protests and working the Republican National Convention in Columbus, Ohio.

Polson City Judge Mike Larson, 70, is married with two children. He earned degrees in American history and sociology at Brigham Young University and took graduate courses in business administration at Utah State University. He has served on the board of Mission Mountain Enterprise; as board director for both the Polson and Missoula chambers of commerce; as chairman of the Lake County Republican Committee; with Lake County Community Development; and as a volunteer at the Bison Range. He completed an internship with the FBI and was a vocational rehabilitation counselor for the state of Idaho. He has owned and managed Business One for 37 years. He also owns J.W. Lawless Athletic Clothing and Larson Properties. He also drives buses for Beach Transportation and the Polson School District. Larson has completed Judge Certification with the Montana Supreme Court.

Rick Schoening, 64, of Polson, retired from law enforcement after 35 years of service. He is married with two children. He earned a bachelor’s degree in wildlife biology with a minor in secondary education from the University of Montana. He also graduated from the Montana Law Enforcement Academy. He’s completed basic and intermediate certificates and hundreds of hours of in-service legal training. Schoening is a former state game warden. He is a certified hunter education instructor, a Polson Police reserve officer, and he occasionally performs in local theater productions.

Question: What makes you the best person for the job?

Isbell: I have a very diverse background, from chasing the worst criminals we could find, to being in the executive branch of city government and owning/operating multiple small businesses. Not only do I have training and experience in Montana, but nationally. These experiences help me to view situations and problems in a big-picture view. Putting my work ethic and experience into this position will deliver quality results.

Larson: Lake County has the “unique opportunity” to elect an already standing city judge, with all the necessary credentials with the Montana Supreme Court to be a Justice of the Peace judge. I am currently the city judge for Polson. If elected I would bring with me as the Lake County Justice of the Peace, experience and skills in managing a Judicial Court.

Schoening: My commitment to serve the people of Lake County. My experience of applying the law for over 35 years. Common sense interpretation and discretion of the intent of the laws. I have lived and enforced the law in this community for 28 years — as your state game warden and seven as an officer for the Polson Police Department. I understand the law and continue to study it. I enforced Fish and Game laws, water safety and boating, parks regulations, along with traffic code enforcement, DUI and child welfare laws. I have always listened with curiosity, spoke with honesty and acted with integrity. No question that I am the most qualified candidate.

Question: What do you believe should be the top priorities for the Lake County Justice of the Peace?

Isbell: Maintaining trust in the public is the highest priority. Having trust within the public makes the government successful. I am going to focus on making the court a court of record. Having a DUI court with strict guidelines is a community-based accountability program. Being a judge, it is most important to correct wrongs and apply justice fairly across the board. Some people make mistakes and need to be steered in the correct direction, while very few people who have no remorse or accountability may need something a bit stronger. This is where revamping community service is highly important. We have a lot of work that needs to be done around the community and having people learn there are in fact consequences to their actions is the core of what makes a community strong. I will ensure people are held accountable as my stance is tough on crime.

Larson: The Justice of the Peace has administrative duties to manage the personnel and fiscal accountability of the office. Lake County must continue to maintain a high standard for a Justice of the Peace court that serves both the accused and the victim with impartial perspective and to apply fair justice with disputes. The court must be fair, yet hold people accountable for their actions.

Schoening: One of the things I will try to improve on is holding people accountable through new approaches to penalties and sentencing. The Justice of the Peace needs to have the ability to incarcerate violators of the law. The current jail situation will be the biggest challenge. I have a great working relationship with the sheriff and the County Attorney’s Office. This will be a great benefit to accomplishing this. I want to see officers collect appearance bonds in the field, especially for nonresidents.

Question: Anything else you’d like to add?

Isbell: I have all of my experience, training and all other information online at www.isbellforjustice.com. I am willing to speak further at any event or other forum; just ask. Let’s be fair while holding accountability in Lake County!

Larson: A judge has, by law, the responsibility to be a neutral participant in the court. Not to have preconceived opinions or an attitude toward the positions of either the defense or the prosecutor. The interpretation and application of the law is complicated. It requires the skills of legal knowledge, depth of thought and judgment, while always functioning within the rules of the 1972 Montana Constitution and the U.S. Constitution. A judge must always protect the rights of the people, first and foremost. Always!

Schoening: I just want the voters to know that I am committed to serve this community and really care about being part of the criminal justice solution. I will uphold the Constitution of the United States and the great state of Montana. You can count on this! Lake County is my HOME!!