Tighe files to run for county commissioner
No opponents have filed yet against incumbent, Democrats looking for a candidate

By Debra Orecchio
Correspondent

District 1 Park County Commissioner John Tighe has filed a Candidate Affidavit with the Park County clerk’s office declaring that he will run again for county commissioner in 2008 to retain his seat.

Tighe was elected in 2004, after defeating Republican Don Staples, according to Debra Green, Park County clerk and recorder. Staples said he has no interest in running again after serving one term as commissioner and losing so badly to Tighe.

“Tighe whupped me soundly,” Staples said.

Staples added that the commissioner’s job is a thankless one; it’s too difficult to please the county population, now more than 17,000, at the same time.

Mark Dowaliby, mayor of Alma, also has no plans to run for commissioner again. He was defeated by Doc McKay in the primary election in 2006.

“As far as I can see, Doc’s doing a great job,” said Dowaliby. “I’ve got three more years as mayor of Alma; I’ve got a lot more to do here.”

Tighe said he thinks he is doing a good job and has been a benefit to the community.  

“I feel I’m an asset to the county,” he said.

He added that he has invested a considerable amount of time and energy into performing his duties as commissioner.

“There are several projects that the commissioners have started since I was elected and I would like to see them come to fruition,” he said. “In order to help accomplish this, I have filed the necessary papers and intend on running for re-election so that I can continue to serve the constituents of Park County to the best of my abilities.”

In addition to his duties as commissioner, Tighe is also a reserve deputy with the Park County Sheriff’s Office.

He paid $3,000 on his own for the post certification required to be a deputy; the certification includes training on tactics and physical force as well as laws so he could work as a reserve deputy with PCSO and the school district, he said. Part of the requirements to stay current with a post certification includes on-duty time, which Tighe did not have after being elected commissioner. After the shootings at the high school in September 2006, when a gunman killed student Emily Keyes, Tighe felt the need to do what he could to make the students feel safer. So he did the training necessary so he could make himself available as a reserve deputy to work on campus. At first, working at the schools was on a volunteer basis, he said. But the district received some grant money to pay the deputies to patrol the campus, so he has been paid as the other deputies and reserve deputies have been paid.

Deputies on duty at the schools are paid $25 an hour; Tighe is paid an annual salary of $41,700 for his job as commissioner. If reelected, he would make $58,800 a year, based on a pay increase approved in 2006.

“When there is a shortage of other deputies to be at the schools, and I have available time, I have offered to step in,” he said. “I feel very fortunate to be in a position to be able to help in this community and be of service in this way.”

When he was campaigning in 2004, he promised constituents that he would be in the Bailey area at least one day a week, and has held that promise since he was elected, he said. The days he works at the school are days he would spend in Bailey.

Tighe said his hours at the school fluctuate, depending on his availability and what’s happening with his commissioner job. He has worked from eight hours in a week up to 24 hours, but there have been weeks when he hasn’t worked at all.

Dennis Obduskey, vice chair of the Park County Democrats, said it doesn’t seem like a good idea for Tighe to be both the commissioner and an employee at the same time. But he is sympathetic to the Sheriff’s Office.

“I think it’s setting up for a potential problem,” Obduskey said. “But I suspect it’s hard here in Park County to keep people.”

He would like to see more of a balance within the commissioners’ office; right now, all three commissioners are from the same party – Republican. The Democratic Party has not yet found a candidate to run for commissioner next year, he said, but it is actively looking. It has been difficult to find Democratic candidates with only 2,500 registered Democrats in the county, compared to 4,500 Republicans and 3,500 unaffiliated voters.

Obduskey added that he would like to improve the mutual respect between the parties.

Tighe had been a school resource officer (SRO) for over three years prior to being elected commissioner and enjoyed the job. He feels that was one of the reasons why he was elected commissioner. He said he loves the commissioner job, but he also loves the SRO position and hopes to continue. However, he said, if constituents feel it is not right, he would discontinue his work as SRO. But he hopes it doesn’t come to that.

“My time spent at the schools has not and will not affect how I carry out my responsibilities as commissioner for Park County,” he said. “Those responsibilities have always been, and will continue to be, my first priority.”