Imagine creating a place where education, entertainment, tourism, and innovation all come together. A district that families plan vacations around and students remember for a lifetime.

At its heart would be the Yellowstone Science Museum, but surrounding it could be experiences that grow over time as public and private investment comes together.

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The first responsibility of county government is protecting the public. A detention facility operating at roughly 150% of its designed capacity is not sustainable for inmates, staff, or our community. If we expect law enforcement to arrest dangerous offenders, we need adequate space to house them safely.

At the same time, simply building more jail beds without addressing why so many people end up in the system is not a complete solution. We should continue investing in mental health services, addiction treatment, veterans' services, diversion programs for appropriate offenders, and partnerships that reduce repeat offenses. Those investments improve lives and can lower long term costs.

My approach is the same one I bring to every issue: progressive in planning for the future and conservative with taxpayer dollars. Before asking taxpayers to make a major investment, I want confidence that we've thoroughly evaluated alternatives, future population trends, operational costs, and opportunities to reduce recidivism. If additional capacity is truly necessary after that analysis, then we should be honest with voters about why it's needed and what it will accomplish.

This is not an either-or debate. Yellowstone County needs both accountability and prevention. We must protect the public today while making smart investments that reduce the number of people who need a jail bed tomorrow. That's how we create a safer community and make the best use of taxpayer dollars.

In the 1970s, computers were mostly tools for government and universities. They were massive, expensive machines that filled entire rooms and handled little more than complex mathematical calculations.

In the 1980s, schools built computer labs and businesses invested in giant mainframes that consumed space, power, and money. Technology was growing, but it was still bulky and inefficient.

By the 1990s, personal computers entered everyday life. Families bought home computers. Businesses relied on networks. Microsoft transformed software, while Apple kept pushing innovation and usability forward.

As we entered the Y2K era, society had become dependent on computers. Banking, communication, business, and daily life all relied on machines that many feared might fail with the turn of the century.

Then came the 2010s. Smartphones arrived with more computing power than the supercomputers of previous decades. Suddenly, the entire world fit into the palm of our hand.

In just 50 years, technology evolved from clunky room-sized machines into powerful tools carried in our pockets. Every generation of technology began inefficient, resource-heavy, and imperfect before becoming smaller, smarter, and more efficient.

AI data centers are the next chapter in that story.

Right now, AI infrastructure is large, expensive, and resource-intensive because we are still at the beginning. The technology will evolve. It will become more efficient over time, just like every major technological leap before it.

Yellowstone County and Montana do not need to rush headfirst into every boom simply because it is new. We passed on parts of the nuclear race. We have lived through oil booms and busts. Montanans have always valued something deeper: our land, our water, our open spaces, and the quality of life that comes with them.

The challenge is not whether AI will exist. It will.

The real question is whether we allow innovation to develop responsibly, in ways that protect the resources and communities that make Montana worth living in.

MetraPark is far more than an event venue. It is one of Yellowstone County's most important economic engines. Every concert, sporting event, rodeo, convention, trade show, and fair brings visitors who stay in our hotels, eat in our restaurants, shop in our stores, and support local businesses.

I have seen firsthand how entertainment and events can transform a community. Early in my career I served as the last manager of the Fox Theatre and later as Assistant Manager for the original Fox Committee for the Performing Arts, which helped bring the Alberta Bair Theater to life. I also promoted concerts in Billings, including B.J. Thomas's two sold-out performances that still hold the attendance record for the Fox Theatre before its renovation. Those experiences taught me that great venues only succeed when they consistently attract great events.

My vision is to maximize the facilities we already have while planning strategically for the next generation of growth. Before building another major facility, I want to ensure we are ggressively recruiting more concerts, youth and amateur sports tournaments, agricultural events, trade shows, conventions, and regional entertainment that keep MetraPark active throughout the year.

When the time comes for additional capital investment, it should be driven by opportunity and return on investment. We should ask one question: What facility would allow us to attract events that currently bypass Billings? If a project can demonstrate measurable economic impact, financial sustainability, and long-term value for taxpayers, then it deserves serious consideration. I also believe MetraPark should be part of a broader tourism strategy. Along with projects like the Yellowstone Science Museum, we can create more reasons for families to visit Yellowstone County, stay longer, and spend more in our local economy. The goal is not simply to build facilities. The goal is to build destinations that strengthen our economy, support local businesses, and improve our quality of life.

My philosophy is simple: be progressive in planning for the future and conservative with taxpayer dollars. By maximizing our existing assets while making smart, strategic investments, MetraPark can continue to be one of the strongest economic drivers in Yellowstone County.

As a small business owner, I know how important it is to lower the cost of doing business in Yellowstone County. When businesses spend less navigating government, they can invest more in employees, wages, equipment, expansion, and customer service. That creates jobs, strengthens our tax base, and improves the quality of life for everyone.

County government cannot control inflation or federal regulations, but it can control how it interacts with businesses. My priorities would be to:

Improve government efficiency. Streamline permitting, licensing, inspections, and approvals so businesses receive timely, predictable decisions. Time is money, and unnecessary delays increase costs.

• Provide stable and responsible taxation. I believe government should live within its means whenever possible. Before asking taxpayers for additional funding, we should ensure we are operating as efficiently and effectively as we can.

• Invest in infrastructure that supports commerce. Well-maintained roads, bridges, broadband, and public safety are essential to business growth and reduce operating costs for employers throughout the county.

• Be a partner, not a barrier. I want Yellowstone County to be known as a place where entrepreneurs, family-owned businesses, farmers, manufacturers, and large employers all know they have a county government that listens, communicates, and works to solve problems.

Ultimately, economic growth is not created by government. It is created by the people willing to take risks, invest, and build businesses. The county's role is to provide safe communities, reliable infrastructure, predictable regulations, and sound fiscal management so those businesses can succeed.