Kyle Waterman

Kyle Waterman was born in Helena, Montana. He earned a bachelor's degree from Evergreen State College. His career experience includes working as an executive director.[1][2]

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I’m running to keep our government fair and accountable to the people, to bing money back to be invested in Kalispell infrastructure and jobs and to keep our water clean.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

Keep Kalispell KalispellInvest in local solutionsKeep our water clean

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Funding mental health services

Kyle Waterman did not complete [the profile publisher]'s 2022 Candidate Connection survey.

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

Kyle Waterman was born and raised in Montana and is a decisive and strong local leader with a focus on serving all communities in the Flathead Valley. He was elected to the Kalispell City Council in 2018 and serves on the Flathead County Health Board and the Transportation Committee where he ensures that everyone benefits from the growth in the region. In the past he worked at the Intermountain Children's Services as their Senior Development Officer in the Flathead. Prior to this he was a founding Executive Director at Friends of Ebey's, a nonprofit that works to preserve historic buildings and land for all to enjoy. Overall, he more than 20 years of non-profit management experience. He received his undergraduate education at Evergreen State College.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

Defend public lands and accessInvest in public health for youth and familiesInvest in small buisness by expanding broadband and improving transportation to create better jobs and housing options

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Three of the causes that Kyle cares most about are: protecting our public lands, addressing mental health issues, and public transportation.

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

I aspire to follow the example of my mother Mignon, and grandmother Mable both of whom were passionate civil servants and advocates of community in Montana. One of my earliest memories is helping my mother put up signs around Helena for her re-election to the school board. She then went on to serve 3 terms in the Montana State Senate and is remembered to this day for her work for betterment of the health of all Montanans and her ability to work across party lines.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

I think the ability to listen and advocate for their community is the most important characteristic for an elected official. Listening is key in this. We were given two ears and one mouth for a reason, so that we take twice the time to listen before we talk. I think more politicians need to remember this. I have discovered that there are plenty of great ideas and plans already in the community that need to be supported and raised up. Being able to find these, in addition to proposing new solutions, is a more efficient and productive way for an elected official to work.

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

Ronald Regan being shot in 1981, I was 5 at the time.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

I worked at an animal shelter in Helena when I was in 7th grade and held it for two years.

Do you believe that it’s beneficial for state legislators to have previous experience in government or politics?

I think it is beneficial to have experience outside of politics so that a legislator understand how government affects business and people. My experience running a small business has helped me see ways that our taxation, licensing and infrastructure can be improved. My work in nonprofits has taught me about the importance of private-public partnerships and that the government does have to solve everything but through grant funding and capacity building can work with communities to become self sufficient. All this experience has also taught me to understand the importance budgeting and planning.

That said, I think my experience of serving on City Council and local County Boards has is very valuable experience for the state legislature. I have seen firsthand how unfunded mandates from the legislature require local municipalities to raise property taxes or service fees. I see how the State misses out on funding opportunities and short sheet local communities. So I think that my experience in the private and public sector are valuable ways that I am prepared to serve in the Montana Senate.

What do you perceive to be your state’s greatest challenges over the next decade?

I think our greatest challenge is going to be how to manage and benefit from population growth. We have seen a significant uptick in growth from families that want to retire in Montana. We need to make sure that we also grow our manufacturing and main street business so that we don't just have a senior service jobs. We need to have career paths and healthy communities that work for young families and professionals too.

While managing our growth, we have to also defend our public lands and access. These lands are what make us proud to be Montanans and we need to make sure we grow in ways that protect them. We need to consider how we can grow in our cities so that our main streets can stay vibrant and active. We need to make sure that we grow in a way that our communities support everyone.

Do you believe it’s beneficial to build relationships with other legislators? Please explain your answer.

I think it is very beneficial to build relationships with other legislators. Especially relationships with other local representatives so that the local delegation can work together to benefit the Flathead. I am committed to working with my local delegation, regardless of party lines, to best represent our community and support local projects.