County Commissioner Bill Murdock will be resigning next month. He will surely be missed in Bridger Canyon. He has often been a lonely voice on the commission in favor of the good land use planning that has kept the Canyon beautiful. From the Bozeman Daily Chronicle:

Editorial: Murdock was county’s voice for responsible planning

Posted: Sunday, March 17, 2013 12:15 am

The departure of retiring Gallatin County Commissioner Bill Murdock next month will mark the end of an era. For 16 years, Murdock has been a voice of moderation in what tends to be a conservative office.

County commission elections are dominated by the rural vote, which tends to be quite conservative on land-use and planning issues. And that vote is rarely overcome by the pro-planning faction among the county’s only real urban voters in Bozeman.

Murdock has long battled the headwind of those conservative tendencies. He has contributed heavily to successes in land-use planning and regulation as well as open-space preservation. He has also been a stalwart enforcer of policy in the face of frequent and well-financed challenges from real estate developers.

That influence will be missed.

Murdock’s term doesn’t end until the end of next year. His resignation triggers a process that will name his replacement on the commission – a person that will take the advantage of incumbency into the 2014 election.

law, the remaining two commissioners, Republicans Steve White and Joe Skinner will name Murdock’s successor from a field of three candidates suggested by state GOP leadership because Murdock is also a Republican.

Murdock’s departure and the process for replacing him have the potential to push the commission hard to the right. And that would not bode well for the future of some land-use issues in Gallatin County.

Republican leaders and White and Skinner are urged to consider all the county’s constituents as they appoint Murdock’s replacement. Filling the seat with another advocate for land-use planning and open-space preservation will maintain a healthy balance on the commission and stimulate vigorous debate on these very important issues.

Quality of life is what has drawn many immigrants to Bozeman and Southwest Montana. A big part of that quality of life is the open countryside and expansive views of our rural areas. And the County Commission plays a major role in preserving those amenities.

Choose Murdock’s replacement carefully. Find another powerful voice for smart planning and open-space preservation.