Ward 4 candidate Mike Nugent announced on his Facebook page that he was “honored” to have the endorsement of incumbent Ward 4 councilwoman, Amber Sherrill. Sherrill will not seek re-election this year and bears partial responsibility for mask mandates and other restrictions unlawfully imposed upon Missoula County residents and businesses over the past year. Sherrill voted for mask mandates for Missoulians last December as the City Council representative on the Missoula County Board of Health.

The health board created illegal orders preserving executive orders from then departing Governor Steve Bullock. Bullock’s orders were being challenged in court at the time. It is well documented that masks provide no statistically significant benefit in reducing transmission of SARS-CoV-2 (or any other influenza-like illness).

Candidate Nugent states on his campaign website that he wants to address the housing crisis and would like to achieve “equity” in housing. To resolve housing woes in Missoula, Nugent’s Facebook posts point to increasing the amount of housing owned by non-profit corporations known as “community land trusts.” These corporations offer housing to qualified individuals who fall within the land trust’s rubric with controls on the resale price of the home.

If the judgement of Amber Sherrill was to place Missoulians in masks and draconian restrictions on businesses, it should give Ward 4 residents and all Missoulians pause when the candidate to replace her, Mike Nugent, boasts of receiving her endorsement.