“I’m tired of them always slamming the other guy.”
Skip has lived in Montour his whole life. He is now semi-retired and raises market lambs in his spare time. However, his main time commitment is to his community. As a long time member of the Montour Community Club, Skip has spent countless hours organizing community events that bring people together. In fact, I had just arrived following their monthly community breakfast. Furthermore, the club also takes care of city infrastructural projects, like repairing sidewalks and buildings.
Skip told me how small town budgets have shrunk massively over the past several years leaving most community projects reliant on donations and volunteer work. Some projects are too big to be completed by volunteers. For example, the construction of a new bridge has been stalled for several years following deep budget cuts. While funding grants exist for such projects, their application process is difficult and time consuming.
I asked Skip why he thinks Montour’s budget and the town have shrunk so much. He told me about the closing of Montour’s school in 2001 and the moving of Highway 30 away from town. Since then, the population has dwindled leading to a decrease of businesses. Now people shop and work outside of town.
When asked about his thoughts on politics these days Skip mentioned his frustration with the constant fighting, lying, and “slamming the other guy” between candidates. He did not attach himself to a party. Rather, he told me that he votes for the person.