Vote like Dubois depends on it.
Because it does. The Primary Vote is August 18th.
Dave Furman is running for Mayor of Dubois — not as a career politician, but as a neighbor who wants this town to stay a place his kids and grandkids choose to call home.
See where I stand Get in touchMy Vision for the Mayor's Office
"Dubois Takes Care of Its Own"
I'm not a career politician. I'm a dad who wants his sons — and someday their kids — to want to stay in Dubois.
I want a town government that's kind, practical, and on the side of the people who live and work here: families, seniors, ranchers, outfitters, tradespeople, veterans, town employees, and everyone in between. I'm a Christian, and if elected I'll make decisions prayerfully, carefully, and with respect for this community.
This isn't
Bigger government, blank checks, or promises Dubois can't afford.
This is
Safe streets, affordable living, dependable emergency services, and careful growth that still feels like Dubois.
"Dubois takes care of its own."
Growth, managed carefully
I have real concerns about growth that isn't carefully planned — Dubois should grow on its own terms, not by accident.
Practical over political
This campaign is about practical solutions, not slogans: budgeting, transparency, and decisions that fit our town's size.
Every corner of town
From ranchers to retirees, single adults to service workers — good government should work for all of Dubois.
Forty Years of Showing up for Dubois
The Black Bear Inn
My parents bought the Inn, and my family's story in Dubois began. Our sons grew up helping to run it.
Full Management
Liz primarily took over the day-to-day operations — payroll in a seasonal town, maintaining property, and learning exactly what local businesses need to survive, while I flew to Dubois most weekends to do repairs, upgrades, and offer advice on the running of the Inn.
We Bought the Inn
Liz and I purchased the Black Bear Inn ourselves — two generations of our family have now owned a piece of this town's Main Street.
Magistrate & Judge
Decades in public service taught me to listen carefully, follow the law, make fair calls, and explain hard things in plain language.
Nonprofit Board Service
Budgeting, accountability, and getting things done with people who don't always agree — including a commitment to real board governance training.
My priorities are based on my beliefs in fiscal responsibility, a transparent and limited government, and free markets.
Six Priorities for Dubois
Do the Basics Well
Get the fundamentals right before anything else.
Streets, water, sewer, parks (including the playground area and outdoor equipment), and permits come first — run well, budgeted honestly. I'll push for a modern town website with online bill pay, posted meeting agendas and minutes, livestreamed council meetings with real public comment periods, and a serious study of what it will cost to upgrade our aging water system before it becomes an emergency.
Doing the basics well includes not being self-serving in government — not using the Mayor's Office for personal or private gain.
Support Public Safety
Back the people who protect Dubois.
Continued, practical support for the Dubois Police Department that works for Dubois. As mayor, I'd strengthen coordination between Dubois Police, the Fremont County Sheriff's Office, and Frontier Ambulance — including effective mutual aid and dispatch contracts — so no one falls through the cracks.
Real Housing Solutions
Housing for the people who work here.
Dubois can't thrive if the people who serve and work here can't afford to live here. I'd establish a housing task force of residents, employers, and local experts to make recommendations; review zoning and permitting for unnecessary barriers; and support private and nonprofit efforts—including employer-assisted housing and manufactured homes—so the town doesn't become a developer or landlord.
Support Local Businesses
Be a partner, not a hurdle.
Forty years of my family running the Black Bear Inn taught me what businesses actually need: clear, understandable regulations; fair and consistent treatment from the Mayor's Office; and help connecting to resources that let them start, grow, and stay open through Dubois's tough mud-season months. My question as mayor will always be: how can the town help you succeed?
An Inviting Downtown
Listen first, then improve.
I'd start a downtown renovation committee that listens first — to business owners, residents, and town staff — before studying what needs improved and making recommendations for: updated parks (including the playground area, outdoor equipment, and benches), updated sidewalks, safer street crossings, better signage, and dark-sky-friendly lighting that protects our night skies. Every cost gets worked out and shared with the public before the town commits to a plan.
Building an Aquatic Center and Climbing Wall
Explore it honestly — promise nothing more.
I support exploring, not promising, whether Dubois can responsibly afford an aquatic center and climbing wall. That means gathering real community input, evaluating sites and costs, and building an honest funding strategy through grants, partnerships, and sponsorships — moving forward only if it's feasible, affordable, and genuinely wanted by residents.
Before making a decision for Dubois, I will ask three questions.
Does it make life better for the people who live and work here?
Can we afford it now — and keep affording it later?
Does it fit the character and size of Dubois?
If the answer to any of these is no, we rethink it. Simple as that.
A Dubois people are proud to call home.
A town where people can afford to live, find work, start a business, raise a family, and feel safe — without losing what makes Dubois, Dubois.
Not built by promising everything. Built by taking care of our own, doing the basics well, spending wisely, and listening.
