Valley Journal
Valley Journal

This Week’s e-Edition

Current Events

Latest Headlines

What's New?

Send us your news items.

NOTE: All submissions are subject to our Submission Guidelines.

Announcement Forms

Use these forms to send us announcements.

Birth Announcement
Obituary

Commission to interview four finalists for city manager

Hey savvy news reader! Thanks for choosing local. You are now reading
1 of 3 free articles.



Subscribe now to stay in the know!

Already a subscriber? Login now

POLSON – The Polson Commission voted unanimously to accept the four finalists for city manager, chosen by consulting firm The Mercer Group, Inc. and the city’s commission-appointed City Manager Search committee, in a vote held via Zoom meeting. 

City planner Kyle Roberts said Jim Mercer received 41 applications for the position. He used the criteria developed by the commissioners and the search committee to vet those applications. Mercer suggested nine candidates to the search committee. Three of those candidates dropped out of the running before the search committee met. The group eliminated two of the candidates to narrow the field to the four most qualified. 

The candidates are Brian Bender, Darcy Long, Ed Meece, and Troy Smith. None of the candidates live in Lake County, currently.

Bender is from Deer Lodge, where he is the chief administrative officer for the city. Prior to that position, he served as planning director for Powell County. He has worked in local government across the country. He has a master’s degree in regional planning from the University of Albany, a master’s degree in geography from Western Washington University, and a bachelor’s degree in geography from Plattsburgh State University.

Long is from Gladstone, Michigan. He most recently worked as city manager for the City of Gladstone for two years. He has worked as a city manager, a town manager and a city administrator around the Midwest. He has an MPA from Northern Michigan University and a bachelor’s degree in political science from Lake Superior State University. 

Meece is from Livingston, Montana, and he works as the parking program manager for the city of Bozeman. He previously worked as the city manager in Livingston for nine years. Meece has an MPA from Northern Kentucky University and a bachelor’s degree in political science from Eastern Kentucky University. 

Smith is from Parker, Colorado. He works as the deputy city manager for the City of Commerce in Commerce City, Colorado. He was previously the city’s police chief. He has had a 27-year career in law enforcement in Colorado. He holds a MS in management from Regis University and a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Northern Colorado. 

Now that the commission has approved those four candidates, Mercer will do background checks on the candidates, and then, Roberts will work with Mercer to set up interviews for the candidates. The process could be impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions. Commissioner Bob Martin said he would be willing to interview candidates over a video call. Commissioner Lou Marchello said he thought the city should invite the final candidates to visit the city before a final offer is made.  

Commissioners and community members expressed their eagerness to install a new city manager. One community member who said he is a member of the city’s parks and trees board said the group has been deferring large decisions until the new city manager takes his position. The city has been operating without a permanent city manager since Oct. 30, 2018. 

 

Sponsored by: