City Manager interviews arranged

Mike Cast, Leader Staff

POLSON - The selection of four finalists to be considered for Polson City Manager was approved at a special meeting of the Polson City Council on Monday. The approval will allow the City Manager Search Committee to finalize its selection and invite the finalists for interviews and an open house to meet the Polson public on Nov. 14.

Interviews are scheduled for 8 a.m., 10 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m.. The open house is scheduled for 5:30-7:30 p.m. at the Tee Box Restaurant at the Polson Golf Course.

Jim Sohm, councilman and member of the search committee, said once the council made its final selection, it would not notify other candidates until the position was accepted and a contract was signed.

The committee hopes to release the names of the finalists on Friday, according to Polson City Clerk Aggi Loeser.

A controversy broke out when the council made a motion to replace Interim City Manager Mike Lies with former councilman Mark MacDonald so that Lies could fill his position as a Ward 2 councilman.

The argument was made by Ward 3 councilman Fred Funke that some councilmen were not notified of the agenda item to approve a new interim City Manager prior to the meeting. He was also concerned that MacDonald was the only candidate for the position.

"I don't like it, I don't think it's fair. I think it's dishonest and I don't think Mark has the qualifications," Funke said.

Mayor Lou Marchello said MacDonald was the only one who contacted him about the position. Councilwoman Elsa Duford said the position needed to be advertised in the paper so that more candidates might apply.

Sohm said it was an urgent matter to get Lies back in his position as a Ward 2 representative because that position had been vacant for months while Lies was acting as interim city manager.

Funke agreed but said the matter of choosing an interim city manager, a paid position, should not be rushed.

The motion died by a vote of 3-3. Sohm made another motion that the council advertise the position in local media and add the approval of a new interim city manager to the agenda for the upcoming city council meeting on Monday. The motion was approved unanimously.

The council will accept letters of interest for the position until 5 p.m. on Nov. 3.

The next regular meeting of the council is Nov. 3 at 7 p.m.

A special meeting of the council is being held on Nov. 5 at 1 p.m, during which the Montana Department of Transportation will present a proposal to refurbish the Armed Forces Memorial Bridge in Polson. The primary purpose will be to discuss traffic arrangements during the construction.