Hiring tops Polson council talks

City manager candidate Joe Kerby declined the council’s offer for a position for Polson on Monday morning, said mayor Lou Marchello at Monday night’s city council meeting.

“I have received two phone calls from Michael Kramer, and I called him Monday morning about the position and we will talk tomorrow or the next day,” the mayor said. Marchello said negotiations with candidate Kramer are underway and contracts have been sent to him regarding the position.

Resident Allan Marcus does not usually frequent the council meetings, but saw fit to attend Monday night’s session to express his concerns about the ongoing city manager search.

“I recommend you hire someone local,” he said, adding that there are numerous Polson business owners would have the skills and experience necessary for the open position.

In July of 2007, a manager charter form of government went into effect after the public voted on and passed the new government structure. Jay Henry was then appointed as the city manager. He served his one-year term, and since his departure the city has seen Council member Mike Lies and city attorney James Raymond as its interim city managers.

The council has gone through the hiring process for the manager position two times now: first selecting between two candidates recommended by the search committee, then selecting from four candidates after deals with the first two proved fruitless. From the last batch of candidates, the council has actively worked at securing a city manager, and moves to Kramer - as the first two declined the council’s offer for various reasons.

Also during the meeting, interim city manager James Raymond thanked the volunteers of the Polson Fire Department for successfully squelching an otherwise ravenous fire Dec. 30, during a comment at the council meeting.

“I like to acknowledge a job well done,” Raymond said in an interview with the Leader, and made similar comments at the meeting.

Polson fire chief John Fairchild said the call came into the station at about 10:30 p.m. the day before New Year’s Eve, and said 14 volunteer firefighters responded.

“I feel very lucky we got it in time without displacing the resident,” Fairchild said, going on to describe the cause of the fire.

Like most older houses, the wiring was outdated, he said. Apparently a wire was taken from inside the house for decorative lighting. The coating around the wire was broken causing wear on the wire’s sheath. As exposure to the elements grew, the wire’s coating was worn down and started a fire when contact with the cedar side of the house was made, according to Fairchild.

Homeowner Grace Shumate noticed a little bit of smoke early in the night, and asked her son Steve to look over it. Later in the night, Fairchild said she told him the smoke was burning her eyes, and a call was placed to the fire department.

“It could have been a really big thing,” Fairchild said. Little damage was incurred as a result of the quickly caught fire. Firefighters tore the siding of the northwest corner of the house off to successfully stop the blaze from growing.

Fairchild said a local electrician has given a bid for the replacement of the wiring of the 60-plus-year-old house, and he said it is important for homeowners of older homes to be mindful of the electrical structures therein to prevent fires.

City council members discussed the unclear requirements of city positions Monday night, in relation to the open spots and applicants for the Polson Board of Adjustment.

“I noticed that two (of the three applicants for open seats) do not live in the city,” councilwoman Elsa Duford said. “It just makes sense to me that he’d be a city resident to serve on the city board.”

Ken Siler is the only applicant who lives in Polson. Elsa said that as there is a county board of adjustments, it’s only logical that a volunteer for the city board of adjustments reside in the city.

“We had three positions open and only three applied,” Marchello said, adding that two advertisements for the position were placed in local newspapers in two months time.

“If we have people who are willing to serve we should take them,” Raymond said. He said he reviewed pertinent law and said there is no stipulation that a candidate for this position live within the city limits. “It’s a matter of policy on the council,” he said in an interview with the Leader, going on to say that it is the council’s decision and clarification is not necessary unless the council deems it so.

Resident Rory Horning commented on the issue, and later went on to verbally apply for the position.

Horning said he applied for a certain position within the city before, and although he owns a business within the city’s boundaries, he was denied consideration because he did not live within the city. He said a member of the board he was applying for, Jeff Young, was dismissed from his position because he did not reside in the city.

“If you’re gonna change courses in the middle of the stream you better write it down,” Horning said. “I think you’re very selective of challenging the law.”

Duford said the advertisements in the newspapers did not specify if applicants had to be residents or not, and said the matter should be decided upon, with the new advertisement reflecting this clarification.

Two of the three applicants, Ken Siler and Mick Holien were approved to serve on the board, while applicant Michael Maddy met the opposition of council members Mike Lies, Duford, Bruce Agrella and Fred Funke.

Maddy has served on the board before, and recently had a dispute with the planning staff over a city zoning code regarding density. He appealed to the board of adjustments then the district court when decisions on the issue were incongruent with his reasoning. The court declined to exercise jurisdiction over the matter.

“Mike just had a different interpretation of the law,” councilman Jules Clavadetscher said at the meeting. Duford and Lies expressed their own concerns about Maddy.

“I will admit that I have problems with Mike,” Duford said. “He just got out of a lawsuit with the city.”

“Mike lost and the city won,” Lies said. “He didn’t get any special treatment.”

Lies went on to say that Mike is not the person for the position as his lack of attendance at previous board of adjustment meetings has caused problems.

“We need someone that’s reliable, who comes to all the meetings,” Lies said. “Mike’s only come to one of the eight . . . he’s a long way from being dependable.”

Resolution 976, the Montana Department of Transportation and city agreement to restore the Armed Forces Memorial Bridge, unanimously carried, as did the authorization of the creation of a mid-block crosswalk on Fourth Ave. East, between First Street and Second Street.

Etta Moore of the census bureau, addressed the council about ongoing hiring within Lake County. The government jobs pay between $11-$12.50 and hour, offer mileage reimbursement and flexible scheduling.

Lies wound the meeting down by making a comment on the importance of snow remaining off the road when residents and business owners plow their walks and drives. He said snow berms in the road create a safety