Two Polson city manager candidates interviewed

POLSON — City manager candidates shared their professional experience and future plans with council members during interviews Friday morning.

Todd Crossett, from Cocolalla, Idaho, told the council that his desire for the city manager position stems from a yearning to spend more time with his 9-year-old son and 11-year-old daughter. City manager candidate Larry Anderson, of Missoula, said that as he plans to retire in five years he would use his experience in city government to stabilize the city manager position in his remaining years in the workforce.

Both candidates are well educated and have used their degrees to achieve strikingly different things.

After receiving his bachelor’s degree in English from Washington State University, Crossett went on to obtain his master’s in International Management from Whitworth University in Spokane. Anderson went to the University of Montana where he graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Forestry and Range Management. After fighting forest fires in Alaska for five years, and serving in the Army as an executive officer in a machine gun company during the Vietnam War, Anderson went to Oregon State University, where he left in 1975 with a Masters of Business Administration.

Crossett worked with the U.S. Department of Commerce Trade Development Program for a number of years, then became involved in a private company where he specialized in international business consulting for 12 years. During this position he worked with countries such as Russia and China, “recharging” business organizations. Crossett has extensive experience in government relations and business development.

Crossett became involved in government in 2004.

“I became concerned with politics,” Crossett told the council, “with the part of the government that gets dismissed.”

During 2004-2006, he worked on land-use planning and aquatic invasive species.

“The first couple meetings it looked like we wouldn’t get out of there without blood being spilled,” Crossett said, going on to describe the invasive species strategic plan that he wrote as being one that resulted in “Option C.”

Crossett said he is a collaborator. His professional experience shows a man whose is a motivator, who has “rejuvenated” organizations.

Anderson grew up in Nebraska, but came to Montana as UM had one of the top 10 forestry programs, he said.

“Once I saw the mountains they weren’t getting me back to the cornfields of Nebraska,” he said.

Anderson went on to own a rental store in Missoula before becoming involved in politics. His wife is an elementary teacher at Hellgate Elementary in Missoula, and they moved to Missoula to be closer to her family. He has two children who live in Oregon and Washington.

“Rather than sit and complain about how the government was going downhill I became involved in the city council,” he said. “Part of being a good citizen is to stay involved in the community.”

He has served on several boards and in Missoula city and county government, and said he brings a sense of honesty and loyalty to his positions.

Some of the questions asked, and answers given, at the interview are listed below.

Examples of Leadership:

Crossett worked on a healthcare initiative while at the U.S. Department of Commerce, in which he used a “roundtable discussion” to make progress.“Everyone wanted the same thing but hated each other,” he said. “We found a common cause and guided that into a discussion.”

He said the group was able to come together, after a mutual vision was reached and a strategy enforced for a plan of Internet medical consultations.

“People don’t like to put their time and energy into something that doesn’t move and just spins and spins,” he said.

Anderson was involved in the structuring of a budget that brought Missoula out of the red in 1986, after he was taken out of the initial budget draft due to disagreements with the mayor. He said the budget he helped develop brought him “closer” to council members and gave the city more than $2 million in cash reserves.

“I was the known as Mr. No,” Anderson said. “The mayor and council didn’t get along, but we developed a level of trust.”

Projected first 30 days as city manager:

“I’m going to listen a lot and understand where the priorities are,” Crossett said, adding that he will develop connections on the state and federal level.

Anderson said he would look at the budget and try to see “where we need to tighten our belts” while accomplishing established goals. He added that he would meet individually and as a group with city employees, department heads and the council to eliminate miscommunication.

Most serious needs of a small community:

Crossett said communities need to create a vision, and follow through with it, being proactive rather than reactive.

Anderson said infrastructure such as road, sewer, water and police protection are at the forefront of a city government’s responsibilities.

Fiscal policy approach:

Crossett said he believes in living within a budget.

“I am very fiscally conservative,” he said. “All spending is not bad though … it needs to be investment minded. It means being creative.”

Anderson said he takes spending “very seriously.”

“We’re working with other people’s money,” he said. “They should get the best value for their dollar.”