Bill Gallagher, former Polson resident, dies

| May 28, 2015 1:58 PM

Bill Gallagher, the former chairman of the Montana Public Service Commission, has died.

Gallagher once owned a real estate firm in Polson.

Gallagher, 55, had been battling pancreatic cancer.

Gallagher was the chairman of the Montana Public Service Commission during the sale of 11 hydroelectric dams in Montana from PPL Montana to NorthWestern Energy last year.

In April, NorthWestern Energy held a ceremony to rename the control room at Rainbow Dam after Gallagher, whose term ended in January.

Gallagher insisted at the luncheon, which included NorthWestern employees, officials and PSC members, that he accepted the honor "on behalf of a lot of other people," including his colleagues at the PSC and their employees.

"I was the leader of a damn fine team," Gallagher said.

In his final Facebook message, Gallagher tells his friends to, "take this last piece of advice I'm gonna give, 'this isn't a dress rehearsal and you only get one go around here, so live your life intentionally.' I did and I don't have many regrets."