Kalispell Hosts Open House for City Manager Finalist
Development Services Director and Interim City Manager Jarod Nygren is the final contender for the city's top administrative position
By Zoë Buhrmaster
An open house this Wednesday evening will allow Kalispell residents a chance to chat with the finalist for the city manager position. The city’s Development Services Director and Interim City Manager Jarod Nygren is the lone contender for the vacant seat.
Last week, a city director panel, a community panel that included incoming councilors, and the current mayor and council interviewed Nygren in a private executive session.
“Mr. Nygren confirmed through this process what we have seen working with him over the past eleven years,” Mayor Mark Johnson said. “He has proven himself to be an ethical leader with extensive project and collaborative experience, and other qualifications that make him an excellent candidate.”
Johnson encouraged community members to chat with Nygren during Wednesday’s open house and “hear his vision for Kalispell’s future, and share their input on this important decision.”
Nygren will be available from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. in the council chambers at City Hall, located at 201 First Avenue East. The open house is a casual, drop-in format, to give community members a chance to chat one-on-one with Nygren. Those who can’t attend the in-person event can also submit feedback on the finalist by emailing [email protected].
Nygren has worked for the city for over a decade and has acted as interim city manager since the end of August, when Doug Russell vacated the position for a job in Washington. Nygren has a master’s degree in public administration and is certified as a city planner. As development services director, he’s supervised an average of $150 million in new construction over the past five years. The city manager is responsible for overseeing the city’s 244 full-time employees and $180 million budget.
GMP Consultants, a public-sector executive search firm, led the extensive recruitment process. They identified Nygren as a highly qualified candidate in the finalist applicant pool, along with several others who declined to move forward in the interview process.
The mayor and council will vote on the final decision at the Dec. 15 council meeting.