Page 7 - Flathead Beacon // 11.20.13

FLATHEADBEACON.COM NEWS NOVEMBER 20, 2013 | 7

Polson mayor-elect Heather Knutson and City Manager Mark Shrives. GREG LINDSTROM | FLATHEAD BEACON

planned to relax for a few weeks before some have said a “good old boys club”
moving on, but before she knew it she ran Polson and Knutson said she hopes
was helping coach the high school girl’s to move past that.
volleyball team. “What’s another few “I think people have felt that they

months,” she recalled thinking. But af- weren’t being heard (by the commis-
ter volleyball season there was an ofer sion),” she said. “But it’s important that
to coach the basketball team, too. Before they are heard.”
she knew it, the move to Boise ended up New City Manager Mark Shrives
on the backburner.
echoed the importance of having open
In 2006, her father was diagnoised lines of communication. Shrives started
with cancer and Knutson started help- on Oct. 15 and before coming to Polson
ing run the family business. In 2008, was the city manager in Creswell, Ore.,

Knutson’s father died and she took on a for nine years. Before that he was the
more active role at Country Foods. Lat- city administrator and director of oper- WARM UP YOUR WINTER
er, Fred and Amy Kellogg purchased the ations in Hamilton for six years.
company and kept Knutson as general The city manager form of govern-
manager.
ment is relatively new to Polson and
“I love working in the food industry,” Knutson said the transition period has All Blaze King Woodstoves
she said. “This product runs in my veins been very rocky. The town has had three 15% OFF
and it’s part of who I am.”
fulltime managers in just seven years.

Anyone who has met Knutson knows “It’s not so much about working to-
she is not someone who sits idle. Her job gether, but communicating,” Shrives
resume proves that. Besides being in- said of the relationship between the All Breckwell Pellet Stoves
volved in various community groups, mayor and manager. “Communicating 15% OFF
she’s been a member of the Polson so that we’re on the same road.”
Chamber of Commerce for ive years and Knutson said there are a wide vari-
served as its president in 2012.
ety of issues facing the community in the

Last February, Fred Kellogg men- next few years, from how the town will
tioned that a few people around Polson deal with development to the much less
thought Knutson should run for mayor. glamorous job of replacing the sewer sys-
She said at irst she brushed of the idea, tem. Knutson said the recent opening of
but then she started thinking about the new Walmart shows that businesses
Polson and its needs. Over the next few are interested in moving to Polson and ALL STOVE PIPE 15% OFF
with stove
months she thought more about running she believes the town will grow faster in purchase
and by May she decided to throw her the coming years. She said beyond run- EW
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hat in the ring against Michael Brandt, ning the city commission meetings and
a website developer, and Bob Fulton, a talking to citizens, the mayor should be
retired civil engineer. Knutson said her an ambassador for the city to help bring
background in business is what con- new business, visitors and ideas to the
vinced her it would be the right move.
area.
“A lot of what I do at this business is Knutson said she is excited about
get together with people and talk about ushering in a new beginning for Polson

issues, ind the pros and cons and then and its city government. She also knows
make the best decision moving forward,” that her father, who probably would have 170 7th Ave. W.N.
she said. “Good decisions don’t get made thought she was crazy to run in the irst 257-7317
in a vacuum and I buy into that theory. I place, would be just as excited.
want to have a lot of diferent opinions.”
“I think he would have been one of Right across the street from the Fairgrounds!
Communication between the mayor, my biggest supporters,” she said.
Napoleon Electric
the city commission and citizens will be [email protected]
$399
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important, Knutson said. In the past,
Fireplaces
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Mon-Fri 8:00-5:30 • Saturday 8:30-5:00 • Closed Sunday