Mike Pence

The Daily Inter Lake

New county administrator starts job

Flathead County's new administrator started his job on Tuesday.

Mike Pence was hired in December to replace former administrator Don Avery, whose contract was not renewed at the end of 2003. Pence takes over from Myrt Webb, who was hired last summer as interim administrator.

Pence was city administrator in Kemmerer, Wyo., for the last three years.

He has almost 30 years of experience in local government administration, including stints as county auditor in Hardin County, Iowa; city administrator in Sibley, Iowa; about 15 years as city manager in Ocean Shores, Wash.; and commercial development manager for the Quinault Indian Nation in Washington.

As administrator here, he will be responsible for day-to-day operation of the county, including preparing an annual budget and keeping the commissioners informed about a variety of issues.

In an interview last December, Commissioner Gary Hall said Pence got the job because of his ability to work well with other government entities and because he earned high marks from all of the department heads here who met him.

"We got a 100 percent approval rating from the department heads who met him," Hall said. "Everybody liked him. That means a lot to us."

The commissioners offered the administrator job to two other candidates after Avery's tenure ended. However, they were unable to reach deals on compensation, given that the salary was initially capped at $70,000.

Pence will be paid $90,000 per year.

"You usually get what you pay for," Hall said.

Webb said he will still be available this week to help Pence get up to speed. After that, he's on his own.