Ex-administrator seeks county job

The Daily Inter Lake

Avery the first Democrat to file for commission

Former Flathead County Administrator Don Avery is the first Democrat to announce his candidacy for the District 3 commissioner seat.

Avery, who lives in Lakeside, filed for the position on Friday.

Seven Republicans also have entered the county commissioner race so far.

Avery was born and raised in Washington. He has an undergraduate degree in business administration from La Salle University in Philadelphia and a master's degree in public administration from City University in Bellevue, Wash.

After serving six years as a reservist in the U.S. Marine Corps, Avery worked as an administrative assistant-clerk and treasurer in Gig Harbor, Wash., in the 1970s and early '80s. He then spent 12 years as the city administrator-clerk and treasurer of Dayton, Wash.

Avery was hired as Flathead County administrator in February 2002. His tenure lasted until December 2003, when the commissioners declined to renew his contract.

Avery later sued the county and the commissioners for breach of contract and fraud. His main contention was that they failed - by five days - to give him the required 60 days prior notification that his contract wouldn't be renewed. He asked for damages, estimated at $185,000, as well as punitive damages and attorney's fees.

District Court Judge Stewart Stadler dismissed the lawsuit in November 2004. That ruling was upheld by the Montana Supreme Court last September. Both courts found that Avery suffered no damages, and that the claim that his contract was automatically renewed was "without merit."

In a written notice announcing his candidacy, Avery cited his experience with budgeting, finance, planning, public works, personnel, grant writing, infrastructure replacement, economic development and disaster response.

He said he's served a number of charitable organizations, including Literacy Volunteers of America, the American Red Cross and St. Vincent DePaul. He also volunteered at the Northwest Montana Veterans Food Pantry in 2005 and was a volunteer Meals on Wheels driver.

Most recently, Avery said he's been working as a long-term planner for the Federal Emergency Management Agency, providing temporary housing facilities for Gulf Coast hurricane evacuees.

The filing period for this year's county elections runs through March 23.