Whitefish begins city-manager search
The city of Whitefish has hired a Seattle consulting firm to find a new city manager.
Current City Manager Gary Marks has accepted a city administrator position in Ketchum, Idaho, and works his last day in Whitefish on Aug. 5.
Greg Prothman, president of Prothman Co. in Seattle, was in Whitefish on Monday to interview the city staff, a group of community residents and the City Council to gather the information he will need to develop a job profile for a new manager.
No time line has been set for the hiring process, City Clerk Necile Lorang said.
Prothman helps local governments in the Pacific Northwest find qualified permanent and interim employees. Among its other current searches in Montana is the chief building official job for the city of Bozeman.
Whitefish will hire an interim manager while Prothman searches for a permanent replacement for Marks. The interim position won't be filled by anyone currently on the city staff, Lorang said, adding she isn't sure whether Prothman will help find an interim manager.
Marks, 44, had a nine-year run as manager of Whitefish during some of the resort town's biggest growth years.
During his tenure myriad city projects were completed, including expanded parks and bike trails, construction of a water treatment plant, indoor ice rink, conversion of the armory to a community center, landscaping along U.S. 93 South and construction of a skate park and The Wave fitness center. Many of the projects have been funded partially through philanthropic giving via public-private partnerships for which Whitefish is well-known.
A salary for Marks' replacement has not yet been set.
Marks was Whitefish's highest-paid official, earning $109,021 annually. He will be paid considerably more in his new position with Ketchum. According to a story in Ketchum's newspaper, the Idaho Mountain Express, Marks will receive $153,104 per year, plus a $1,300 monthly housing subsidy for up to five years.
Marks was one of five finalists for the Ketchum job.
When Marks announced his resignation in late May, he emphasized that the job switch was strictly a personal career decision and had no bearing on recent controversy over the critical-areas ordinance and the city's lawsuit against Flathead County over control of Whitefish's two-mile planning "doughnut."
A public farewell open house for Marks will be held in the council chambers at Whitefish City Hall from 7 to 9 p.m. on July 22.
Features editor Lynnette Hintze may be reached at 758-4421 or by e-mail at lhintze@dailyinterlake.com