Planning director's contract unlikely to be renewed

Embattled Flathead County Planning Director Jeff Harris has been given informal notice that his contract likely won’t be renewed after it expires June 30, County Administrative Officer Mike Pence confirmed Tuesday.

Pence said he recently discussed the contract renewal one-on-one with each county commissioner, and based on those conversations, he informed Harris of the “potential of non-renewal.”

“I’ve talked to Jeff to say it’s not looking good,” Pence said, adding that it’s not uncommon for county officials to give contract employees extra notice of a non-renewal as a courtesy.

The decision isn’t final, however. The commissioners must vote in an open forum on Harris’ contract renewal by April 30, to give him the required 60-day notice.

Pence said the commissioners may make a decision as early as next week.

Harris, who has served as planning director for nearly five years, said he expects to be out of a job and has his house listed for sale.

“It’s unofficial until the commissioners vote,” Harris said. “Usually there’s some basis for that decision [of non-renewal] but it’s at their discretion. It will be up to them.”

In January, Harris was cleared of any wrongdoing following a six-month probe into alleged improprieties by him and his staff. The county paid private investigator Ike Eisentraut $10,000 to look into various allegations made by the American Dream Montana property-rights group and other private citizens.

The accusations were wide-ranging: Favoritism, pushing agendas, power plays, stubbornness, defamation, illegally waiving conditional-use permit and zoning fees, extortion, illegally destroying public records and noncompliance with county and state laws.

Eisentraut noted in his final report that “the County of Flathead is very fortunate to have the professionals it does in the Planning Office, and that includes their director.”

Harris acknowledged that he’s been a “target” for certain factions of the community, including American Dream Montana, for some time.

Features editor Lynnette Hintze may be reached at 758-4421 or by e-mail at lhintze@dailyinterlake.com