C.F. manager taking Kalispell job

After a nearly 10-year career as city manager, Bill Shaw is leaving Columbia Falls to become the public works director for the city of Kalispell.

“I just need a lot more to do,” he said Monday.

Growth in recent years in Columbia Falls has slowed to a crawl, and in February, Kalispell approached him about its public works director opening, Shaw said.

“It’s a lot busier than what I’m doing here,” he said.

Shaw’s last day as city manager will be May 27, and he starts with Kalispell on June 6. The city council in a special work session Monday decided to first advertise his position in-house for a week.

“We may get one candidate, we may get four,” council member Julie Plevel said.

If the council gets the right candidate, it could make a city manager hire by next Monday at its regular meeting.

City finance director Susan Nicosia has said she would fill in as interim city manager if needed, although she said four months would be about her limit.

Shaw was both city manager and planning director, so the city likely would have to contract out those services, either with another city or a private company.

After he became city manager in October 2001, Shaw steered the city through expansive growth. Since 2000, Columbia Falls’ population grew from 3,645 residents to 4,688 — an increase of 28.6 percent, according to recently released census figures.

That growth included several major subdivisions as the city grew westward. Places that were formerly farm fields are now subdivisions. Shaw also pulled double duty as the city planner for several years. Recently he took a pay cut because the city’s planning department hasn’t seen much business. With the housing market collapse, few new homes are being built.

Shaw said he’s “over 60” but not ready to retire.

“There are interests I have in public service,” he said.

Shaw lives on a small farm south of Columbia Falls and owns a house in the city.

The council last year allowed him to live on the farm. In the past, city managers were required to live inside city limits.