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Helena City manager announces year-end retirement; commissioners agree to schedule recruitment meeting
Summary
City Manager Burton announced he will retire at the end of the year; the commission agreed to convene a special meeting to discuss recruitment logistics and timeline, to be scheduled no later than Oct. 8.
City Manager Burton told the Helena City Commission on Oct. 1 that he will retire at the end of the year, and commissioners directed staff to begin the recruitment process.
The announcement came during the administrative meeting when Burton said, “Yesterday, city manager Burton formally announced his intent to retire at the end of the year.” Commissioners established a city manager relations subcommittee to discuss next steps, including whether to use a local firm for recruitment, and asked the clerk to begin scheduling follow-up meetings.
Why it matters: The commission asked for an expedited timeline for choosing a recruitment approach and for a special meeting to discuss logistics and timelines. Commissioner Logan and others publicly thanked Burton for stabilizing the city during his tenure.
Commissioners asked the clerk to schedule a special meeting no later than Oct. 8 so the commission can consider recruitment options and timelines. The commission reached consensus on that scheduling direction during the meeting; commissioners asked the clerk to proceed with scheduling and the relations subcommittee will meet first.
Commissioners used the public remarks period during the meeting to praise Burton’s leadership and review accomplishments cited by commissioners, including securing major federal grants, initiating a strategic planning process and investments in water and wastewater infrastructure.
No formal vote was recorded on a recruitment contract or vendor selection; the item recorded in the meeting was direction to the clerk and to the relations subcommittee to begin recruitment planning and schedule the special meeting by Oct. 8.
The commission’s next steps, as described at the meeting, are internal: the relations subcommittee will meet to develop options and then the full commission will meet at the special session to discuss logistics and timelines for the recruitment process.
For context, commissioners said they will return to the topic at upcoming meetings as the recruitment timeline is refined.
