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Anaconda-Deer Lodge County hires former lawmaker as consultant to push industrial park development
Summary
CEO Bill Everett said the county will contract John Fitzpatrick to advise on industrial development at the East Yards, leveraging his DEQ and legislative experience; commissioners asked for contract language ensuring the Commission, not the CEO, approves any formal commitments.
Anaconda-Deer Lodge County officials discussed a proposed consulting services agreement with John Fitzpatrick on June 23, with County Chief Executive Officer Bill Everett saying Fitzpatrick will help the county develop an industrial park and pursue grants and legislative work.
Everett told the commission he has worked with Fitzpatrick for about a decade and called him “an amazing resource at a very cheap price.” John Fitzpatrick, who is concluding service as a state representative this fall, told commissioners the scope of work has not yet been fully defined and that he expects to work with the CEO to draft priorities before presenting them to the Commission.
Commissioner Ed Beaudette pressed for a clear contractual limit on the consultant’s authority, objecting to language that would allow the consultant to enter contracts without explicit Commission approval. County Attorney Morgan Smith agreed to revise the contract to reflect that formal representations or commitments would be made only with Commission authorization.
Everett said the consultant’s work will focus on a range of economic development opportunities "that make sense in Anaconda-Deer Lodge County," highlighting the East Yards industrial site where the county expects a land conveyance from Atlantic Richfield. He also noted the county is in preliminary discussions with two firearms-related manufacturers interested in locating in the area and that Fitzpatrick’s experience with DEQ and grant writing will be useful. Commissioner Mike Beausoleil said he is opposed to pursuing data centers.
The discussion did not include a final vote on a contract; staff agreed to update contract language and return to the Commission with a revised draft and any recommended scope of work.
