Over the last couple of years, Helena has had a history of quick turnover for city managers. It's again time for a new city manager to fill in following Tim Burton’s retirement.
Since 2018, Helena has seen four different city managers serve in the office, with numerous interim managers in between. Burton was previously the city manager in the two-thousands. He rejoined the city as interim manager in 2022 and then permanently a year later.
“So they took the process they used when they hired me,” said Burton, “and that's a similar process and the same firm that they're using now.”
They will consult that firm, communication and management services, to facilitate the technical side of recruitment. With Burton leaving at the end of the year, there's an urgency to find a new manager. The Helena City Commission aims to move quickly with its process, in hopes of hiring someone by December. Leaders say applications are already coming in, and they expect to have a good selection by the application cutoff of November 5th.
“This process will be free and fair, this process will be open and transparent, this process will be open to the community,” said Mayor Wilmot Collins. “And I want the community to know that we are not gonna short-change them, they will be part of this process.”
Mayor Collins is on the city manager relations committee with Commissioner Sean Logan and has worked to make the transition as smooth as possible.
If a new manager isn't chosen by the end of the year, when Burton leaves, the commission will appoint yet another interim manager until they finish the hiring process.
When the city chooses finalists, it plans to hold a public town hall, so citizens can get acquainted with the candidates and learn how they plan to help the city.
