On Monday, July 20 and Tuesday, July 21 from 4-7 p.m. the Helena City Commission will virtually interview five candidates for the permanent City Manager position.
The public is invited view the virtual interviews via Zoom. To access meeting information, please visit the City’s website www.helenamt.gov/home/calendar [helenamt.gov].
In April, the Helena City Commission engaged the services of The Novak Consulting Group to recruit for the next City Manager.
Upon approval from the Commission, Novak then proceed to gather input on the skills, leadership attributes, and experience that staff and the broader community desired in a City Manager. This was accomplished through an individualized survey for staff, an open public survey for community members, and a series of virtual community and stakeholder input meetings.
The City received 91 applications for the position, and at a July 13 special meeting, the Commission advanced five candidates to the initial interview phase. Following the virtual interview process, finalists will be invited to in-person interviews August 14 – 16.
The City of Helena operates under a Commission-Manager form of government. The Commission functions in a policy-making role and appoints the City Manager, who is responsible for the oversight of the City’s daily operations and implementation of Commission policy. The City Manager serves as the chief administrative officer, who implements commission policies, provides organizational leadership for department directors and employees, and oversees the day-to-day business of government operations.
The Helena City Commission is pleased to announce that the following five applicants have been selected as candidates for the position of City Manager:
First Name, Last Name, Title Organization
Rachel Harlow-Schalk, Deputy Director of Local Government - State of Colorado
Rachel has served in government at both the state and local levels for over 25 years. She has worked for the State of Colorado’s Local Government Center since 2014 as the Deputy Director of Local Government, Deputy Director of Strategic Operations and Finance, and Financial Assistance Director. She also worked for the City of Westminster, Colorado, for over 20 years, where she held several positions, including Senior Projects Officers and Environmental and Administrative Services Officer. Rachel holds a Bachelor of Science in Individualized Studies, Hazardous Waste Management from the Metropolitan State College of Denver, and a Master of Arts in Political Science from the University of Colorado.
Kenneth Haskin, City Manager - City of Texarkana, AR
Kenneth has worked in local government for over 20 years as well as the non-profit sector. He has been with the City of Texarkana since 2008, where he served as the Assistant City Manager/Economic Development and most recently was appointed City Manager in 2013. In addition, he worked as the Chief of Staff for the Pulaski County Circuit Court, the Program Director for Boys and Girls Club of America in North Little Rock, Arkansas, and as a Case Manager for the Family Service Agency in Little Rock, Arkansas. Kenneth has a Bachelor’s in Sports Management from Henderson State University and a Master of Public Administration from Webster University. He is an ICMA credentialed manager.
Benjamin Marchant, Former Township Manager, Springettsbury Township, PA
Benjamin has 20 years of local government experience, most recently serving as the Springettsbury Township Manager in Springettsbury, Pennsylvania. He has served as the City Manager in both Coquille, Oregon, and Jerome, Idaho. His career in public service began as the Deputy Chief of Protocol in San Diego, California, and the Assistant to the City Administrator in Maryland Heights, Missouri. Benjamin holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of California and a Master of Public Administration/Fiscal Administration from Northern Illinois University. He is a graduate of the Senior Executive Institute, and he is an ICMA credentialed manager.
Tabatha Miller, City Manager - City of Fort Bragg, CA
Tabatha has more than 20 years of experience in municipal government and has both legal and private sector experience. Since 2018, she has served as the City Manager in Fort Bragg, California. Tabatha has served at the director level in the areas of finance and budget. Tabatha was the Administrative Services Director in Lake Havasu City, Arizona; Financial Services Director in Sedona, Arizona; Finance Director at Alderwood Water and Wastewater District; and the Finance Director in Burien, Washington. She has a Bachelor of Science in Accountancy from Northern Arizona University and Juris Doctorate from Gonzaga University School of Law.
Troy Smith, Deputy City Manager - City of Commerce City, CO
Troy has worked in local government and public safety for the past 40 years. He has been with Commerce City since 2013, where he has served as Police Chief and most recently as the Deputy City Manager. He worked in law enforcement in Grand Junction, Colorado, and Thornton County, Colorado, where he held progressively responsible roles, including Deputy Chief of Police of Administration and Operations, Administrative Support Commander, Watch Commander, and Sergeant. He began his public safety career as a patrol officer with the University of Northern Colorado Police Department and Town of Estes Park Police. He has a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of Northern Colorado and a Master of Science in Management from Regis University and is a graduate of the FBI National Academy, Session 250 - Quantico, Virginia.
The Helena City Commission will meet on the following dates for the purposes of conducting virtual interviews, facilitated through Novak Consulting Group, to complete the selection of final candidates for the Permanent City Manager.
The meeting will be conducted online, utilizing the Zoom Meeting platform as indicated below.
When: Jul 20, 2020 04:00 PM Mountain Time (US and Canada)
Please click the link below to join the webinar: https://zoom.us/j/93471735854
Or iPhone one-tap:
US: +13462487799,,93471735854# or +16699006833,,93471735854#
Or Telephone:
Dial (for higher quality, dial a number based on your current location):
US: +1 346 248 7799 or +1 669 900 6833 or +1 253 215 8782 or +1 312 626 6799 or
+1 929 205 6099 or +1 301 715 8592
Webinar ID: 934 7173 5854
When: Jul 21, 2020 04:00 PM Mountain Time (US and Canada)
Please click the link below to join the webinar: https://zoom.us/j/99372744666 Or iPhone one-tap : US: +12532158782,,99372744666# or +13462487799,,99372744666#
Or Telephone:
Dial(for higher quality, dial a number based on your current location):
US: +1 253 215 8782 or +1 346 248 7799 or +1 669 900 6833 or +1 301 715 8592 or +1 312 626 6799 or +1 929 205 6099
Webinar ID: 993 7274 4666
At the discretion of the Mayor, upon completion of Public Commentary, deliberation of the Commission will be closed pursuant to Sect. 2-3-203(3), MCA, if the Mayor determines the discussion relates to a matter of individual privacy and the Mayor determines that the demands of individual privacy clearly exceed the merits of public disclosure.
