Article published Dec 6, 2007

Lawton to stick with city into new year

By RICHARD ECKE

Tribune Staff Writer

City Manager John Lawton agreed this week to stay in his post longer than he had planned.

He originally announced that he would retire by the end of this year.

At Tuesday's City Commission meeting, commissioners urged Lawton to stay and show his successor the ropes before retiring. Lawton said he would stay, although he didn't specify for how long.

"I appreciate the vote of confidence," Lawton told commissioners. "I would be willing to do that for a period of time."

Lawton said he wanted to help ensure a smooth transition.

Mayor Dona Stebbins raised the issue, saying the commission might be as much as a month or two behind schedule in picking a new manager. Interviews with finalists are scheduled for Jan. 12 in Great Falls, about one month behind a previously announced timeline.

Stebbins said the new manager could gain valuable insight if Lawton were still here to learn from. She said the new manager will have big shoes to fill.

"We want to make sure the person we hire is wearing the right shoe size," Stebbins said.

Commissioner Bill Beecher said "it just makes sense" to have Lawton stay awhile longer.

Also at Tuesday's meeting, commissioners decided they will hold a public hearing Jan. 8 to discuss a new city ordinance regulating ambulance services.

Commissioners considered the ordinance on a first reading. On a 3-1 vote, with Beecher dissenting, commissioners decided to hold the hearing in January, rather than at the commission's Dec. 18 meeting.

Lawton said he met Tuesday with officials of the private ambulance company that serves the city, and agreed the city would create an appeals process in case the ambulance company objected to a ruling by an emergency services administrator appointed by the city manager.

Fire Chief Randy McCamley said the new ordinance aims to help improve the overall safety and stability of the Great Falls 9-1-1 emergency system.

If the ordinance passes, Lawton said the city and Great Falls Emergency Services would still need to hammer out a contract.

"We intend to negotiate a contract with them," Lawton said. He said the city's consultant, the Abaris Group, will help draft a contract to launch negotiations.

Lawton said his meeting with ambulance officials was fruitful.

"This should settle the remaining issues," Lawton said. David Kuhn of Idaho Falls, one of Great Falls Emergency Services' owners, said he hoped the issues could be worked out.

Also Tuesday, city Public Works Director Jim Rearden said the city plans to turn on higher water pressure in the Sunnyside area of Great Falls on Dec. 15. The city suggested residents in the area might want to consider installing pressure-reducing valves in their homes, at a cost of $300 to $400 per house, because of the increased water pressure created by a construction project.