Commission approves city manager progress
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POLSON — The Polson City Commission spent 50 minutes in executive session discussing Polson City Manager Mark Shrives’ six-month performance evaluation and talking to Shrives at the May 5 meeting.
After reconvening, the commission agreed that Shrives has a satisfactory performance review and will receive an annual pay increase of $2,500.
The commissioners also approved emergency Ordinance No. 668 to amend the City of Polson’s development code regarding special use permits. The vote was 4-2, with Mayor Heather Knutson and Commissioner Stephen Turner voting against it. Commissioner Dan Morrison was absent.
A special use permit allows a specific exception to zoning regulations from a list of acceptable exceptions for a particular parcel of land.
The passage of this ordinance will mean the Polson City Commission will pass or not pass special use permits. Up until this time, the City/County Planning Board approved special use permits, but now that board will hold the public hearing and add their recommendation to approve or disapprove the permit, and the city commissioners will make the final decision.
“This won’t be the last time we’ll be talking,” local developer Dennis Duty said.
People who apply for special use permits don’t know how to do the permit, Duty said, so they hire a consultant. Now the consultant will have to come to both the city county planning board meeting and to the city commission meeting, to present the information again, which essentially turns the city commission meeting into another hearing.
“All I’m asking is we just have one hearing,” he told the commissioners.
Resident Lita Fonda commented that the city commission will make the decision for city issues, but she was concerned that issues in the county jurisdiction would cause a split code.
Shrives said that was a little different. He met with the Lake County Commissioners and will stay in touch with Lake County. He also said they have directed the Lake County planners to look at the issue.
Lee Manicke, also a Polson resident, said he felt the issue should be amended with a resolution.
City Attorney Rich Gebhardt recommended the ordinance and the method of amendment, according to Shrives.
The next city commission meeting will be held on May 19 at 7 p.m. at Polson City Hall.
