Kalispell Invites the Community to a Public Open House to Meet City Manager Finalist Jarod NygrenFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
The City of Kalispell Invites the Community to a Public Open
House to Meet City Manager Finalist Jarod Nygren
Kalispell, Montana – December 4, 2025 — The Kalispell Mayor and City Council are pleased to
announce that a public Open House will be held to introduce the community to the finalist for the
position of City Manager, Jarod Nygren. The event provides an opportunity for the community to
meet the finalist, ask questions, and provide input to the City Council before a final decision is made.
Event Details:
Who: City Manager Finalist, Jarod Nygren
What: Public Open House
When: Wednesday, December 10, 2025, from 5:00pm to 6:30pm
Where: City Hall Council Chambers, 201 First Ave. E
Kalispell Interim City Manager, and Development Services Director Jarod
Nygren was interviewed by the Mayor and Council, a 9-member City Director
Panel, and a 4-member Community Panel that included incoming Council
members on December 3, 2025. “Mr. Nygren confirmed through this process
what we have seen working with him over the past eleven years.”, said Mayor Mark Johnson. “He has
proven himself to be an ethical leader with extensive project and collaborative experience, and other
qualifications that make him an excellent candidate. We also firmly believe that the community’s
voice is essential in this process, and before a final decision is made, we encourage community
members to engage directly with Mr. Nygren, hear his vision for Kalispell’s future, and share their
input on this important decision.”
The Open House will be conducted in a casual, drop-in format, allowing attendees to interact one-on-
one with the finalist. Comment cards will be available at the event and public feedback is also
welcome via email to publiccomment@kalispell.com, or delivered to the City Clerk, at City Hall, 201
First Ave. E.
Next Steps
The City Council is scheduled to vote on whether to hire Jarod Nygren as the new City Manager at
the December 15, 2025, City Council meeting. This will also be another opportunity to provide public
comment. If they decide not to hire Mr. Nygren for the position, the City Council will consider their
options in conducting a second recruitment search.
The finalist selection follows an extensive recruitment process conducted by GMP Consultants, a
public-sector executive search firm. After a thorough review of the semi-finalist applicant pool
provided by GMP, the internal candidate was identified as a highly qualified candidate to advance in
the process. Several other applicants were also invited to interview but declined.
About the Candidate
Jarod Nygren has been employed by the City of Kalispell for nearly eleven years and is currently the
Interim City Manager and Development Services Department Director. As Interim City Manager,
Jarod acts as the chief administrator implementing Council initiatives. The City has 244 full-time
employees and an 180-million-dollar budget. As the Development Services Department Director,
Jarod has overseen an average of 150 million in new construction in the last five years and is well
known to the community. He has a master’s degree in public administration and an undergraduate
degree in public administration and city planning and is a member of the American Planning
Association and is certified through the AICP.
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