Cascade County commission holds closed interview for planning director candidate

Cascade County Commission held a special meeting to interview a candidate for the county planning director position and moved into an executive session under MCA 2-3-203(3) after the applicant requested privacy.

The commission’s presiding official (name not provided) opened the special meeting and said the interviews were scheduled for 90 minutes but "may conclude in less time." The presiding official told those present the board could close the scheduled interview under Montana law to protect the candidate’s privacy and then move back to open session when the interview ended. The commission recessed and moved to a separate room for the interview.

A county staff member told the commission the candidate "asked for privacy," and that the county had contacted the applicant and the individual "did not waive" that privacy, a basis the staff member said satisfied the requirements to close the meeting under MCA 2-3-203(3). After the interview and return to the public meeting, the presiding official said the commission would hand the process over to the HR director for further evaluation.

The commission scheduled a reconvening time if the interview concluded early, noting a 10:45 a.m. time certain for resumption. The meeting closed after the commission offered an opportunity for public comment; none was offered and the special meeting was adjourned.

No vote on hiring was recorded at the meeting; the commission’s next step was described as administrative: HR review and evaluation of the candidate.