Shawn Fredrickson has informed his colleagues on the Butte-Silver Bow council that he will be resigning from his position as he has accepted the role of the county’s parks and recreation director.
Bob Lazzari retired from the position late last year and J.P. Gallagher, Butte-Silver Bow’s chief executive, announced in January that an external search would be conducted for a new parks director.
Fredrickson has been a commissioner since July 2018 and chairman of the council since early 2023. He has served on the Parks and Recreation Board for several years, including when Gallagher was parks director. Gallagher transitioned to chief executive in late 2020.
Gallagher mentioned that about 20 individuals initially applied for the position, but the selected candidate from outside the county government eventually declined due to salary concerns. The offered salary for the role is approximately $80,000.
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After a second round of interviews, Fredrickson emerged as the preferred candidate for the parks director position.
Gallagher emphasized that Fredrickson’s enthusiasm, preparation, and long-term vision for the parks department set him apart from other candidates during the selection process.
In January, Gallagher mentioned that a new director could not be hired until March to allow for the exhaustion of Lazzari’s accrued time-off. He appointed Ed Heard as the interim director in the interim period.
Fredrickson, who works as an energy efficiency specialist for NorthWestern Energy, has represented District 1 on the council since July 2018, following the departure of Cindy Perdue-Dolan.
In a letter dated Monday, Fredrickson officially announced his resignation from the council to assume his new role as Parks and Recreation Director for Butte-Silver Bow.
Fredrickson expressed his gratitude for the opportunity to serve the community and stated that Friday would be his last day as a commissioner.
Mike Smith is a reporter at the Montana Standard with a focus on government and politics.
