Kalispell mayor will not seek reelection
JACK UNDERHILL | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 1 year, 2 months AGO
Kalispell Mayor Mark Johnson speaks at a public safety roundtable discussion at the Kalispell Senior Center on Thursday, Sept. 15, 2022. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake FILE)
KALISPELL GOVERNMENT, HOUSING AND TRANSPORTATION REPORTER Jack Underhill covers Kalispell city government, housing and transportation for the Daily Inter Lake. His reporting focuses on how local policy decisions affect residents and the rapidly growing Flathead Valley. Underhill has reported on housing challenges, infrastructure issues and regional service providers across Montana. His work also includes accountability reporting on complex community issues and public institutions. Originally from Massachusetts, Underhill graduated from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst with a degree in Journalism before joining the Inter Lake. In his free time, Underhill enjoys mountain biking around the valley, skiing up on Big Mountain or exploring Glacier National Park. IMPACT: Jack’s work helps residents understand how growth, housing and infrastructure decisions affect the future of their community. | January 22, 2025 9:33 AM
Kalispell Mayor Mark Johnson will not seek reelection.
“I didn’t want to run again this last time, this time for sure, unequivocally,” Johnson said near the end of Kalispell City Council’s Jan. 21 meeting. “I am not running for mayor or council in the next election.”
“I’m getting awful jaded in my younger old age, and I need a breather” from keeping tabs on the state capital and Washington, D.C., he said.
“I can honestly say it’s been a tremendous experience,” Johnson added.
The three-term mayor was first elected in 2013, re-elected in 2017 and again in 2021. That last election saw him defeat City Councilor Sid Daoud at the ballot box.
Johnson’s term as mayor will end in December 2025.
Johnson grew up in Whitefish and raised his seven children in Kalispell. When not in the City Hall, he works as a financial advisor for Stifel, a multinational investment banking corporation.
Johnson took office over a decade ago with a mission to revitalize the city’s downtown district and finish the U.S. 93 Bypass. The mayor has since led with a belief in small government, with the city’s financial health being a top priority going into his final term, reported by the Daily Inter Lake.
Reporter Jack Underhill can be reached at 758-4407 and [email protected].
ARTICLES BY JACK UNDERHILL
Columbia Falls man who allegedly threatened to ‘shoot up’ churches found guilty in jury trial
Jurors on Wednesday afternoon convicted a Columbia Falls man of threatening to shoot up local churches and harm his ex-wife.
Planning Commission advances South Kalispell commercial development along U.S. 93
Story
With public hearings being phased out, Kalispell City Council looks for new ways to inform residents of subdivision proposals
City councilors on Monday agreed to find ways to alert residents to proposed subdivisions in Kalispell as state law phases out public review before municipal leaders.