Fivey tapped as Butte-Silver Bow county attorney
Butte-Silver Bow commissioners have appointed Kelli Fivey as county attorney to replace Eileen Joyce, who is stepping down to take another job.
The council conducted brief interviews with Fivey and Matt Enrooth during a special meeting Wednesday night then voted, with seven commissioners choosing Fivey and three choosing Enrooth.
Fivey
It’s essentially an interim position, since Fivey and Enrooth are running for county attorney this year. Voters will decide that race in November and the winner will begin a four-year term in January.
Matt Enrooth
Fivey and Enrooth are both Butte residents and prosecutors, though in different counties. Fivey is a deputy county attorney and state prosecutor in Butte-Silver Bow County and Enrooth is a deputy county attorney and state prosecutor in Anaconda-Deer Lodge County.
They were the only two who applied for the interim position and are the only two who filed to run for the office this year.
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Enrooth and Fivey made separate appearances before council Wednesday night and were each asked the same five questions.
They included top issues facing the county, the county attorney’s role in disputes between the executive and legislative branches of the local government, and what skills and experience make him or her the best choice.
Both gave detailed answers and after each spoke for about 15 minutes, commissioners voted.
Voting for Fivey were Michele Shea, Tommy Walker, Josh O’Neill, Dan Callahan, Shawn Fredrickson, Hattie Thatcher and Jim Fisher. Commissioners John Riordan, Justin Fortune and John Sorich voted for Enrooth. Bill Andersen and Eric Mankins were absent.
Several commissioners said both candidates were excellent and noted that voters will get a bigger say in November.
“Whatever happens tonight, I hope it doesn’t affect the election in the future,” Fisher said before the interviews. “The fair way to do it is to have an election in November where everyone files their vote by secret ballot.”
Joyce said in January she was not running for a fifth term this year, then confirmed recently that she was resigning effective March 29 to take a clerk position with the U.S. District Court in Montana.
Note: This story will be updated.
Mike Smith is a reporter at the Montana Standard with an emphasis on government and politics.
