City of Helena Commission Announces City Manager
Published on December 17, 2025
HELENA, Mont. — The Helena City Commission voted this evening in favor of appointing Alana Lake to the position of Helena City Manager, contingent upon the successful negotiations and execution of an employment agreement. The decision comes after a three-month search process to replace incumbent City Manager, Tim Burton, who announced his retirement in October, effective at the end of December.
“I was just flat out impressed by the real-world examples Ms. Lake gave of her leadership roles as part of a team,” Mayor Wilmot Collins said. “We’ve made great strides under Tim Burton’s leadership by reducing turnover and surrounding the City Manager and the Commission with solid Department Heads who know their area of expertise and together work to make the City of Helena an employer of choice. I have no doubt Alana will fit into this system and bring her own experience to continue this trend.”
"This really has been the best review I've been through, [in terms of] of professionals understanding Helena is not just an attractive employer but a livable and vibrant community to call home," Dean said. "I appreciate all of the candidates who understood the importance of providing strategic leadership to advance our community goals including public safety, infrastructure, and expanding recreational opportunities. I sincerely congratulate Ms. Lake and look forward to working together to achieve Helena’s priorities to provide meaningful results for our resident.”
The City and the consulting firm, Communication and Management Services based in Helena, conducted a national search through organizations such as the International City/County Management Association, as well as municipal organizations throughout the West, including the Montana League of Cities and Towns. This resulted in an application pool of approximately 85 applicants from Montana and states across the country. Following a first round interview of nine semifinalist candidates, the City of Helena Commission conducted open interviews with three finalist candidates on Dec. 8-9. In addition to the open, public interviews with the Commission, each candidate participated in tours with City staff and community stakeholders, met with City department directors and attended a public town hall meeting where they provided a brief presentation and answered questions.
On Dec. 10, the City Commission held a meeting for candidate deliberations, in which the Commission ranked finalist candidates, identifying its top selection, and requesting further screening. Communications Management LLC. then conducted background and reference checks on the Commission's top choice, which were shared with the Commission during the special meeting held Wednesday, Dec. 17.
The Commission-designated staff and counsel will now proceed with negotiations of the agreement terms on behalf of the Commission. A final agreement will be brought forward for consideration at a future meeting date.
About Alana Lake
A native of Frenchtown, Alana holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in international Relations and Political Science from Montana State University and an associate degree in Korean Language from the Defense Language Institute. Joining the United States Air Force following college, she spent a decade in multiple command assignments in leadership capacity within the Airforce, partnering with other military branches and international private sector organizations. She also served as a counterintelligence officer at the Idaho National Laboratory, the nation’s nuclear energy laboratory. She is currently the Executive Director of the Montana Public Service Commission, where she oversees a budget of $6 million and a staff of more than 40 individuals.
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