The former chair of the Missoula County Airport Authority and an engineer with the Montana Department of Transportation was named the county's new director of Public Works on Tuesday.

Shane Stake, who served 23 years with the state transportation agency, will begin his new role as director of Missoula County Public Works next month.

“His strong management skills, combined with his ability to work collaboratively and creatively with state and federal officials, the city of Missoula and the public, is exactly the right chemistry to help distinguish Missoula County as a public works leader across the state,” Commissioner Dave Strohmaier said in a statement.

Stack will oversee all Public Works operations including the road, building and mapping divisions. His duties also include the Surveyors Office and the six sewer and water districts under county jurisdiction.

At the Missoula District Office with MDT, he planned, implemented and oversaw several high-profile engineering projects, including the Madison Street bridge rehabilitation, the Russell Street road and bridge expansion, and improvements to the Highway 93 corridor from Lolo to Hamilton.

With the Missoula County Airport Authority, he helped oversee the design, selection and implementation of the new Missoula International Airport passenger terminal, which is currently under construction.

“I’m proud to have served this great state as the Missoula District preconstruction engineer at MDT, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to serve Missoula County in my new role as Public Works director,” Stack said.

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