Jeremy Jones has been selected as the new Great Falls deputy city manager.

Jones has been serving as Great Falls Fire Rescue chief since 2020.

“Jeremy’s proven leadership, collaborative spirit, deep understanding of the community and City operations make him an outstanding choice for Deputy City Manager,” City Manager Greg Doyon said in a release. “He has consistently demonstrated a commitment to excellence, innovation, and public service that aligns perfectly with the City’s mission and values.”

At GFFR, Jones has worked to rehabilitate the training center, refine the emergency medical response processes and improve fire operations.

GFFR training tower demo scheduled this week; work continuing to improve training center

As deputy city manager, Jones will oversee the city clerk’s office, Great Falls Animal Shelter, Civic Center events and the neighborhood council liaison, as well as strategic initiatives, projects and assist with daily oversight of city operations.

Jones holds a Bachelor of Science in liberal studies with an emphasis in communications and business management from Montana State University-Billings and is currently pursuing a master’s in public administration from the University of Montana. He is also a graduate of the 2024 class of Leadership Montana.

“I am honored to step into this new role and continue serving the City of Great Falls in a broader capacity,” Jones said in a release. “I look forward to working with our talented team to build on our successes and shape a vibrant future for our community.”

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Jones was named assistant chief of operations in February 2018 and joined GFFR as a firefighter in August 1998.

He’s also a graduate of the National Fire Academy in courses of Command and Control/Management of Emergency Medical Services.

The transition will likely occur within the next thirty days.

Doyon told The Electric that he and Jones are coordinating the transition and developing a process to hire the next GFFR chief.

The city is also hiring for director of Park and Recreation, which has been vacant since the end of April.

Jones named chief at GFFR [2020]

The city manager position has been vacant since the summer of 2024 when Chuck Anderson left to be city manager of Treasure Island, Fla. The city council there voted in May to fire him, according to local press.

Doyon interviewed several internal candidates last fall for the position, but opted not to hire and put the process on hold.

Over the winter, Doyon hired Bryan Lockerby, a former city police officer, as the interim deputy while he continued the search for a permanent hire.

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Doyon told The Electric in February that Lockerby would be working on several outstanding projects and providing guidance to departments that previously reported to Anderson.

Doyon told The Electric that he needed the help as it was the legislative session and staff was beginning the budget process and preparing for labor negotiations.

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“Some things were starting to fall through the cracks since Chuck’s departure back in June. The DCM recruitment will commence with a recruiter in a couple of weeks and I anticipate the position to be filled three (best case) to six months,” Doyon said in February.

During the Aug. 19 city commission meeting, Doyon said he’d done another round of interviews for the deputy position.

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He said that he’d done the initial round of interviews last year, but decided to hold off making a decision and was taking his time to know he had a good fit for the position.

During the budget process, Doyon said he considered eliminating the position entirely as a cost savings measure, but opted to fill it since things were falling through the cracks when the position was vacant.

He also updated commissioners on the Park and Rec director recruitment and said the city had received about 60 applicants.

Three of those made it to interviews, but Doyon said he’s going to re-advertise for the position.

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He said the position has a specific need and skillset and the city needs someone in the position who has good business sense for upcoming budgeting due to legislative changes and funding constraints.

He said he wants to get Park and Rec out of the “victim mentality” since public safety is a priority and resources are dwindling.

It’s not that Park and Rec isn’t important, Doyon said, but the city has to prioritize needs.

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This summer, the city issued a request for proposals for a consultant to conduct a comprehensive fee study and operational efficiency assessment of Park and Rec, establishing “a clear cost allocation framework, evaluate current fees and cost recovery practices, and develop a pricing philosophy aligned with community values and long-term financial sustainability. In addition, the consultant will review the department’s organizational structure, staffing
model, and service delivery to identify opportunities for improved efficiency, coordination, and future planning. This marks the city’s first comprehensive review of both its fee structure and operational framework.”

The submittal window closed Aug. 12 and commissioners will make a decision on whether to award a contract in the near future.