Lorang retires after career as city's record keeper

Necile Lorang says it’s been a privilege and a pleasure to serve the city of Whitefish for almost three decades.

As City Clerk, Lorang is the keeper of city records and overseas the department where much of the city’s business flows through first. It’s her job to answer questions, whether it be about property taxes or direct a citizen to the planning department for a zoning inquiry.

“We’re the hub of city operations,” she said. “You’re working on one thing, then three people have questions, the phone rings and an email comes in. You’re switching gears all the time, but it keeps things interesting.”

Lorang is retiring this month after holding the position of City Clerk for the last 16 years, and before that as Deputy City Clerk beginning in 1987.

“Don’t blink because 29 years goes by fast,” she says sitting behind her desk at the interim City Hall on Baker Avenue. Blinking back tears, she talks about all the people she’s worked with over the years saying she’ll miss them all.

She fondly recalls the years she spent working alongside former City Clerk Kay Beller. Not long after Lorang began working at City Hall, she started a council index to keep track of City Council actions. If anyone from a citizen to a city employee has a question about when council approved a subdivision or created a new bike trail, the information is right there.

“I knew there was no way I could remember all that,” she said. “That’s how we still find a lot of stuff today.”

Lorang has spent many Monday evenings diligently taking minutes for City Council meetings that are known to stretch until midnight. She enjoys watching Council work and says it prepares her for the day-to-day business at City Hall.

“I find out where we are and what’s coming up in front next,” she said. “It’s imperative to the job to be aware of what Council is doing, so you can be ready to answer questions.”

Mayor John Muhlfeld said Lorang served Whitefish with spirit and he wishes her the best in retirement.

“Necile’s institutional knowledge of the ins and outs of the city will be sorely missed,” Muhlfeld said. “She worked tirelessly for our community, oftentimes working weekends to make sure the work got done.”

Current Councilor Andy Feury began working with Lorang in 1991 when she was Deputy Clerk. At her last council meeting in February, he recalled the years he was mayor and spent council meetings passing papers back and forth with her.

“Necile became one of the best city clerks anywhere,” he said. “I’ve always appreciated her calm and professional manor. She’s kept me on track and kept the council on track.”

Councilor Richard Hildner, who was a fixture in the audience at Council meetings long before he ran for office, said Lorang was the one to call him the next day after he had left his hat and mittens at City Hall. “I have never forgotten that,” he said.

“There is no more important job in the city than the City Clerk,” Hildner added. “She has kept the wheels on the bus day after day, week after week, and year after year. For members of council and mayors, we have no better friend than Necile.”

Lorang grew up in Nampa, Idaho. She attended school in Eugene, Ore., and after high school went to the University of Oregon. During college, she spent summers picking beans earning enough money to buy new clothes for school in the fall and worked as a waitress at the Woolworth’s lunch counter. She became a dental assistant and worked at that for five years.

Lorang and her husband, Rod, moved to Whitefish in 1973. She went to work at a title company before spending 10 years in the Flathead County plat room. She still uses the knowledge she learned at the county today.

“It interested me working at the county and it really helped me learn the resources that I’ve used here,” she said. “I worked with a lot of the same people there that I do now.”

Lorang has seen a lot of change during her tenure at City Hall. When she started the population of Whitefish was about 3,7000 and today it has more than doubled. The number of city employees has grown from about 60 to nearly 100. She’s worked with five different city managers and “lots of great councilors.” She’s seen the city add the Whitefish Community Library, the Wave, the Emergency Services Building and the O’Shaughnessy Center.

“There’s been such good improvements to the city,” she said. “There’s also been an increase in the amount of work as there’s been growth for the city. The projects have always made it busier. Someone is always saying let’s do this or look at this.”

With just a few weeks left on the job, Lorang is still in the process of cross training Vanice Woodbeck, assistant city clerk; and Michelle Howke, the current customer service clerk who will take over for Lorang.

“They’ve been my left and right hands all these years,” she said of the two women.

Lorang said she’s proud she was able to assist with the planning for the new Whitefish City Hall building. For the last three years before construction began she served as a member of the ad hoc committee charged with selecting a location and architect for the building. She said moving the city offices into the interim City Hall in August was a feat she’s glad not to have to repeat.

“I’m looking forward to visiting the new building,” she said. “It’s too bad it won’t be done in time [for me to work there]. But I won’t miss making the next move. I’m still unpacking boxes.”

When Lorang started at City Hall, the city officers were cramped in tight quarters that included space for the public library. Eventually the office spread out into two adjacent buildings and the clerk’s office moved near the front doors of the old City Hall building that was demolished last fall. She looks forward to seeing most of the city departments under one roof in the new building.

“The consolidation will be good for the citizens,” she said. “We want to give good customer service — that’s how you know you’re doing a good job.