The state director charged with overseeing Montana’s federal stimulus spending is retiring. He held the job for four months and also briefly served as the director of the state’s Department of Agriculture.
Gov. Greg Gianforte appointed Mike Foster to lead the agriculture department last December, and then tapped him to lead the state’s program for spending federal American Rescue Plan Act funds last May.
The governor announced Tuesday that Foster will retire Sept. 30.
Scott Mendenhall, deputy director of the Department of Revenue, will take over leading the program.
To date, the program has allocated $164 million statewide out of $1.5 billion received.
Christy Clark, deputy director of the Department of Agriculture, has been acting director since Foster’s transition. Gianforte’s spokesperson Brooke Stroyke said Clark will remain acting director.
The news of Foster’s retirement comes two weeks after Gianforte’s budget director, Kurt Alme, announced he was stepping down.