Page has a new city manager. Darren Coldwell told the Chronicle he signed and sent the employment contract Tuesday morning. He starts his new job Tuesday, Nov. 12.  
Coldwell has a well-rounded background. He is currently county administrator (county manager) for Lincoln County, Montana. He’s served as mayor and was on the school board in Troy, Montana. He also brings 25 years of business experience to the table.
He has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Montana in interpersonal communications. The town of Troy has many parallels with Page. A mine recently closed, leaving 400 employees without jobs. Coldwell witnessed all eight of the area’s lumbermills close. Troy, like Page, is isolated and working toward building its tourism industry. In addition to tourism, the area took steps to create “micro-settings,” to foster small industry businesses, like hemp oil processing and building electronic components. These operations typically hire 20-60 people. He emphasized they are owned and operated by people with strong ties to the community, so the philanthropic sense is strong. Coldwell and his wife, Barbie, look forward to living in Page. They’ll be closer to their two children living in the Phoenix area. Barbie works for the U.S. Forest Service. He says her Washington-based job is virtual, so she can do it from anywhere. They’re looking forward to hiking and exploring the area.