This story by Carla Occaso was first published in The Bridge on Jan. 11, 2026.
After a months-long process, the Montpelier City Council announced on Jan. 11 its choice of Kelly McNicholas Kury to be the next city manager of the city. McNicholas Kury, of Pitkin County, Colorado, is due to start Feb. 17. Meanwhile, Facilities and Sustainability Director Chris Lumbra is serving as acting city manager following the departure of former Acting City Manager Kelly Murphy, who filled the shoes of longtime City Manager Bill Fraser when he left this past summer.
McNicholas Kury emerged as one of the top candidates in December after a national recruitment process led by consultant Ian Coyle. The Montpelier City Council will formally approve her employment agreement on Wednesday, Jan. 14.
According to a press release issued Jan. 11, McNicholas Kury will lead a team of about 110 employees spread across nine departments. Appointed by the city council, the city manager is responsible for overseeing the day-to-day operations of the city, advising the city council on public policy, and ensuring that these policies are implemented professionally.
“Kelly McNicholas Kury brings a rare combination of strategic leadership, fiscal expertise, and deep commitment to community engagement,” said Montpelier Mayor Jack McCullough. “Her experience managing complex organizations and delivering results on critical issues such as housing, infrastructure, and economic resilience makes her exceptionally well-suited to lead Montpelier into its next chapter.”
A person with many years of experience in local government and public administration, McNicholas Kury brings expertise in strategic planning, fiscal stewardship, and community engagement, including 12 years in city and county government. Known for building trust-based relationships and translating public vision into measurable outcomes, she has played a central role in strengthening transparent, resilient, and forward-looking public institutions, the press release states.
“I am honored and excited to serve as Montpelier’s next city manager at such a pivotal time,” said McNicholas Kury. “I look forward to advancing the priorities of the council, staff, and community — including affordable housing, infrastructure, and economic vitality — so that together we can strengthen Montpelier now and into the future.”
Since joining Pitkin County, Colorado, in 2013, McNicholas Kury has steadily advanced into senior leadership roles and currently serves as county commissioner and chairwoman of the Board of County Commissioners. In the role, she provided strategic oversight of a $258 million annual budget, managing 375 employees across 27 departments, while aligning fiscal decisions with long-term strategic goals and statutory responsibilities.
As a county commissioner, she helped lead transformative initiatives, including development of a $1 billion, 30-year contract for the Aspen–Pitkin County Airport, passage and implementation of a $250 million affordable housing property tax, and advancement of policies addressing housing, childcare, climate resilience, public safety, infrastructure, land use, water resources and economic resiliency.
In addition to her elected service, she serves as executive director of the Roaring Fork Community Development Corporation, overseeing a $3 million budget focused on affordable housing preservation and infrastructure, including grant acquisition and construction project management.
McNicholas Kury holds a Master of Arts in international studies from the University of Denver and a Bachelor of Arts in anthropology from Cal Poly Humboldt. She is completing her Certified Public Manager credential through the University of Colorado Denver, with accreditation expected in Spring 2026.
The Montpelier city councilors unanimously voted to choose McNicholas Kury in an executive session held Dec. 17 but waited until Jan. 11 to make the announcement pending a final employment agreement, according to discussion during the council meeting Dec. 17.
The other finalist was Kelcey Young of California. Two other finalists, then Acting City Manager Kelly Murphy, and Woodstock City Manager Eric Duffy, dropped out of the race earlier in the process.
