John Engen

John Engen is an American politician and journalist who has served as mayor of Missoula, Montana since 2006.

John Engen
50th Mayor of Missoula
Assumed office
January 3, 2006
Preceded byMike Kadas
Personal details
Born1964 (age 55–56)
Missoula, Montana, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
Alma materUniversity of Montana (BA)
ProfessionJournalist, politician

Early life and education

Engen was born in Missoula in 1964. He attended public schools in Missoula before earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in journalism from the University of Montana.

Career

Before serving as mayor, Engen served on the Missoula City Council, worked as a journalist and newspaper editor, and operated a small business.[1]

In 2013, Engen and the City of Missoula initiated a legal process to use eminent domain to require the city's privately held water utility be sold to the City.[2] In June 2015, after a 10-day trial, the Fourth Judicial District Court found that the City of Missoula had the right to use eminent domain to acquire Mountain Water Co.[3] The decision was appealed to the Montana Supreme Court, which issued an opinion upholding the district court order on August 2, 2016.[4][5]

During the 2008 presidential election campaign, Engen endorsed Barack Obama for President of the United States.[6][7]

Personal life

His wife Tracy owns and operate a travel agency in Missoula. The Engens live in Rattlesnake Valley, Montana.[8]

Controversies

Weight Loss Surgery

In 2015 Engen was criticized after the City Council approved adding morbid obesity surgeries to city health insurance coverage. At the time Engen refused all comment to local media on his involvement or benefit from the change.[9]Later that year, Engen again refused to speak to the press but released a letter to the community stating he had undergone bariatric surgery on October 19th and was recuperating at home. He confirmed his insurance had paid all but $3,200 of the surgery costs, but refuted critics by saying his surgery would "not add to anyone's tax bill."[10] In October 2016, Engen took another month off work to enter rehab for alcohol addiction.[11]

Comments on Male Suicide Epidemic

In 2018 Engen told an interviewer from the BBC doing a documentary on high male suicide rates in the West, "White guys have had it pretty good for a long time... If I'm not the boss who am I? If my boss is a woman, what does that mean for me? If my boss is a Muslim woman, what does that mean for me?" Engen was discussing reasons for male suicide at the time.[12]

gollark: I remember discussing them during the early days of heavserver too.
gollark: i don't see why it wouldn't.
gollark: Of esolangs.
gollark: Well, it's half the size in non-bots I think?
gollark: Heavserver is *3* times the size, but the majority is bots and the majority of the users are also inactive.

References
  1. Engen for Mayor | About
  2. http://missoulian.com/news/local/missoula-files-for-eminent-domain-takeover-of-water-system/article_d7e7703e-ba9c-11e3-97ad-0019bb2963f4.html
  3. http://missoulian.com/news/local/missoula-wins-legal-fight-to-take-over-mountain-water-co/article_c16fa303-87fe-520e-8492-1594c00ffb98.html
  4. https://supremecourtdocket.mt.gov/view/DA%2015-0375%20Published%20--%20Opinion?id=%7B007D4D56-0000-C412-A03D-75FDC31D3EF5%7D
  5. http://missoulian.com/news/local/montana-supreme-court-clears-way-for-city-s-mountain-water/article_3aa3936a-7b41-5fc2-b91e-48ecb16bee36.html
  6. Missoulian: Missoula Mayor John Engen makes national news with Obama endorsement
    Posted on March 29
  7. Montana: A June Battleground? - The Fix
  8. Facebook: Missoula Mayor John Engen


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