The Haines Borough will consider seven new applications for harbormaster, seeking to fill a position that’s been open three months.
Applicants include local tribal biologist Brad Ryan; Stephen Brooks, a former resident now working as a Tok-based commercial vehicle enforcement officer for DOT; William Parnell, a boat operator and welder from Nome; Paul Liotta, a computer consultant from Anchorage; Kenneth Bowman, a former Boeing aerospace engineer from Kent, Wash .; Kyle Sabraw, a marina agent from Long Beach, Calif., and Aaron Tarka, general manager of a snorkel tour company in Fort Lauderdale.
Ryan is a grant writer and director of natural resources for Chilkoot Indian Association, where he’s worked since March 2009. He holds a doctoral degree in environmental science and said his experience includes designing fisheries studies for NOAA, securing funds and state and federal permits, supervising work and producing reports.
He’s also a Coast Guard-licensed skipper and has operated boats in his jobs.
Brooks has worked since September 2008 enforcing truck and bus safety. He managed the Homer ferry terminal from 2006-2008 and worked for Alaska Marine Trucking in Haines from 2004-2006.
He lists his occupation between 1992 and 2004 as vice-president of Chilkat Lake Trading Corp., operating Birch Island Lodge on Chilkat Lake and buying and selling transportation equipment. He also was assistant manager of the Haines ferry terminal from 1985-1990.
William Parnell of Nome has operated landing crafts and fish tenders in western Alaska and served five months as public works director in Dillingham. He also spent six years as chief of public works for the City of Sand Point.
He has worked as a shipyard welder and sportfish guide and holds a merchant marine master’s license. His other positions include borough road supervisor for the Kenai Peninsula Borough, assistant airport manager for City of Kenai and airport terminal manager in Homer.
He also has worked as a counselor and football coach.
Computer consultant Liotta holds a master’s degree in geology. He spent the previous 27 years working as a business analyst for Conoco Phillips Alaska. He describes himself as a capable “do-it-yourselfer” who is recognized “as a worldwide corporate expert in Share Point.”
He currently operates his own computer consulting company, FPL Solutions, in Anchorage. He describes himself as a boater for 50 years.
Kenneth Bowman of Kent, Wash. worked at Boeing since 1985 until his job ended in May. He was a consulting aerospace engineer to an Army program there most recently. From 1965 to 1985 he served in the Army, reaching the rank of lieutenant colonel of field artillery.
Bowman holds a master’s degree in business and a bachelor’s degree in technology and education.
Kyle Sabraw of Long Beach, Calif. has worked since November as marina agent at Rainbow Harbor, collecting fees, checking docks and maintaining records for what he described as “the largest municipally run marina in the U.S.”
From 2007 to 2009, he worked as marina agent at Alamitos Bay Marina in Long Beach. He worked at other marina positions since 2005.
Aaron Tarka of Fort Lauderdale has worked as general manager of a snorkel tour boat business since 2005, where he says he expanded sales 50 percent in six months. From 2000 to 2005, he worked at a marine supply company in Pompano Beach, Fla.
The Haines position has been open three months. An earlier round of applications fizzled when the borough’s top candidate turned down the job. Pay has been raised to $65,000 for the job since former harbormaster Christian Racich quit at the end of April, citing pay that wasn’t commensurate with the workload.
Haines Borough Manager Mark Earnest wouldn’t say this week whether he believed the new round of applicants would result in a hire. He’s previously said he prefers a candidate who can work with agencies and help oversee development of harbor expansion.
“The position is open until filled. We’ll go through the process of doing background on these applicants and interviews with the top-ranked applicants, then we’ll make a recommendation to the assembly,” Earnest said.
The harbor advisory committee will assist the process, he said. “There’s a lot of experience and knowledge built into that group. They were very helpful during the interview process during the last round.”
Acting harbormaster Joe Parnell, former assistant harbormaster Elli Braaten and area boat operator Ken Gross applied for the job during the last round of applications.