Despite rave performance reviews from the Haines Borough Assembly last week, interim manager Brad Ryan on Monday said he would not be applying for the permanent manager position.

Ryan, who was hired as public facilities director in September, said his primary reason for deciding not to go for the permanent job was the hours. “I think my family was against the time commitment,” he said. “Actually, I don’t think that; I know that. I was told in no uncertain terms.”

When Ryan applied for the interim job opening in the fall, after former manager David Sosa resigned, he urged the assembly to reject hiring an executive search firm to find a permanent fit. Instead, Ryan suggested, conserve borough resources and hire him full-time.

Having been on the job for a little more than three months now, Ryan has changed his tune. Being responsible for both the public facilities and manager duties has been taxing, he said.

When the assembly hires a permanent manager, Ryan will return to his job as public facilities director. The headhunting firm Brimeyer Fursman will present the assembly with its top 10 candidates for the job at a committee-of-the-whole meeting at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, April 19.

In a move prompted by assembly member Mike Case, the assembly last week gave Ryan a three-month performance review, unaware he would not be seeking the permanent position.

Each assembly member read a prepared statement, each essentially glowing with praise.

“Brad had virtually no handover time with his predecessor,” Case wrote. “Despite that, and with exceptional support from the borough clerk and finance director, he came up to speed and was effective almost immediately.”

Case also lauded Ryan’s “very strong personal work ethic” and “excellent communication skills.” He recommended Ryan address the pressing need for regular personnel evaluations.

“It is understood that these (evaluations) can be very time consuming, but even a five-minute sitdown with a note to file can save a great deal of future time and problematic effort,” Case wrote.

Assembly member Margaret Friedenauer said Ryan assumed the job with confidence as opposed to arrogance, and is willing to ask for assistance, guidance or suggestions. “His ideas, suggestions and recommendations to the assembly are based on factual analysis of pros and cons to the borough. He demonstrates a willingness to listen and examine a range of ideas from the community and he appears to not factor in personalities or politics into his decisions,” Friedenauer said.

George Campbell was the only assembly member who didn’t participate in Ryan’s performance evaluation. Campbell was out of town. In an interview this week, Campbell said he wasn’t surprised to hear Ryan decided not to apply for the permanent position.

“I think he is seeing the amount of time and effort it takes,” Campbell said. “It’s not a 40-hour week job.”

“I think he is holding the fort down and that is as much as anyone can expect from the guy,” he added.

Assembly member Tresham Gregg said he was disappointed and slightly confused by Ryan’s decision. “What is the root cause of his reluctance to do that? He’s doing a very good job and everybody likes him,” Gregg said.

Gregg said he also liked the idea of being able to consider Ryan as a known quantity, as opposed to unknown candidates from out of town.

“We don’t know who in the end is going to come forward and if they are just going to be a wash or not,” Gregg said. “We know that (Ryan) can do the job and that he is going to be here. It would be nice if he could stay.”

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