After four months of inactivity, the Haines Borough Assembly took a step toward hiring a new, permanent manager, setting meeting dates for the Personnel Committee to review the job description and for a town hall to gather public input about the manager’s role.
Haines has been without a permanent manager since Debra Schnabel was fired by the assembly in May.
In July, the assembly made a plan to solicit community input on the manager’s role before moving forward with the hiring. A town hall meeting on the subject was scheduled for Aug. 6 but was subsequently postponed at the recommendation of Mayor Jan Hill.
Under the revised timeline, the Personnel Committee will meet on Oct. 5 to review the manager’s job description in preparation for advertising the position.
Assembly member Paul Rogers said the committee will also review the manager’s contract to determine if any revisions are required. He cited a need to clarify the manager’s role in relation to that of the clerk and chief fiscal officer as an example.At past meetings, assembly members have discussed a desire to clarify that these borough officers are supervised by the assembly, rather than the manager.
Prior to the job’s advertisement, Hill will host an Oct. 22 town hall to solicit community input on the manager’s role.
Borough clerk Alekka Fullerton has been filling in as interim manager since Schnabel’s May 19 dismissal. The expanded duties come with a 20% pay increase.