Brad Ryan and Debra Schnabel at preliminary interviews with the assembly. (Emily Files)

Brad Ryan and Debra Schnabel at preliminary interviews with the assembly. (Emily Files)

The Haines Assembly’s borough manager decision has triggered a complaint and records requests from residents.

Last week, the assembly voted 5-1 to hire Debra Schnabel over interim manager Brad Ryan. Afterwards, upset residents asked the assembly to reconsider and a borough employee accused them of cronyism.

A couple days later, resident Dave Long filed a citizen complaint. Long has backed Ryan throughout the manager hiring process. He drew up a petition in support of Ryan that garnered more than 150 signatures.

In his complaint, Long says the decision was improper because the assembly did not follow Haines Borough Charter. The charter states that the manager is selected based solely on professional qualifications.

Long also says the assembly showed ‘gross incompetence’ by not contacting some of Schnabel’s past employers. And, he says, the assembly did not adequately consider public input.

Long requests a ‘mayoral override’ of the manager hire vote and for the position to be re-advertised.

Two other residents are scrutinizing the assembly’s decision using public records requests.

Karen Hess requested emails between assembly members from Feb. 2 to April 26 regarding the manager hire.

Don Turner Jr. requested all correspondence between Schnabel and the borough assembly from the last six months.

Turner is the main sponsor on petitions to recall three assembly members. He used emails obtained through public records requests in his recall applications.

Assembly personnel committee chair Margaret Friedenauer said Thursday that contract negotiations with Schnabel have not yet started because Mayor Jan Hill has been out of town. Hill, Friedenauer and Ron Jackson are on the negotiating team.