Haines Borough meetings are now held in person, with limited capacity, and via Zoom (Henry Leasia/KHNS)

Over the last week, the Haines Assembly went from 10 borough manager applicants to just one in the running for the chief administrative job. As KHNS’s Corinne Smith reports, a new hire could be announced as early as Tuesday, July 26.

Haines has been without a permanent manager since May 2020, when they fired their chief administrator. The search resumed again last April, when the top candidate declined the job.

Last week the Haines Assembly selected two finalists for the borough manager job out of a group of 10. But this week one dropped out. 

On the eve of his second interview, John Millan, deputy director of public works in Pasco, Washington took himself out of the running interim manager Alekka Fullerton confirmed via email. 

That left the sole remaining candidate Annette Kreitzer who appeared Monday evening via Zoom. She worked as a legislative aide for several Republican lawmakers, and as the commissioner of the Department of Administration under Governors Sarah Palin and Sean Parnell. 

The borough manager is also chief personnel officer for the borough, managing all staff and departments. Assemblymember Cheryl Stickler asked Kreitzer how she handles employee performance 

“You should recognize pretty quickly if somebody is struggling in their business. And then you can do a program of improvement. I mean, there’s always this notice and due process of working with employees that you give them a program for improvement and so forth.”

Assemblymember Carol Tuynman asked about how she’d handle the  media and inevitable public criticism.

“When you start doing things for political gain or for political reasons, that’s when you’re gonna get in trouble. When you do things for the right reasons, you’re following a process you’re following. For me, it’s the Constitution, the statutes, the regulations, in your ordinances, policy. When you’re following those things, then, you know, you’re, you can assure yourself that you’ve done the right thing.”

Haines Mayor Douglas Olerud asked what she hopes the community will think of her performance after two years as borough manager.

“I would hope that they would think that I brought stability to the position that I have set up processes for, for personnel it review what’s there, but I think potentially setting up some more direct policy things so you don’t, or personnel policy so that you don’t have or maybe prevent some turnover that might not be necessary.” 

The public will have the opportunity to meet the Annette Kreitzer in-person this Monday, July 26. There will be a community “Meet and Greet” at the Library at 5 p.m, followed by a third candidate interview at 6:30 p.m there at the Library and also broadcast via Zoom. 

After the Monday interview, the community can send questions, comments or concerns to the borough clerk’s office by 2 p.m.Tuesday July 27. The Assembly is expected to meet behind closed doors at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday to discuss its options.An announcement is anticipated at the Haines Borough Assembly’s regular meeting Tuesday night. See details on the Haines Borough calendar.