Skagway has hired a new tourism director. Manager Scott Hahn says the city hired Cody Jennings to replace longtime director Buckwheat Donahue who is retiring this month. Jennings currently works as director of retail operations for White Pass and Yukon Route Railroad.
Meanwhile, the Haines Borough is close to filling several department head positions, at least on an interim basis.
The borough’s public safety commission met Monday to make a recommendation for the interim police chief job.
Current police Chief Bill Musser is on the job until May 21st. He was hired last February. The Haines Borough is also interviewing candidates for a police officer position.
The Haines assembly on Tuesday night will decide whether to confirm two hires. A hiring committee of borough staff and ports and harbors advisory committee members recommends hiring Shawn Bell as new harbormaster. Bell currently works as assistant harbor master. If confirmed, he would replace Phil Benner who resigned earlier this year.
And Brian Lemcke is returning to the borough, pending assembly approval. Lemcke would serve as interim public facilities director, taking over for Carlos Jimenez who recently resigned. Lemke formerly worked as facilities director.
“It’s strictly a short term situation until they find somebody permanent,” Lemcke says. “And it’s summer and I haven’t been back in a while. Since it is a short term prospect it would be interesting. And if I can stay out of the political aspects of it, it would be fun.”
Lemcke’s last stretch of employment in Haines was immediately before Jimenez was hired in late 2012.