The Haines Assembly interviewed its top candidates for borough manager on Thursday night in an open Zoom session. KHNS’ Corinne Smith reports.
The top two candidates for the Haines Borough Manager job both have over 20 years working in public service. In open interviews with the Haines Assembly Thursday they showcased their experience managing multi-million dollar budgets, staff and conflicts in public office.
But that breadth of experience is very different. John Millan is the deputy director of public works in Pasco, a city of about 60,000 people and part of the Tri-Cities of south-central Washington state. He also served for 20 years in the Army National Guard. Millan answered Assemblymembers’ questions about his experience in city public service in Washington negotiating with unions, staff grievances, building relationships and more.
“If we’re not changing, then we’re not there’s no way that we can meet the public’s expectations or the most current demands, Millan said. “Demands in the public are constantly changing. One of my pet peeves is hearing about how I don’t know… I want to hear and appreciate maybe why things are. But then let’s acknowledge that if we’re doing what we did in 2010. How can anybody say that we’re providing the public with the best service available? So I would say that one of my strengths is I’m not resistant to change, and I’ve learned that there’s a strategic way to go about it. And and I’m not interested in going in and you know, flipping a switch and changing you know, everything without knowing the conditions but I don’t have a resistance to change and I don’t have a resistance to being wrong either.”
Annette Kreitzer is one of two candidates who were asked to interview for the Haines Borough Manager job (Corinne Smith/KHNS)
The other candidate has Alaska experience. Annette Kreitzer spent much of her working life in state government up until her retirement in 2012. She began her career as a clinic manager in Pole Bay in the Aleutian Islands, then worked as a legislative aide for several lawmakers. She was appointed as commissioner of the Department of Administration by Gov. Sarah Palin in 2007. She says she’s accomplished at administration, managing budgets and staff, and creating stability:
“When I came into the commissioner’s office, under both (Governors) Palin and Parnell, they had had six commissioners and four years. To me, that was a real problem,” Kreitzer said. “One of the concerns that I have is about stability, and stability for employees. I care very deeply about that. That people know why they’re coming to work every day, and that they have and what the priorities are…But it’s good to know how every basic comprehensive plan, or however the borough assembly sets out its priorities. That’s the direction that the borough needs to be moving and or the state where, you know, as I speak about my experience in administration, and I think that’s my strength that’s being able to keep on task, if you will, to keep moving the agenda forward.”
Haines has been without a borough manager for more than 14 months following the contentious firing of its last top administrator. The hiring process restarted again last April when the top candidate turned down the job. Borough Clerk Alekka Fullerton has been serving in the interim.
The Haines Assembly will conduct a second round of interviews with both candidates at 6:30 p.m. on Monday July 19 via Zoom. For details, see the Haines Borough calendar.
