This is at least the third time in the last two years, since April of 2024, the city has started the hiring process for a permanent city manager.
The list of applicants this time around includes a former resident who worked at the Kodiak Baptist Mission for eight summers from 2009 to 2017, a former Mayor of the City of Fairbanks, and now the Police Chief for the Kodiak Police Department.
The 19 applicants as of May 13 are:
- Tanisha "Rachel" Rosas
- Andrew Kloefkorn
- Clifton Thacker
- Patrick Jordan
- Jim Matherly
- William Homka
- Alan Brundrett Jr.
- Steven Dahl
- Thomas Haugum
- Fernando Faraldo
- Jeffery Sargent
- Shannon Bergman
- Dean Johnson
- Wesley Wootten
- Colton Hyer
- Trinadee Harris
- Krista Zappone
- Misty Kornacki
And Tim Putney, who officially sent his application to city staff on May 4 according to city documents. Putney told KMXT via email that he was considering applying for the job after Mike Tvenge retired as the city manager in 2024, but, “the timing didn’t seem right back then.”
Putney, who is an alumni of Kodiak High School, has worked for the police department for 23 years and has been police chief for eight of those years. He told KMXT via email that the city manager job, “feels like the next logical step in my career with the city.”
However, Putney is currently ineligible for the city manager job because of where he lives on the island. He told KMXT he does not live within city limits, which is where city code requires the city manager to reside.
Back in 2024 when the city first started hiring for a manager to replace Mike Tvenge, Deputy City Manager Josie Bahnke ran into the same issue with the residency requirement. Bahnke was slated to become the city’s next manager but does not live within city limits and was not willing to move.
The City Council put a proposition on the ballot in October, 2024 asking city voters to expand the residency requirements for the city manager to within 12 road miles of city limits, which would include areas like Bells Flats and neighborhoods near Monashka. But that was voted down. The council is once again considering a charter amendment to the city manager residency requirements that would be put to voters during this fall’s election, but the wording has not been finalized yet.
Putney said if he is not selected for the city manager job then he will continue in his role leading the Kodiak Police Department.
And, for transparency, KMXT employee Terry Haines is also the Kodiak City mayor, who presides over the city council. As KMXT’s morning host, Haines makes editorial decisions about what airs in local newscasts but he did not edit or review this story before it was published. Under KMXT’s policy on editorial independence, we are working to standardize a process that removes Haines' editorial discretion over local municipal story placement in KMXT newscasts.
