2 Borough officials to follow new paths

WASILLA — Two high-ranking officials have tendered their resignations at the Mat-Su Borough.

Marian Romano, assistant borough manager, gave her 60-day notice a week ago. Patrick Julian, head of human resources, left May 21.

Julian said his departure was nothing but amiable, a mutual parting of ways.

“It was just better for the Borough and better for me,” Julian said. “We’re still friends.”

Julian retired from the U.S. Air Force shortly before coming to the Borough and put in more than seven months before he left.

“It wasn’t working out,” he said. “Nothing negative. It wasn’t for me, I guess.”

He said he doesn’t have any immediate plans, but has put feelers out. He said he’s hoping to work closer to Elmendorf Air Force Base and his Eagle River home.

Romano said her resignation was simply where her spiritual path in life has led her.

“At some point you get some kind of sense that you’re done with whatever you’re doing and it’s time to move on,” Romano said.

Her tenure as assistant manager lasted 3.5 years.

“Immediately prior to this I was self-employed as Romano Consulting,” she said, doing project work for local businesses.

Although Romano said her gut has told her that her time at the Borough is over, Romano said there are some things about her job she’s going to miss.

“There’s some really wonderful people here. I’m going to miss them,” she said.

And she will miss working with the Animal Care and Regulation Department as it builds and moves into a new facility. Prior to Romano’s tenure, the department was a division of Emergency Services. Now it answers to the assistant manager.

Romano said she gave the Borough 60 days notice to help ease the transition, although that process won’t be complete when she leaves.

“I don’t think I’ll be here long enough to actually train the person, because that would be a miraculous timeline,” she said.

As to where she’s going next, Romano said she doesn’t have anything in mind.

“People are speculating, though,” she said.

What plans she has are short-range: slinging potatoes with her family at its booth at the Alaska State Fair and maybe visiting her mom.

Contact Andrew Wellner at andrew.wellner@frontiers-man.com or 352-2270.