Assembly approves transitional position

MAT-SU -- The Mat-Su Borough Assembly, Tuesday, adopted a transition plan for Jack Krill Sr. that will carry him from his current position of Director of Emergency Services through the remaining five months until his retirement.

The plan was adopted with little comment from the assembly Tuesday, and will allow Krill to smooth the transition as the next director is hired and trained at his current rate of pay, an estimated cost of about $55,551. Seeing a new person through the transition won't be Krill's only responsibility, Borough Manager John Duffy said earlier this week. According to information presented to the assembly, Krill has four other sizable tasks -- 911 dispatch, risk management and loss control, animal care oversight and incident command development.

The 911 dispatch portion of the interim job may well take up the majority of Krill's time, borough officials said. The borough is responsible for providing 911 dispatch services, which are currently provided by the city of Palmer through a contract. The city of Wasilla has obtained grant funding with the intent of operating a new regional dispatch center in Wasilla. According to information presented to the assembly, Krill is tasked with finding out the condition, useful life and suitability of the existing 911 dispatch equipment, developing a joint powers agreement and cost allocation formula that would allow an independent agency to provide dispatch services under contract to each borough municipality, and, if a move to Wasilla is identified as the best choice, drawing up an implementation plan.

Other tasks will be surveying borough facilities to assess health and safety risks, improving organizational functions at Mat-Su Animal Care and Regulation, and with training new borough managers in its incident command process in preparation for emergency situations.