Goals and accomplishments highlighted at special Wasilla City Council meeting

During the first of two special meetings of the Wasilla City Council held on December 3, members of the different departments took time to highlight the many accomplishments achieved in 2024 and outline how their strategic initiatives align with the budget goals and initiatives for Fiscal Year 2025.

Each department was given 15 minutes, and after hearing from Mayor Glenda Ledford, Scott Bell, the Director of Recreation Services, and Bethany Buckingham Follett, curator for the Wasilla Museum and Visitor Center, it was time to turn things over to Kimberly Green, the Human Resources Manager.

“We’re really trying to reshape the HR Department to make it more of a focal point for the city and bring attention to the applicants that are available,” Green said.

She told the council one of their goals had been a goal passed down from the council to establish electronic processes and systems, explaining that her department has done that Neogov system, a government software company that provides a one-stop HR suite for the public sector. It had previously been approved by the Council. She went on to point out that using the new system has greatly improved the number and demographics of applicants to city jobs.

“Having built out this recruitment module of Neogov…we’re able to reach more people and bring more interest to the positions.”

Green also said that her department has been rolling out electronic forms to individual departments throughout the year, increasing access for the employees to needed paperwork, receiving great response from the workers.

Wasilla Police Department (WPD) Chief William Rapson gave councilmembers a brief update, kicking things off by saying that many of the strategic goals from last year have remained in place. “They’re that important to me to continue on with them.”

Chief Rapson narrowed WPD’s goals to two things-professionalism and organizational excellence. He also said he would like to continue hosting and certifying Crisis Intervention Training (CIT). “That has been something that has been pretty important to me, having the whole department certified in de-escalation techniques because of the increase in mental health (issues) not just here, but statewide and nationwide.”

Chief Rapson said the WPD has also implemented active shooter training, the next of which will be held at a local school over winter break, and will be including several Mat-Su based Alaska State Troopers into upcoming trainings. “We need to work on those partnerships in case a critical incident like that happens in the area, we’re all going to be working together.”

He also told the council that the WPD that routinely there is a detective or investigator attached to the Drug Unit, and based upon the weekly briefings he receives, it is making a difference and to have grant approval for it to be fully funded for another year.

Chief Rapson also spoke about the School Resource Officer (SRO) program, praising the relationship that has been built with the Mat-Su Borough, and that the SROs, in addition to providing physical security to several area schools, have also been teaching students and staff, covering various topics ranging from social media awareness to drugs and alcohol, as well as continuing to build relationships with students inside the schools.

“It’s been a great relationship and partnership, and we’re going to continue doing that as part of part of our professionalism.”

One area that he said is continuing to ebb and flow is recruitment and retaining of officers, saying that at one point they had all six positions filled, and as things have happened, there has been a turnover, though he reassured the council that it wasn’t due to any specific issue at the department and that most positions are filled and there are currently officers completing required training that he hopes to have on board soon.

A second special council meeting was held December 4, when reports from the Library, Finance, Public Works, Public Safety, and Deputy Administrator presented.

Next up will be the Library, Public Works, and Public Safety.