Help Wanted: Borough shelter director

PALMER — Applications are in from folks hoping to fill the spot vacated when Matanuska-Susitna Borough’s Animal Care and Regulation Chief Dave Allison left abruptly two weeks ago.

Friday was the closing date for applicants to the job. So far, there’s been little word on why Allison left.

“No,” borough manager John Duffy said when asked if he could discuss why Allison left, saying it’s a personnel matter, a type of proceeding generally kept confidential.

Attempts to reach Allison Friday failed.

For his part, Duffy had nothing but positive things to say about Allison.

“Mr. Allison did good things for the borough. We’ve been making steady progress over there for many, many years and Dave was part of that success story,” Duffy said.

He said that since Allison left the shelter’s veterinarian, Katrina Zwolinski, has been running the show. He and other borough staff have been visiting the animal shelter regularly.

“We’re making sure that the lines of the communication remain strong,” Duffy said.

The shelter’s expansion project, he said, is proceeding apace and is actually ahead of schedule. The enforcement, adoption and dog training programs, he said, are all proceeding as normal.

According to the borough’s Web site, Allison’s former job carries a salary of $1,144.80 to $1,582 a week depending on experience.

Duffy said that to fill this type of position usually takes about a month to a month and a half.

“We’d like to fill it as soon as possible of course but we’re going to take our time to make sure we get a good fit,” he said.