Stephen Jellie is hired as new Palmer city manager

Palmer has a new city manager, effective Aug. 19.

He is Stephen P. Jellie, most recently Emergency Services Supervisor in Teton County/Jackson Hole, Wyoming.

Jellie’s selection among several candidates at a special city council meeting Tuesday, Aug. 6 was unanimous, Palmer Mayor Steve Carrington said. He replaces long-time Palmer manager John Moosey, who retired this summer.

Carrington said Jellie is currently en route to Alaska. Gina Davis, acting city manager, said a community reception is planned Aug. 28 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.. at The Depot in Palmer to welcome the new manager.

Jellie brings a strong background in emergency and fire protection including management of fire and emergency medical services for U.S. bases in Afghanistan and at the Army’s Aberbeen Proving Ground as well as Fort Drum, N.Y.

He was a senior coordinating officer for planning federal disaster relief in Puerto Rico and in New Mexico. More recently, and prior to employment at Jackson Hole, Jellie was city manager and fire chief in Ogdenburg, N.Y., a city of 10,000.

In Ogdenburg, Jellie managed city finances to generate a budget surplus of $3 million over two years, actions which also reduced the city property tax rate by 20%, according to his resume.

At Jackson Hole, he managed to reduce a $1 million budget deficit to less than $200,000 while also improving emergency response time averages, he said on his resume.