Tom Healy, Palmer city manager, to retire

June 26, 2007

By Russell Stigall

Frontiersman

PALMER - The city manager who helped arrange Palmer's biggest capital project, a $14 million utility extension, is stepping down.

Tom Healy will have been Palmer's manager for eight years when he leaves the city in late September.

Healy was with Palmer &#8220about twice as long as most city managers work for a city,” Palmer Mayor John Combs said. &#8220Shows how much we thought of his work.”

Palmer is going to miss Healy, but Combs said he can't fault Healy for leaving.

&#8220I know how it feels when it feels like there is something else that you need to be doing,” Combs said. &#8220I support him in his future endeavors.”

Healy's was an amiable split with the city, the mayor said. &#8220He announced that he wanted to retire from his duties at the city … and possibly just go fishing.”

Healy came to Palmer in the fall of 1999. The seven years prior Healy was city manager for Haines, and before that he was city manager in Skagway. Healy came to Alaska in 1976. As it goes, he didn't expect to stay.

&#8220I came to Skagway intending to spend the night,” Healy said.

Healy began his public career hauling garbage in Skagway.

Palmer will be home base for Healy and his wife, Marcia Healy, and his two sons, 22-year old Kelly Healy, a helicopter pilot and Palmer High School grad, and 25-year old Tyler Healy, who is teaching in Korea.

Healy wants to take a stab at retirement.

&#8220I don't have anything specifically lined up after this,” he said. &#8220I plan to tone back my activities and relax a bit.”

Healy said he would like to take more time to visit with his father back East &#8220for more than a week here and a week there.”

As Palmer's city manager, Healy ran the day-to-day operations of the municipality.

&#8220A lot of behinds the scenes stuff,” he said. &#8220A lot of money into basic infrastructure, which is really important.”

He hopes to have the new manager in place before he leaves. &#8220It is a good organization and I want the transition to go well.”

Mayor Combs said Palmer will advertise for a new city manger.

&#8220Like you would for any job,” Combs said. &#8220We'll put the word out there.”

Combs said he would like to see the new manager come from within or around Palmer.

Contact Russell Stigall at 352-2267 or russell.stigall@frontiersman.com.