The City of Unalaska is arranging to interview a new candidate for the position of city manager — the third in the city’s search for a permanent hire.
On Thursday, the City Council voted 5-1 to fly out Jim Hunt — the current city manager of Whittier, Alaska — to interview for the job. It’s been open since the council chose not to renew Erin Reinders’ contract last spring.
Councilor Shari Coleman cast the sole dissenting vote Thursday.
According to Whittier city records, Hunt has served as city manager of the Southcentral community of about 270 residents since 2018, first in an interim role and later as a permanent hire.
If he accepts the offer to visit the island, Hunt will be the third candidate to interview for the city manager position, following Unalaska Assistant City Manager and former planning director Bil Homka and former Ogdensburg, New York city manager Stephen Jellie.
Jellie later accepted a position in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, and is no longer in the running for the Unalaska job.
While the City Council continues working to fill the position, Chris Hladick is serving as interim city manager. He took up the post last summer.
Hladick previously served as Unalaska’s city manager from 2001 to 2015. He also served in the cabinet of former Alaska Gov. Bill Walker, and he was appointed by the Trump administration to oversee the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in Alaska and the Pacific Northwest.