The Unalaska City Council will appoint an interim city manager, while it begins its search for a permanent replacement to lead the island’s government.
Former Deputy City Manager Marjorie Veeder was named acting city manager last month, after Bil Homka abruptly resigned from the position. Homka had held his role as city manager since May of 2023 and joined the city in 2017.
He and the city are named in an ongoing lawsuit for employment discrimination.
Mayor Vince Tutiakoff Sr. told council members last Tuesday that he hopes they will find a permanent replacement by February.
“In the meantime, we direct Marjie, as acting city manager, to get some professional recruitment firms for us to look at — at least get, out of the three, one recruitment firm sometime in December or January,” Tutiakoff said.
The city said in a staff memo that it anticipates the cost of a recruitment firm to be about $35,000. That doesn’t include on-site interviews. Some firms charge flat fees, others charge a percentage of first-year wages. The city said a flat fee would be cheaper, since Homka’s annual wage was $220,000.
The city will provide a list of potential interim manager candidates at the council’s regular meeting on Dec. 16.
Veeder will continue in her role as acting city manager until the City Council appoints the interim replacement.
