Anchorage Assembly: Worksession re Confirmation Hearing of William Falsey, Municipal Manager

Moderator code followed by the pound key.

Please say your name followed by the pound key.

Okay, let's call this work session to order. We are today here— what, today is Wednesday, July 1st. We're noticed from 2 to 2:30 PM. Purpose today is AM449-2026, a confirmation Executive appointment confirmation hearing for Mr. William Fawzy for the position of municipal manager. So we'll do introductions and then we'll move into the business.

So starting with Ms. Park. Janice Park. Keith McCormick. Donald Handlin. Jared Gerker.

Erin Baldwin-Day. Anna Brawley. And on the phone we have Ms. Silvers.

Yara Silvers. And any other members on the phone? OK, we're also joined by members of the administration who will introduce themselves briefly, and in the back in the clerk's office, staff. So I will first turn to Madam Mayor to lay the groundwork. Thank you, Chair Brawley.

Very much appreciate you scheduling this confirmation hearing. I am extremely pleased to nominate Bill Falzy for the municipal manager position after the departure of Becky Wint-Pearson. You all know Bill, I think, very well, some of you, so I don't need to remind you all of all of his accomplishments while he previously served as municipal attorney, municipal manager, and then as my chief administrative officer. And I think, Bill, this is your fourth confirmation hearing here at the muni. So I do want to highlight some things.

Bill had the helm during the aftermath of the 2018 earthquake. He served as the incident commander for the COVID response. He coordinated multi-team, the multi-team effort to sell MLNP, and he crafted a solution for law enforcement in Girdwood after the troopers pulled out. And there is so much more. Um, while serving as chief administrative officer for my administration, Bill has brought forward to the completion of the 2024 ACFR.

This is huge. He has improved key departments to help rebuild the municipal workforce, the purchasing department, and he negotiated a new contract on the distribution of the bed tax between the municipality and Visit Anchorage, developed a plan of finance for the port, and then recently you all approved the Sullivan and Boakey contracts, and you know, Bill worked very hard on those. So you all have observed firsthand what a steady and thoughtful leader Bill is at the municipality. He is a problem solver and has an uncanny ability to get to the root of a problem and bring creative thinking to solve it. Bill has the relationships, he has the skills and the municipal knowledge to keep moving the big rocks for our community.

And so I'm really pleased to be nominating him, and I ask for your support. Thank you all so much.

Thank you. Then I'll open it— or I guess I'll ask Mr. Fauzi, would you like to add any additional comments before we move to questions? I will somewhat defer to the chair. If you'd like me to make some additional comments, I'm happy to. I can give you some more background and color commentary.

Otherwise, I can field any questions in real time.

Before we turn to member questions, I think what may be helpful just briefly, because I imagine there's some questions, is describing— I know obviously you've been in a different role, the Chief Administrative Officer. There was a reorganization to create or recreate that position. And so maybe speaking a little bit to the distinction between those two roles, if at all, and more generally, you know, how you— if that position position is not going to be filled, then kind of what— how is that workload going to be absorbed? I think that's something to speak to a little bit more. Yes, thank you for the question.

When we proposed the reorganization, we showed that the municipality's org chart has changed pretty dramatically over time, and the restoration of the Chief Administrative Officer position was something of an oldie but a goodie that existed in the initial George Sullivan early iterations of the municipal— of the municipality, and then it came back in the '90s as executive managers. At the time, our thinking was at least twofold. One, that there were really acute challenges in the internal service functions of the municipality. And so by creating a position that was really focused on those, it would give a forced attention to those subjects, which can be harder to find in a moment when police, fire, parks, roads, libraries are the news-catching front page stories. And also where the real issues are somewhat harder to get to, meaning it would take some time for the new incumbent to understand that sometimes the reason things are moving slowly is because classification takes a long time to do its work.

So the— that was one consideration, and then a second consideration was just that the municipal manager's column itself has been chopped up in various iterations over time because with the total number of direct reports available in the municipality of approximately 30 to 35, it's a little unwieldy. So at the time it seemed like a very natural division to say that there's an external focus and an internal focus. At this point our proposal is that we are likely to reorganize the municipality in a slightly different way now, where we would return to a form that has been present in the past, where I would continue to have HR, IT, and purchasing, and then blend that into the municipal manager's role while offloading finance, which would report directly to the mayor, and then merging most of the Tudor Elmore functions into the community economic director function so that the workload remains balanced. Um, and that is also partly indicative of the fact that a lot of the major lifting that we intended to do in the internal services functions has largely been accomplished. We have rewritten the purchasing code.

We're in a much different place on staffing at this point, and I think that we have really righted the ship on the financial side of the house. So it seemed like an appropriate time to do it. And I think to your particular question, our notion would be to— the chief administrative officer position would be unfilled, so there would be some cost savings in the reorganization as well. Thank you. Uh, questions from members?

You say, I guess there's at least one. Go ahead, Miss Baldwin. There's always one. Um, well, I mean, first I want to say I have some really serious reservations about your qualifications, so I just wanted to put that on the record. Um, I, in all seriousness, um, I, you, you have, you've already been at the helm of literally all of these departments and offices and utilities at one point or another.

So there's no question that you are a steady hand at the wheel. I think my questions are fairly basic. So one is, do we have a new org chart handy that sort of outlines how this division will look in practicality? And then, you know, what sorts of administrative supports are you going to, like, have or need understanding that, you know, we are, we are in effect, you know, consolidating a whole lot of responsibility. And it seems like a Herculean and potentially impossible effort for one person to be able to oversee all of these different functions without some kind of help.

So what does that plan look like to make sure that you are not operating beyond reasonable capacity for a human being, which I know sometimes in the muni we are wont to do, and would love to avoid that if possible, so. Well, I appreciate the question about my self-preservation. There is some risk that I will just immolate myself on the municipal pyre. The way I think about that is a couple-fold. First, on the org chart side, we are developing an org chart that we could show that would be indicative of how we plan to function for the next 6 months.

I will say our preference is not to do a formal reorganization now. In part because to really accomplish that, we would really have to adopt another budget, and we're about to go through the budget cycle anyway. So I think what we are likely to do is cobble together a web of acting assignments, and if there needs to be some Assembly review and approval of that, we're totally comfortable bringing that to the Assembly. We're sort of working through the rules on all that now. I don't think we have an org chart to hand out now, but certainly we can do that.

There's no secret there. And then also give us a little bit of time to live in this configuration and see if there are perturbations that we want to make as we finalize it in the 2020 session. Arena. I was looking back at the last go-round, and in the last go-round I think I had 19 direct reports. I had 9 departments, 3 utilities, 2 enterprises, and then a spate of offices.

And in comparing that constellation to this constellation, the difference is that I would lose maintenance operations, project management and engineering, and traffic engineering, but I'd pick up parks and libraries. And I'm actually pretty excited to pick up parks and libraries. The other main difference is I'll have a deputy. I did not have a deputy in the austerity times of 2016, 2017 to 2020. So in some ways, I think the workload just becomes much more manageable as a result of having somebody else that can put their laboring or put their shoulder to the laboring oar.

All right, thank you. That's helpful. So, so just make sure I understand correctly, this will be formalized really in the 2027 budget, and in the interim, we're going to be creative in how we assign some acting roles. That's our intent. I think that what we can do is cobble it together as a web of acting assignments just in the SAP machine.

But in order to literally change the way the budget works in the system, we'd have to adopt a whole new budget. And OMB has sort of thrown itself in front of the train and said, please don't make us do an extra budget in 2026, which is entirely reasonable. So then my— I think my, my, my last question would be, you know, with respect to a deputy municipal manager, Is that person already in place, or would that be a new individual? And how— when could we expect a little more? Oh, that person's already placed.

Mark Stafford has been serving as Deputy Municipal Manager. That's right, he's been wearing multiple hats, been holding the enterprises and utilities other than the port plus the public transportation. Okay, lovely. Thank you. Further questions?

Mr. Kerker? Yeah, we bumped into each other in the hallway, and I believe you said you had a song and dance prepared. I do not have a song and dance prepared, but I I will say I picked up a screaming deal on Facebook Marketplace this weekend. There is now an electric piano in the office to complement the guitar. So if there are requests, I will— OK, all right, excellent.

You and Mark are going to just kill it. Karaoke, anyone? Anyone? No? What is your leadership philosophy?

A great question. I think of this role in a couple of different ways. I mean, I will digress a little bit to give you a short answer on that, but it'll be a long-winded run-up to a short answer. I moved here in 8th grade. My dad was a dentist in the Air Force, so I'm an alma mater of Central High School, or Central Middle, and then I went to Diamond High School when the parents moved off base.

I disappeared for college, law school, and I came back. When I was in law school, I was one of 2 Alaskans my first year. I was one of the only Alaskans my second and third year, and I really felt like a filial piety, like a desire to come home and make this place as good as we can make it. And I think this job at its best is coming to work with people of goodwill, become your friends, and make it as good as it can be. The other thing I'll say is that I think my leadership philosophy is sort of born of that MO, meaning that I feel like these positions are a gift, a little bit of a privilege, and that I don't have a command and control kind of leadership style, but really getting to serve sometimes as the nominated captain of the team.

I remember when the fire chief I worked with referred to me as her boss one time. I bristled a little bit because I think in some ways the municipal manager serves several functions. One of them is just nerve center. Center, making sure the hive mind knows what the hive mind is doing. One is helping to steer the ship.

A lot of it is solving cross-silo problems. And so I try to think of myself, and I hope that this comes across in the leadership style and working with others, as a partner, meaning that I am there to help everyone else achieve their goals and so that we can all continue to make this beloved little corner of our world as good as we can make it.

I'll just add, you know, I've supervised employees that you have also supervised over the years, and everyone speaks very highly of you and, and your style. And so I think that definitely shows. So obviously eminently qualified for the role because you've also done it before. Appreciate that. Thank you.

I think that shows. Um, quick question about finance reporting directly to the mayor. How many departments then would that be reporting directly to the mayor? It's a good question. Uh, so off the top of my head, that would be the municipal manager, the municipal attorney, the CFO, and the economic and community development director, and chief of staff.

And, oh, yeah. Is that— does that signal a shift? I mean, obviously with departments reporting directly to the mayor, you know, you like to have— and maybe you don't matter, Mayor, I don't know— but in administrations I've seen and worked in and been a part of, there's usually a buffer between departments and the mayor. So does this indicate a shift in priorities in what you're doing internally within the administration, or is this just a workflow thing that works a little bit better? Help me understand that just a little bit more, please.

Thanks for the question, Member Gerker. No, it doesn't reflect a shift in priorities as much as a shift in where we are as a team. And we have some very high-capacity individuals here who have had other roles at the municipality, like the CFO, for example. And so making sure that everyone is in the spot where they are most leveraged. And I have the luxury of, while they may report to me, it's a collaborative effort.

I find like when you are the manager of the managers, you know, you are functioning more as a team together. And I'll say that model has changed over time. In some ways, this is a return to a model that is most familiar to me. In the previous go-round, I think it was exactly the same setup, with the only difference being that the particular— and the particular departments that reported to the municipal manager and the then community economic director were a little bit different underneath. But that has changed all across time.

There have been times where HR has reported directly to the mayor, for instance.

Ms. Park.

Hi, um, so I'm very impressed by your CV. I, I see a lot of experience, a lot of it in situations that would be considered stressful, and we all worry about our work-life balance. And what do you do to preserve— I would say preserve your sanity, but to decompress and do self-care? That is a great question, and I am delighted that the thrust of this confirmation hearing is what can we do to make Phil— Bill survive this future job. I will tell you that I've previewed one of the two answers, and I'll tell you the other.

One answer is music. The reason I annoy my neighbors with guitars and piano is because that is how I can self-soothe and find a moment of calm in the often turbulent waters that we swim in here. And the second though I probably don't look at it right now, is that I do enjoy long-distance running, and I have great hopes that I will get back into long-distance running before the administration is over. And if my— if I may just interject, I think if you heard any, um, background laughing, it was because there were 4 members of the administration who had a team in the Mayor's Marathon, and their team was called "You Can Beat City Hall." And fully 50% of the attendees did. Yeah, and they had tremendous spirit, I have to say, and a good time.

I mean, your times weren't bad.

I was impressed. You guys are speedy.

Used to be.

Thank you. Other questions? Okay, I do have, uh, one question and, well, and an observation too. I was just reflecting on the fact that two, literally two years ago was when, uh, both of you started your jobs basically on July 1st, 2024. And I remember the conversation that you and I had, Mr. Fawzy, in that week, and there was a lot of, um, beligered looks and just kind of digging into the depths of what needed to be fixed.

So first, thank you so much, not just to you, but I know you were one of the first employees into the breach basically and kind of had to dig out and deal with a lot of complex issues. So thank you for that. But my question is on that topic, obviously we still have complex issues, some of which are of a different nature and are building on the work that's already been done and the repairs that have been done. But in terms of kind of, I think a lot of what we're interested in really is on the policy side, whether it's fiscal policy or, you know, all these areas that that I know you've had a hand in and will continue to be working on. And so I guess just to put that on the record, I know there's going to be a lot of operational pulls on your time and also kind of big issues to fix.

So I guess the question is, to what extent do you see yourself still as kind of directly working on those? I mean, obviously it's not just you, it's not just the Assembly, but, you know, how How can we best utilize your time or understand kind of when we approach you with some of these big policy issues, knowing all the operational stuff that's going to be on your plate as well? Oh, that's a great question. I think one of the great parts about these gigs is being part of the cabinet. So I imagine that in any of these roles would still be involved in some form or fashion with any sort of big initiatives that we're all driving towards.

I don't know how to answer that question other than to say that I also think that I've been trying to be pretty open book, meaning that I I feel like those of us who have been lucky enough to be invited into this building and to be paid by taxpayer dollars to figure out this machine also have some responsibility to help others understand the machine when they are curious about it. So I think to whatever extent there is any information I can ever provide or even thought partnership, I'm happy to do that. Thank you. Yeah, I know there's no one right answer to that question. I think we all struggle with how to do that as well.

So, um, okay, any other questions, comments? Yeah, Ms. Baldwin-Day. Thank you. Are there, are there any projects or priorities that you intend to tackle in this new role? Yeah, luckily Becky Wynn Pearson has left me a pretty great suite of directors and folks who are, who have already done a lot of preparatory work.

So in the main, I think the immediate task in front of me is to see through some of the things that are already in motion. Meaning that the Town Square Park redevelopment is in motion, the downtown library is in motion, the construction of Terminal 1 at the port is very much in motion, and there'll be others that come along here too as we look to the remainder of this year and through to the first half of next year. But I don't think, as I sit here now, there is some brand new initiative that I foresee on the horizon.

And if I, if I might, if I might add to that list, at least in the, in the short term, ASD properties. Yes. Lovely. Alright, thank you.

OK, I don't see any other further questions or comments, so thank you again. Again, this is— go back to it— AM449-2026. This will be on our meeting for July 7th, and then also note the The effective date as noted here is July 14th. So of course we would take up that item and then the actual effective date, presuming it passes at our next meeting, I'm hopeful that it would, then that would be the date. So, okay, I don't think we have any other business with the body today, so we will be adjourned and have a good weekend, everyone.