Ketchikan council advances four finalists for city manager after executive session

Ketchikan — The Ketchikan City Council voted April 9 to advance four applicants to finalist status in its search for a new city manager.

During a special meeting, the council entered executive session to review applications submitted by Strategic Government Resources, Inc. (SGR) for the vacant city manager/general manager position. The motion to go into executive session cited the acting city manager’s memorandum dated March 30, 2026, and Ketchikan Municipal Code 2.04.025(A)(2), which the clerk read as the statutory basis allowing discussion of matters that could affect the reputation or character of an applicant.

After returning to open session, a council member moved to advance Abner Hogue, Glenn Adams, Michael Kovac and William Pumpka as finalists in the recruitment process. The motion was seconded and passed by recorded vote. The transcript records one recorded “No” response and six “Yes” responses; the chair announced the motion passed.

An unnamed council member who spoke during the discussion thanked all applicants and SGR for their work and said the pool presented a broad range of experience. “It’s always difficult for us as a council to decide amongst an array of candidates who have a really diverse array of experiences… I’m really confident that amongst the four finalist candidates that we have that we’ll find someone who has both the temperament and the skill set and the patience to take on some of the many challenges that are facing our city at this time,” the council member said.

The council did not announce a public timeline for interviews or final selection in the transcript. The executive session motion and subsequent advancement of finalists were taken under the authority cited in the meeting record; the clerk noted that any applicant may request public discussion of their application, per the municipal code language read into the record.

During the meeting the council also completed roll call, recited the pledge of allegiance and offered a land acknowledgment naming in the transcript the "Tongas Quinket people." The clerk reported there were no communications or persons to be heard during the communications portion of the agenda.

The meeting moved to mayor and council comments before ending. Council member Riley thanked the local management team, SGR and the candidates and said the council hopes to identify a long-term manager who will uphold the city’s values.

The council’s action advances the four named applicants to the next stage of the recruitment process; the transcript does not record any further formal actions or public dates for interviews.