City Hires Matt Van Daele as Deputy City Manager

Matt Van Daele. Kayla Desroches / KMXT

Kayla Desroches/KMXT

A Kodiak Island Borough Assemblyman is joining the Kodiak City staff. Kodiak-born Matt Van Daele will work alongside city manager Mike Tvenge as deputy city manager.

Van Daele speaks passionately about the Kodiak community.

He says he’s always envied his dad, Larry Van Daele, for the 30 plus years he spent working for the Alaska Department of Fish and Game.

“It’s always been ingrained in me the importance of public service and government sector jobs and being able to give back to the residents and the community and having my work mean something and make Kodiak better, so I’m just absolutely thrilled to be able to be able to join the city in this capacity and get back into the public service sector.”

Van Daele’s previous jobs include serving as Koniag’s Lands and Resources Manager and working for Fish and Game.

He sees government service as a permanent job choice.

“I’d like to be able to work hard and be able to retire here just like my parents did. That’s something that I would like to do, and I would like to have my efforts allow other people to be able to do that too. Not only retire here and stay here, but also start families here just like my wife and I have recently done.”

Van Daele is in the first week of his new job and just settling in.

He says right now he’s touching base with city department heads, learning from them, and finding out how he can help them in their jobs.

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