KMXT 100.1 FM Public Radio in Kodiak, Alaska
The Kodiak Island Borough’s only code enforcer took a new job recently. Jack Maker served as the code enforcer for three years, but his new job doesn’t stray too far from his old stomping grounds.
“I’m now the assistant planner for the community development department for the Kodiak Island Borough.”
Kodiak’s long time planner, Duane Dvorak, retired in June and Maker said he started taking on some of those duties temporarily.
“And I kind of realized I had a knack for the job, and that I felt my abilities could better serve the community in that position. It took a couple months, maybe almost three months to convince me, because I really did enjoy the code enforcement officer. But I just felt this position better suited my abilities.”
Maker said he’ll be working closely with the new code enforcer, and is still handling some of those responsibilities as the borough looks to fill the position.
“I kind of went from the code enforcement officer temporarily assigned the duties of assistant planner to now I am the assistant planner temporarily assigned the duties of code enforcement officer. So yes I’m doing both positions as best I can until we do find a new code enforcement officer.”
He said the community can rest assured that the borough is not without a code enforcement officer.
“All matters of public health and safety and if it’s a serious matter I will certainly drop what I’m doing and move right into that.”
Part of Maker’s new role in the community development department involves emergency planning and preparedness.
“I’m the local emergency planning committee primary contact and information coordinator, that’s actually a part of my job. I’m also the project manager for the borough’s local emergency planning committee grant and state homeland security program grants. I’m also working with the consultants the borough has contracts with to revise our Kodiak Island Hazard Mitigation Plan, as well as the just recently started project of the revision of the Kodiak area emergency operations plan.”
Maker began his new job on October 4.
Borough Manager Bud Cassidy said hiring procedures typically start in house, and no current borough employees expressed interest in the code enforcement officer position. He said the job is now being publicly advertised and he has received some applications, though he couldn’t provide a hiring timeline for the job.
