The search for Bethel’s new city manager has narrowed to two final candidates.
The city’s executive search firm delivered 18 candidates to the city council, which met Monday night to decide the two finalists for the job. Their names are Aaron Easton and Michael Patterson. Neither are from Alaska, but both boast municipal experience in smaller towns.
Aaron Easton previously served as police chief in Marysville, California. He often filled in as acting city manager for the 12,000-person town. Michael Patterson comes from Florence, Colorado, population 4000, where he served as city manager. Before that, he served as city manager in four other cities over a period of 20-plus years. The next step is to conduct on-site interviews with both candidates, which are tentatively scheduled for Oct. 16 and 17.
There are two other high-profile positions that the city is looking to fill. Only three candidates have applied for the city attorney position, and the deadline to apply for that job was Sept. 6. The application period has also closed for Bethel’s police chief. Acting city manager Roberto "Bo" Foley said that there were a handful of qualified applicants. Those interviews will also be scheduled in October.
