The Dillingham City Council has hired Dan Decker as the new city manager, finalizing the decision at last week's regularly scheduled city council meeting (3/06). The appointment comes after more than two years of leadership uncertainty.
Dillingham has been without a permanent city manager since February 2023, when then-manager Robert Mawson resigned. Two acting city managers held the position before Decker stepped in as acting manager in March of 2024.
Prothman, a third-party contractor, was hired to conduct the search and oversee the months-long hiring process. At last week’s city council meeting, the council reviewed the background checks and reference letters provided by Prothman for the final two candidates in an executive session.
The council was then planning to hold final interviews before making a decision. But after the executive session, Council Member Carriere presented the motion to hire Decker immediately outside of the council meeting agenda.
The council had a split 3-3 vote on Decker’s appointment. Council Members Carriere, Armstrong, and Luckhurst voted “yes” and Council Members Westfall, McCambly, and Bennet voted “no.” Dillingham’s Mayor Alice Ruby cast the tie-breaking “yes” vote.
At least one council member who voted “no” told KDLG they objected to the decision taking place that evening because the matter did not appear in the meeting's agenda as required by Dillingham Municipal Code.
Mayor Ruby says the expedited process was motivated, in part, by a desire to conclude the long spell of leadership uncertainty. She says now they can focus on moving forward with capital projects and the city’s budget.
“I think for the most part, the council just wanted to see us get the position filled and move on,” Ruby said. “The city's been in this transition for a while, and so having more stability is a good thing. We can now turn our attention to some of these projects that we've been working on.”
Per city code, an acting city manager can not serve for more than a year. Decker’s year in the position was March 15th, at which point the city would have been without a city manager until the permanent position was filled.
Decker was offered a three-year contract at a $149,500 salary, the same salary he earned as acting city manager.
Decker says he moved to Dillingham in 2002 and has worked across the Bristol Bay region in law enforcement, hospital administration, and tribal government. He served as city clerk for eight months before stepping into the acting city manager position last March.
Decker says he hadn’t initially planned to apply for the permanent position, but encouragement from community members and city staff led him to reconsider.
“I want to make Dillingham a better place to live and a better place to raise my children, and a better place for everybody to raise their kids,” Decker said. “Dillingham is a phenomenal community, and I want to be a part of making Dillingham the best place on the planet to live.”
As city manager, Decker says his top priorities include workforce stability, infrastructure improvements, and carrying out the city’s strategic plan.
“A lot of that has to do with housing and helping the community move forward economically and socially,” Decker said.
Decker officially assumed the position on March 7. His contract runs through March 2028.
