By Melinda Munson

Emily Deach, borough clerk and keeper of the official municipality seal, is about to hand over her fancy stamp. She will be appointed deputy borough manager as soon as a new clerk is named. Deach will be Skagway’s first deputy manager.

“I’m very excited,” said Borough Manager Brad Ryan. “We are a cruise destination that gets one million visitors a year.” 

Ryan sees “more and more work and responsibility headed our way” with the port’s return to municipality control in 2023 and is grateful to have additional support.

Ryan believes cities with deputy managers have redundancy — multiple people who understand the way a city works and which direction it’s headed.

“Those deputy managers provide stability,” Ryan said. He pointed out they can take over if the manager is sick, on vacation or resign.

Ryan admits that Deach’s has already been performing duties outside of the clerk role.

“A lot of what she does is what the manager should be doing,” Ryan said.

“I’m familiar with the requirements of the job,” Deach acquiesced.  “Over the course of my tenure here, I filled in for manager, twice, on a long term basis.” 

Along with Borough Treasurer Heaher Rodig, Deach managed the city when the municipality had no manager. 

As much as Deach loves being a parliamentarian, “I wanted to try something a little different,” she said. She has been borough clerk since 2010.

Deach, too, feels the city was ready for a deputy manager.

“I think it’s an absolutely needed position. I’ve always felt that way,” she said.

Once a clerk is found, Deach will train her replacement, with the Oct. 5 elections being an important starting point. 

One of the deputy manager’s jobs will be to develop, administer and manage municipal grants.

Without a grants manager, Ryan said, “I’m doing my best not to leave grants.”

Mayor Andrew Cremata has mixed feelings about the promotion. 

“I’m sad to lose a clerk who’s been instrumental in moving this community forward,” he said, while at the same time looking forward to working with Deach in her new position.

The deputy manager will be paid $80-100,000.