Voters in Palmer will weigh in this fall on whether to eliminate a longstanding rule requiring the city manager to live within city limits — a rule that dates back to the city’s incorporation in 1951. The matter has resurfaced with the hiring of a new city manager, Kolby Hickel Zerkel, who does not yet live in Palmer.
The proposed change will appear on the Oct. 7 municipal ballot and, if passed, would remove the residency requirement entirely rather than expanding the eligible living area.
The Palmer City Charter says the city manager “be a resident of the city,” residing within the city’s roughly five-square-mile boundary. But some members of the Palmer City Council argue the rule is outdated. There is limited amount of housing in city limits, for one thing. Modern times allow people to work remotely and constant communication.
If the measure passes voters, it would have an immediate impact on Zerkel, who lives in Anchorage and said she has struggled to find suitable housing in the city. She has indicated that she plans to move to the Mat-Su area or Palmer, regardless. Zerkel was appointed after the previous city manager Stephen Jellie resigned after less than two months on the job following controversies surrounding his actions and potential legal issues. Zerkel previously served as deputy municipal manager in Anchorage and as the State Operations Director for US Senator Dan Sullivan.
A separate change approved by the City Council lifts all residency requirements for department heads, including the fire and police chiefs, but this ordinance does not require a public vote.
Council members voted 4-2 to place the city manager residency question on the ballot.
