Anchorage Assembly to receive report on former health director

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) – The Anchorage Meeting went into govt session Tuesday night time to evaluate paperwork from the investigation into former Anchorage Well being Division Director Joe Gerace, who fabricated a lot of his schooling and navy background on his resume.

Joe Gerace resigned all of a sudden in August of final 12 months, citing well being points on the time. After the publication of an investigation into Gerace’s resume contents by Alaska Public Media, Anchorage Mayor Dave Bronson’s administration started an investigation into Gerace’s hiring.

The meeting has requested to see the report produced from that investigation however has been unsuccessful — till now.

“All of us acknowledge the unprecedented nature of this time,” Meeting Vice Chair Chris Fixed mentioned, “that we’re within the operation of our municipal authorities wherein we now have an administration that’s so persistently flubbing that we don’t know what’s true or what’s factual.”

Makes an attempt to get in contact with Gerace had been unsuccessful, and emails to the mayor’s workplace weren’t returned. As Anchorage Well being Division Director, Gerace was accountable for responding to the continued COVID-19 pandemic and the homeless disaster in Anchorage.

However in August of 2022, investigative reporting from Alaska Public Media revealed that Gerace lied about his schooling and navy expertise.

Fixed says meeting members rely on the town’s Human Assets Director Niki Tshibaka to display screen candidates’ data. How Gerace was in a position to fabricate his resume and nonetheless get employed grew to become a part of an investigation by the administration. Nonetheless, what was found in that investigation was by no means turned over to the meeting.

The report generated by that investigation is anticipated to be launched to members Tuesday night after the meeting voted unanimously to activate subpoena powers.

“I used to be very happy that it was a unanimous vote as a result of that demonstrates, hopefully to most individuals, that what we’re doing is a essential inquiry,” Fixed mentioned.

Fixed says he expects the meeting to have the report round 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, the place will probably be reviewed in an govt session.

“We now have an entire lot to consider,” Fixed mentioned.

Fixed mentioned he’s very involved about who obtained paid — and below what phrases — from contracts and grants that had been licensed by Gerace.

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