On Monday morning, Anchorage Mayor Dave Bronson announced that effective immediately, Municipal Manager Amy Demboski would be replaced by Public Works Director Kent Kohlhase. Bronson provided no explanation for the abrupt change in the city’s leadership, and a spokesperson for the mayor declined to comment on the matter, citing “personnel” issues. Demboski had served as municipal manager since Bronson took office last year.
Now, the Landmine has learned that Demboski was dismissed following a long-running conflict between herself and Purchasing Director Rachelle Alger, which came to a head at a meeting early last week when Demboski referred to Alger as a “fucking cunt.”
The meeting included high-ranking city officials, according to multiple sources. Attendees joined either in-person or remotely via Microsoft Teams. Tensions were running high after a series of historic snowstorms and an inadequate city response had left Anchorage partially paralyzed.
During the meeting, Demboski stated that all municipal employees should be required to report to work in person, and that those who failed to do so should have to use accrued leave. Several in attendance, including Alger, who was participating remotely, expressed concern about compelling Municipal employees to commute in dangerous conditions.
A heated discussion ensued, with tensions quickly rising between Alger and Demboski. At some point, either Mayor Bronson or Adam Trombley, Bronson’s chief of staff, decided to end the meeting. Immediately after the remote session stopped, Demboski stood up, pointed to Trombley, and exclaimed, “You tell that fucking cunt to never question me again!”
Others in attendance were speechless. Later, Bronson, who sources say was visibly upset by Demboski’s outburst, expressed to staff that her behavior had been unacceptable. Meanwhile, Demboski allegedly sent an email to Bronson accusing Alger of improper behavior in her role as purchasing director.
The clash was not the first between Alger and Demboski. Sources told the Landmine that the two have long been locked in an acrimonious power struggle within the Bronson administration.
During a November 21 Municipal Audit Committee meeting, Assembly member Jamie Allard, who is closely aligned with Demboski, requested an audit of Alger’s Purchasing Department, alleging illegal behavior regarding sole-source contracts. “When there’s activity going on that I believe is breaking code–law–then it needs to be addressed accordingly,” Allard said. Demboski, who was in attendance, clarified that the audit should start July 1, 2021, the first day of both the Bronson administration and of Alger’s tenure as purchasing director. During the meeting, Demboski expressed interest in expediting the audit.
At an Assembly meeting the following day, Allard introduced a resolution calling for the Assembly to approve the audit. However, Allard did not move the resolution, and it died without explanation.
On November 14–a week before Allard’s accusation against Alger–Alger’s husband, Brian Flynn, filed a letter of intent to run for the open West Anchorage Assembly seat currently held by Assembly member Austin Quinn-Davidson. Quinn-Davidson is not seeking re-election. Flynn is hosting a campaign fundraiser on Wednesday night co-hosted by Mayor Dave Bronson and Bronson’s wife, Deb.
With Demboski’s departure halfway into Mayor Bronson’s first term, the municipal manager, municipal attorney, and CFO are now all working in acting capacities, without Assembly confirmation. In September, the Assembly rejected Bronson’s appointment of Mario Bird to replace his former municipal attorney. Kohlhase, who is now serving as the acting municipal manager, had been scheduled for confirmation as Public Works director at tonight’s Assembly meeting, leaving another key position in the Bronson administration unfilled.
Demboski did not respond to multiple requests for comment.
“You tell that ******* **** to never question me again!”
“Megalomania” (noun): Obsession with the exercise of power, especially in the domination of others.
Ok, I see what you’re saying but I mean Demoboski was actually important, powerful, and somewhat “famous”.. at least within Alaska.
(In the midterms, exit polls showed that single women were the only group that skewed Democrat, and that they skewed by a large margin. Could this play a role in their voting patterns? ) Only because they can’t understand normal thinking ! By the way there are married ones too , married to less Manly Men that share the same mental state!!
Ed, Careful now, Charlie Uniform November Tango happens to be widely used in aviation communications. .
I’m glad to see Bronson rid his administration of that f****** c*** Demboski!
Bronson has interest in getting Alger’s Hubby into the assembly and Demboski’s audit would derail that effort. They do NOT want that audit before the election trust me.
The city manager runs the city. Any abnormalities in an audit or the running of the city would obviously reflect on the city manager.
it takes one to know one, and if anybody on earth would know one it’s Amy Demboski.
The landmine should dig into why Rachelle Alger was released from her role at OilSearch. (Hint: it wasn’t because of her stellar accounting practices.)
This isn’t about Ms. Alger or some Machiavellian “conspiracy” regarding Bronson’s motives. No, this is a report about a lack of self-control by a person in a position of responsibility and uncivil behavior in a public forum?
Exactly! Whether MS Dembowski is or is not liked or her politcs follow one path or another should not affect that she in an open forum used language not safe for work.neither a manager nor an employee would be allowed to speak such in most situations.
She has been a strong supporter of the Bronson Administration and that puts a heavieroad on his shoulders to apply the correct discipline to her. Amy watch your mouth!
Okay, Amy 😉
Thats not why. Bronson has interest in getting Alger’s Hubby into the assembly and Demboski’s audit would derail that effort. You ought to read your own stories sometime instead of posting ridiculous headliners.
This is simply an exposure of the true colors of the Bronson admin. If principle before party were adhered to, the audit would go forward.
Technically she’s not wrong…
She seems nice.
Alaska Landmine should dig into more than her time at oil search. She is and always has been unqualified for the Municipalities Purchasing Director job. She doesn’t have the education, has very little to no experience and is ultimately severely unqualified. If you ask her she was supposed to get Amy’s job due to campaign contributions but Bronson wouldn’t give it to her, so he gave her the Purchasing Director job. Now we are paying Roger Hickel for shelter work that happened either due to incompetence or direct circumvention, Muni operations are at a stand still, roads aren’t plowed and… Read more »
110% facts
This sounds similar to the hiring of Niki Tshibaka. He had no academic preparation or experience in HR, but he got the job anyway as a political maneuver rather than an attempt to hire the best and the brightest for the Muni. And we know, Tshibaka hired unqualified Muni employees and gave them huge salaries without the benefit of an appropriate background checks or reviews of pertinent credentials. [I looked up Gerace in a simple Google search and easily found many disqualifications and discrepancies in Washington state. Then there was “dumber than dirt” Stanley Wright (a political appointment rather than… Read more »
Perhaps Bronson was the worst choice
Oh do you think?
I don’t believe she should be fired for speaking the truth.. The full truth is they are both exactly what she stated.
she should be fired because she’s awful at her job and she was not qualified for it to begin with. a patently unlikable person who is suddenly surprised to find that everyone hates her. Love to see awful people get what they deserve.
Wow! What do you know? She brought Berkowitz to a runoff election which doesn’t support that Demboski is “patently unlikeable” or that “everyone hates her.”
I worked with Rachelle Alger at GCI. Our department had to report her to our vice president at the time in a closed door meeting so they would finally hear our grievances about Rachelles unprofessional behavior at work- primarily the way she spoke to people. Seeing a trend here…
Yeah, the same thing happened here. If fact I heard that when asking people at GCI about her. The only answer I got (from multiple people) was people shaking their heads and saying “I’m sooo sorry”! When she was hired at the Muni. people were berated, belittled and verbally abused quite often. Then when confronted about it she’d laugh and tell everyone to go ahead and report her to HR, that nothing would happen because Niki Tshibaka is her good friend and wouldn’t do anything. No wonder the Muni’s Purchasing Dept. lost 60 to 70% of it’s staff and is… Read more »
Funny how all the cowards trying to defend Demboski’s bad behavior with distractive accusations about Alger only do so from behind anonymous online identities.
I’m not protecting Demboski. I don’t know her, but she messed up- you can’t say extremely truthful things about people in the workplace out loud. But I do know Rachelle Alger, and she’s been called much worse behind closed doors sir- all you have to do is just meet her and spend a few minutes with her and the garbage just starts flowing right out of her mouth. I don’t ever post anything like this on a public forum, but for Rachelle Alger- Merry Christmas.
both situations can be true at once
https://twitter.com/alaskalandmine/status/1519491074888126464?s=20&fbclid=IwAR0tRhT-L-XQzL4F8O_q7UjD3B5wb1Fc_O7lh49yjXzG1fvqiCCUbd2pew0
Good she is gone but the assembly probably should ask for an audit.. not a bad idea
Agree, funny how things get exposed when people begin fighting.
I rarely watch local Anchorage news because it is SO inferior and the same stories are repeated over and over and over again as filler, but I decided to watch at 5:00 today. As expected, there was a brief “report” about the Amy Demboski firing. Apparently, Amy was given the option of quitting with a good reference OR being fired. She chose to be fired. She said the termination was the result of an email she sent to the mayor telling him he and his policies were out of compliance with local ordinances and other requirements. According to her, that… Read more »
But IS Rachel a F’ng C’t?
Swearing in the workplace? Mah stars and garters! Ah nevah heard the like!
A woman should be held just as accountable as a man for professionalism. Do not say or do anything you do not want in the headline of a newspaper.
This is hearsay.
It’s on tape.
not sure what being a woman has to do with it. obviously professionalism is expected regardless…?
I’m glad Dembowski is out, all I’ve heard is that she was Messi by everything up and on a power trip
How can Alger’s husband run for office in West Anchorage when that’s not where they live? Is that even legal?
Elect a clown, expect a circus.
Two incompetant losers, Dembroski and Bronson, are gonna fight this firing out in court. Should be entertaining.
And it’ll probably cost the taxpayers $100k.
Can’t Understand Normal Thinking To many people in government have this problem due to there Pride ! End of Statement !
Never really cared for either Demboski or Bronson, pretty much just thought of them as complete tools. But, the more research I do, seems like Demboski has the upper hand here and is making Bronson look the idiot that he is. Be nice to see her take down a corrupt leader & administration, even though she herself fed the beast.
So when honestly comes out in the bourd room , the messenger gets fried! Why to go Amy !
While I don’t agree with the language used what Ms Demboski said wasn’t anything that Ms Alger hasn’t said openly. This just boils down to Ms Alger being mad that Ms Demboski revoked her signature Authority a couple months ago. With Mr Kolhase in the Muni Manager position I will bet that Bronson tells him to give the signature authority back. That’s the real issue is Ms Alger finally pushed the right button to get Ms Demboski lose her cool. Was probably Bronsons goal all along since he couldn’t get any contracts thru Ms Algers Department. Makes you wonder just… Read more »
I’ve spent my whole life trying to understand people. The older I get, the less I know.
This is who Amy has been the entire time. Mean middle school girl as a middle-aged woman worried about her personal appearance. Cruel. So sloppy to leave all of her evidence, though. Amy has lost her touch. She doesn’t even pretend to be nice to people anymore to get what she wants. I’d hate to be her daughter. I hope people leave that poor girl alone.
I have not read the email Amy Demboski sent to Mayor Bronson, but I am sure it was sent as “cover” for her use after Tshibaka figured out how to get rid of her (either she would quit with a good reference or be fired). The email lays out some concerns about Rachelle Alger’s past contract approvals, a code violation allowing more people at the Sullivan, and a hostile work environment. If there is an honest investigation into this entire matter, I assert that Demboski was involved with all of this *and*, most particularly, the hostile work environment that she… Read more »
Looks like the Anchorage Women’s Republican Club, Judy Eledge, Bernadette Wilson, and all those women are sticking up for a member of their girl squad! The dogs (and their husbands if they even have one) have been sicked on the comment section. Boss bitches UNITE! REPUBLICAN GIRL POWER. You sure are putting us in our places 😉