Taylor Bickford To Work Part Time For Alaska Redistricting Board To Help With Mapping

After being pressured by the Anchorage Daily News into announcing the candidates for their Executive Director position, the Board publicly interviewed the three remaining candidates and then decided, in executive session, to not hire for the position at all.  I've posted about this already and my belief that they had a preferred candidate and when things went public, they couldn't choose him because he was so clearly less qualified than the other candidates.

I've heard a rumor for two weeks now that they would hire Taylor Bickford, who was the Executive Director before the Board went on pause last year,  in a more technical position than executive director and today a press release from the Board confirms that.  

They will also meet on Friday at 11 am.   For details of the hire and the meeting, see the press release below:

Anchorage, AK - The Alaska Redistricting Board will meet via teleconference at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, June 7, 2013. The purpose of the meeting is to receive a report on legal issues and discuss a schedule for future Board work sessions and meetings.

"The Board is committed to proceeding on a reasonable timeline to ensure we have a constitutionally acceptable redistricting plan for the 2014 state legislative elections," said Board Chairman John Torgerson. "The Superior Court judge presiding over this case has recognized our process as the most open and transparent in the history of Alaska redistricting, and we intend to continue with that tradition." 

All Board meetings are public meetings. Members of the public may listen to the teleconference at the Board's Anchorage office (411 West 4th Avenue, Suite 302, Anchorage, AK 99501), by calling 1-855-463-5009, or via live stream at www.aklegislature.tv.

Anyone needing special accommodations is requested to call 907-269-7402 or email info@akredistricting.org.

Additionally, the Board announces that its former executive director, Taylor Bickford, will be returning on a part-time, as-needed basis to assist with the drawing of a new plan.

"Taylor understands the process and what needs to be done," Torgerson said. "We are thankful to have him back."

 My experience with Taylor when he was deputy director and then executive director of the Board was mostly positive.  He's a bright and decent young man and was almost always responsive to my requests.  He's also part of the team at the Board and I'm pretty sure he will do what he's asked.  As the chair, John Torgerson, said, "Taylor understands  .  .  . what needs to be done."