Michael Neussl, who is retiring as deputy commissioner for marine operations at the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities at the end of this week, said Wednesday that he was asked to step down by newly appointed department Commissioner Pat Kemp.
Neussl called the decision “a mutual agreement between the new commissioner and myself that that was the best thing,” but acknowledged that Kemp asked him to resign.
“I was not surprised by that,” said Neussl. “He asked and I accepted and I submitted my resignation letter.”
Neussl said his resignation was not “directly related” to Gov. Sean Parnell’s decision late last year to scrap the Alaska Class Ferry project in favor of ordering two smaller ferries for Lynn Canal trips.
“This position serves at the pleasure of the commissioner, and (Kemp) is the new commissioner and he gets to select his staff,” Neussl said.
Neussl retired as district chief of staff of the United States Coast Guard in 2010 and was named deputy commissioner in February 2011. Now that he is leaving the DOT&PF, he said, he plans to “reenter retirement.”
As for the Alaska Marine Highway System, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, Neussl highlighted positive changes for the system in his two years overseeing it.
“We’ve made some progress in the past couple years with the Marine Highway System — a lot of successes,” said Neussl. He asserted that the number of complaints about the ferry system has dropped since he became deputy commissioner, adding, “The system is running well, and I’m glad to see that.”
But Neussl will only be involved with the AMHS as much as any Southeast Alaska resident is from here on out.
“I plan to be a passenger on it as I do some of my traveling in the not-too-distant future,” Neussl said.
The DOT&PF has not yet made an announcement on Neussl’s successor.
Kemp, who acted as commissioner of the DOT&PF before being appointed to the position on a permanent basis by Parnell last month, is on vacation this week and was not available for comment.
Sen. Dennis Egan, D-Juneau, who is the incoming chairman of the Senate Transportation Committee, said he has enjoyed a good working relationship with Neussl and is sorry to see him leave the department.
“I personally thought Mike was doing a great job, and he’s a manager,” Egan said. “I hate to see Mike go, because my office got along great with him, and he was always very prompt at calling or returning calls and answering calls that we got from constituents.”
Juneau Port Director Carl Uchytil, who worked under Neussl when they were both in the Coast Guard, called him a “quality guy.”
“I can’t say enough good things about the guy,” Uchytil added. “I have the utmost respect and admiration for Mike Neussl.”
Uchytil said he is unfamiliar with “the politics or the dynamics that were in play” in Neussl’s resignation, but said, “I assume he did what was best for him and his family.”
Sitka Mayor Mim McConnell said she had not met Neussl, but feels that his departure is a loss.
“I’m sorry to hear that he’s stepping down,” McConnell said. “I’ve heard good things about him, and it sounds like a big loss to Southeast.”
Juneau and Sitka are among several communities in coastal Alaska that are not connected to the North American road system and thus rely on the AMHS for surface transportation.
The AMHS serves Southeast Alaska, Southern Alaska and Southwest Alaska, as well as the port cities of Bellingham, Wash., and Prince Rupert, B.C.
• Contact reporter Mark D. Miller at 523-2279 or at mark.d.miller@juneauempire.com.
Comments (29)
Add commentMike Neussl is a class act
The man defines integrity.
It's no wonder that he didn't fit in with the Parnell Administration.
Sole Source
It's a small wonder why the price tag for the Alaskan built Alaska Class Ferry went out of control.
Some people are insisting that the new ferrys be built at the Ketchikan Shipyards - now owned by an out-of-state company. By knowing that they are getting the preferred vendor treatment, this company is giving Alaska the "preferred treatment" in the backside.
Competence and integrity stifled at DOT
Now the Parnell/Teadwell regime's DOT, with a recycled "new" commissioner, can get on with business as usual.
Making decisions in secret, avoiding public process, and saying to those communities out of favor (translation: In SE Alaska, all but Juneau):
"Eat cake."
Master Plan
Parnell and Kemp love roads and hate the AMHS.
These crappy mini-ferries will of course be a complete failure, thus proving their contention that roads are the only solution. The only problem is Parnell has the state on a fast track to financial ruin by cutting oil tax rates.
Kemp
Is the best thing that has happened to DOT in a long long time. Give him a chance and I'm sure he has some good direction! I'll sit back and watch good things finally happen for DOT!
more to the story
It obvious to those who have followed the governor's announcement over building two small ferries that there is something behind all the changes from an ongoing plan to improve AMHS by building a large ferry to replace aging vessels.
An out of state company takes over the yard in Alaska and instantly the entire new large ferry project changes to two smaller vessels. To date the explanations bantered about are frivolous. Why was this decision made before the cost issue could be reviewed by the legislature? It is quite possible the legislature might have provided addition funding for the single ferry. Why not propose building one smaller ferry now and save the funding for the future? I find a lot of questions that Alaskans need to have answered.
Blue ticket...
Just another Coastie double dipper. Good ordering young enlisted service members but not successful working in the public sector.Why can't Alaska learn to let these retirees just leave the first time!!!
This guy must be like the rest of the general public...
he saw how obviously flawed the two small ferry plan is - so now he is gone. Just like the Palin administration before this, the Parnell gang gets rid of you if you dare cross them. So I must ask, is it something inherent in the Republican mind that fears an opposing viewpoint? Would this guy be gone if Knowles was in office? Who will replace him...another street maintenance guy who knows nothing about boats?
We have big ferries for a reason Governor - because they work in high seas and provide enough space for vehicles, staterooms, recreation, and dining. THIS IS WHAT THE PEOPLE WANT. Do we have to pay the price because you are too cheap to do something right? Good stewardship of taxpayer money is one thing, but going with the cheapest plan isn't always a good idea....you get what you pay for!
Integrity
At least he had the integrity to leave instead of being party to an inside deal for the Outside-owned Ketchikan shipyard, which continues to bleed money from AIDA and AMHS.
Parnell's idiotic scheme for mini ferries that won't take any SE winter weather is going to get shot down in the Legislature, which will reinstate the Alaska Class ferries and tell the Gubernator that he can't just arbitrarily change projects that are funded as line items in the budget.
And Kemp is just another derriere kisser for the road building lobby, who could care less what the public wants, which is continued improved ferry service.
DOT is doing their best to screw up the ferries. Every other week, I meet military families at the Auke Bay terminal who had to take the Mat from Bellingham and then transfer to the Kennicott to go to Whittier. Meanwhile, the Cott is terminating in Prince Rupert while there are military folks moving north stuck in Bellingham on standby. Why isn't the Cott running to Bellingham when it would be full on every trip north, instead of carrying a dozen cars from Rupert to Juneau?
Yep, they do their best to screw things up so the ferry system looks bad.
a dime a dozen..
Deputy commissioners at the AMHS are a dime a dozen.
Need a new one ? Go to the grocery store and pick somebody out of the line.
Within a few days the shipboard crewmembers at the AMHS will have forgotten this guys' name.
The smartest guy in the room.
I worked directly for Captain Neussl for two years. He is known as "the man with two brains" becasue he is always the smartest man in the room - any room. And, as Lat 58 has noted, Mike's honor and integrity are beyond reproach.
Having worked for the Coast Guard and the State of Alaska, I understand why Mike didn't fit in the Parnell administration. They are threatened by and don't want smart, honest people of integrity.
@Lat58, and the Captain
sometimes, my friend, we see exactly eye to eye. Captain Nuessel, USCG (ret), is about as Alaskan transplant & fully engaged as a person could be. Thank you, sir, for your service and commitment to us all.
Parnell aborts the ACF project.
Parnell appoints Kemp, Kemp fires Neussl....no one with half a clue left to question him, problem solved. I can't wait to see who Parnell appoints to replace Mr Neussl, on Kemp's behalf.
How convenient that Kemp isn't available to comment. I wonder if Kemp, got Parnillip's's text with further instructions yet......
Grendel
Perhaps people like you work well with this guy; I suspect his CG retirement had something to do with promotion. I don't believe most military retirees are a good fit in high level state admin positions; maybe with the troopers.
I hope your vocabulary isn't indicative of your quality of life!
@snagger
You know snagger - you should get your facts straight before you say that military retirees don't fit well in high level state positions - point of fact is that there are CG retirees in ALL sorts of high level positions within OUR state. We are not double-dippers - we're contributing greatly to the state's needs - isn't it interesting that we're actively sought out because of our ability TO PERFORM by both the public and private sectors?? I know Mike Neussel personally - and he IS integrity defined, and as others have noted - he is often the smartest person in the room. Maybe the two reasons why he's leaving are: the lack of integrity in state leadership, and ineffective ideas being promoted by his superiors. Not because he's good at "ordering enlisted people around". Wake up.
Just move over....
There are several well qualified state employees working their way through various agencies; I haven't seen them hired in the ranks of the CG(military). I have seen numerous people leave the CG and work their way in state government with success and accomplishment; I'm happy for them. I've also seen several unqualified higher ranking military retirees moved into jobs who either accomplish nothing or leave!
Parnell's Pet Bully
Kemp has to someday justify the million of dollars of culvert pipe stacked out behind the 7 mile DOT building that he authorized the purchase of for the road out of Juneau. Guess he thought hewas going to push the road through himself . It's been sitting there for years. A waste of the state’s dollars.
Kemp fits in well with Parnell's thugs. He's a hired bully... the new Bill Allen of the Republicans. He will bully anyone that doesn’t fit in with the Parnells shifty business …. or his own narcissitic agenda.
You know...the “I own you“ and “I will destroy you ” type of thug.
What's DOT's record of hiring minorities. The worst of all state agencies.. Wonder why that is?
Kemp just another hatchetman
put in to destroy the ferry service. Murkowski and Parnell both pro-roaders who tried to kill the AMHS. Remember Murky's promise that we'd save money by moving the headquarters to Ketchikan?
Take Partnell to court for circumventing public process.
Too frequent changes at the
Too frequent changes at the top of the AMHS. The job needs dedication and longevity. It should not be another political plum for whatever lackey Parnell or Kemp wishes reward.
word on the street
I heard that Kemp has decided not to hire a new Deputy Commissioner for Marine Operations and is lumping Marine Operations into another deputy's responsibilities, i.e. Highways. Not sure if that's true. Has anyone else heard something similar?
@snagger
you suspect? I suspect you should re-read my comment at 1254 in the PM yesterday. zip-it. Have you ever gone out over VHF 9/16 for distress? I have had USCG harass me, sure, I'm a small commercial guy and an easy target. When I was a younger guy, and working for someone, The Coast Guard guys (and maybe girls, too) showed up in wx that no one in right mind would fly in, but they did and they saved two kids I can think of off top of my head. These kids grew up to raise families with total of 5 kids [my edit: only five between them all, freaking english]. Do the math. 5 kids that wouldnt have been here now, trying to be cool, trying to get a girl's attention, or hoping they can make it thru gym class, and they come home to a DAD every night.
You know Grendel,
snagger is just as much a human as you are, and has a right to express his/her feelings too. Just because you don't necessarily agree, doesn't entitle you to tell her/him to stifle it.
From my view, you need a bar of soap in your mouth. I know from your prior postings, that you're completely capable of making your point, without the sailor speak. Maybe you should count to ten, ten times, before you reply to someone you strongly disagree with.
I don't often agree with you, but if I only see life through my eyes, I get a very narrow and stagnated view. We all have something to offer, based on our own unique experiences. We don't have to agree, but we owe it to each other as a people, to at least listen.
@ima49er
noted. and will try harder.
Grendel
roger-roger.
ima49er
you get it. thx, bakatcha
He's a good man!
I have worked with Capt. Neussl on a couple of occasions. He approaches a problem head-on identifies a solution and moves on. The Deputy Commissioner position is all about problem solving, ships and administration, he was well versed in all of it and will be missed.
Don’t know what this Administration has in mind with these antics. The two small boat alternative was not well thought out and I don’t see it getting traction at all. I hope Neussl’s replacement knows what he is getting into, as a rule it’s not good practice to switch horses in the middle of the stream, especially without a good plan.
@SEtroller
very well spoken (I sometimes get excitable and my english goes South). Your boat?
Oh Creepers
^^^
Doesn't mean they are qualified!
"fact is that there are CG retirees in ALL sorts of high level positions within OUR state."
It doesn't mean they are qualified for those positions or are doing a good job! Some are.....some aren't.