Gov. Bill Walker has appointed his Arctic policy advisor to lead the state’s Washington, D.C., office.
Craig Fleener will continue advising Walker on Arctic issues.
Walker spokeswoman Grace Jang says the move makes sense since Arctic policy is made in Washington. She says Fleener will make $210,000 annually. His current salary is about $128,000.
Fleener had been Walker’s running mate in 2014 before Walker and Democrat Byron Mallott joined forces.
Jang says the Washington office had five staff members under the previous administration and now has two. She couldn’t say if it would stay at that level.
Fleener replaces Kip Knudson, a hold-over from Gov. Sean Parnell’s administration who was booted by Walker last year.
Jang says the office’s associate director was filling in as director but is leaving to move to Wisconsin.
