Anchorage Mayor Bronson picks Grant Yutrzenka as city’s CFO

the corner of the City Hall building
Anchorage City Hall on Dec. 8, 2020. (Jeff Chen/Alaska Public Media)

Anchorage Mayor Dave Bronson has named Grant Yutrzenka as the city’s new chief fiscal officer. He’s been the acting CFO since September.

The position manages city spending, and oversees several departments, including purchasing, treasury and property appraisal. Before his job in the finance department, Yutrzenka was assistant general manager and CFO for the city’s water and wastewater utility. 

His predecessor, Travis Frisk, resigned in July. Officials with the mayor’s office did not comment on what led to Frisk’s resignation.

The CFO job became a source of controversy last January, when the Bronson administration spent months not following the Assembly’s approved budget, claiming that the CFO could not certify funds approved by the Assembly. The mayor’s office ended up transitioning back to the Assembly’s budget in April. The Assembly later passed an ordinance to try to ensure the mayor follows the city budget they approve. 

Yutrzenka’s position is subject to approval by the Assembly.

a portrait of a man outside

Wesley Early covers Anchorage life and city politics for Alaska Public Media. Reach him at wearly@alaskapublic.org and follow him on X at @wesley_early. Read more about Wesley here.

Previous articleFCC wants users to map Alaskans’ internet to improve service
Next articleThe rising cost of food is outpacing inflation. Here’s how some Alaskans are coping.