Dragisich Named Operations Chief New Assistant City Manager To Start This Month

Nicholas Dragisich will be Spokane’s new assistant city manager in charge of operations.

It’s the old job, with a new title, left vacant when Phil Williams was fired last fall.

Although no employment agreement has been signed, Dragisich is expected to start work July 27, said City Manager Bill Pupo.

Although the $86,000-per-year operations job may not be as visible as the police chief position filled last week by Alan Chertok, Dragisich will have plenty of clout.

“We’re excited to have Nick on board,” said Pupo. “He’ll bring a blend of city management and engineering related experience to the position.

“We look forward to having him work here.”

Dragisich will manage 1,000 employees and budgets totaling $177 million. He’ll oversee planning and engineering services, including construction services, environmental programs, solid waste, transportation, wastewater, and water and hydroelectric services.

Dragisich has worked as an engineer in private firms and as a city administrator since 1977, all in various Minnesota cities.

Suzanne Knapp, representing the Spokane Homebuilders Association, was among those sitting in on interviews with job candidates in May.

“He was my first choice,” Knapp said. “He is energetic, has experience with unions, has a good background and city management skills. “We’ve been concerned about the direction of the planning and building department for some time. His new ideas and strong leadership will be a great boon to the city of Spokane,” Knapp said.

“He is pro-economic growth and pro-jobs that lead to living wages and affordable homes.”

Dragisich, who provided no personal information such as his age on his resume, didn’t return phone calls Monday.

He has a master’s degree in business administration from the University of St. Thomas in Minneapolis, and a bachelor of science degree in civil engineering from the University of Minneapolis.

He is project engineer for Benchmark Engineering in Chisholm, Minn.

For almost 10 years he was a city administrator for the city of Virginia, Minn.

Williams, the former planning services director, was fired last November after revelations he had a relationship with the scientist who was working on a $300,000 study of the city’s waste-to-energy plant. Laura Ackerman, with the Washington Environmental Council, also sat in on the candidate interviews in May. She said she expects the job will be scrutinized more now than in the past.

“It’s a tougher position. Phil Williams is no longer there, but the incinerator is,” Ackerman said.

“I hope (Dragisich) puts what seems to be a lot of high energy to use. I think he is going to get a lot of people knocking on his door,” she said.