The small Susitna Valley city of Houston lost its top emergency official this month when Fire Chief Tom Hood abruptly resigned with just two days' notice.
Houston, the only place in the Matanuska-Susitna Borough where marijuana businesses are currently allowed, is a city of more than 2,000 residents but no active police department.
Hood's sudden departure left Houston's 12-person fire department in such a lurch that the mayor asked the borough emergency services director to provide an acting chief until the city hires a new one.
The borough plans to put emergency manager Casey Cook in the position until Sept. 1. The Mat-Su Assembly still needs to approve that move.
Houston Mayor Virgie Thompson sought help from the borough the same day Hood announced his resignation effective July 8.
"It's public safety," Thompson said Monday. "It's extremely important to me it's overseen by someone who's highly qualified to do so until we are able to fill that position." Hood didn't return a request for comment. A fire last month destroyed his home in Meadow Lakes near Houston. Hood and his wife are raising their young grandchildren.