One of the first things Bill Falsey did as he prepared to take a new job as Anchorage's city manager was to ask for a desk outfitted with a treadmill.
He got it. This week in his City Hall office, Falsey, who started the job a month ago, walked on the treadmill while looking at a set of computer screens.
Falsey said that when he was debating whether to take the city manager job and its added responsibilities, one person in the administration told him he should "have some demands."
"I came up with no demands, other than I wanted the ability to do some exercise," Falsey, who was previously the city attorney, said in an interview.
The desk and treadmill together cost taxpayers about $2,500, according to Joy Maglaqui, executive assistant to Falsey.
Falsey, who is 37, said he had health reasons in mind. He said the round-the-clock job leaves little time for exercise. Meanwhile, treadmill desks and elevated "standing" desks have become more popular in workplaces nationally, as researchers have linked prolonged sitting to a higher risk of diabetes and heart disease. Falsey said it fits into the city's plan of cutting spiraling health care costs by promoting fitness among employees.
"I went 6 miles on it on Tuesday," Falsey said.
In exchange, Falsey said, he's ditched the government car driven by prior city managers. Mike Abbott, who preceded Falsey, drove a Nissan Armada equipped with lights, sirens and communications equipment for an emergency.
The city's lease for the SUV added up to about $4,000 annually, which doesn't include gas, said Ona Brause, chief of staff to Mayor Ethan Berkowitz. She said the vehicle has been returned to the city's fleet maintenance department, where it could be used by a different city worker.
Falsey said he is not submitting reimbursement requests for work trips made in his personal car. He said he doesn't plan to, unless the trip takes him well outside of the immediate Anchorage area.
Falsey's salary did not change with his promotion. But he did receive a 12 percent raise as city attorney at the start of this year, which boosted it to $137,000.
In his old job, Falsey brought in an elevated desk from his private legal practice that he could use while standing. The desk remains in the city attorney's office.
Falsey said he might consider buying back the treadmill desk when his job at the city ends.