Daily Sitka Sentinel

Bus, Budget, Fireworks on Assembly Agenda

By BRIELLE SCHAEFFER
Sentinel Staff Writer
    Allowing private fireworks displays and protecting public officials from lawsuits are two items Assembly members will consider at their meeting tonight.
    The Assembly also will adjust the city budget to re-appropriate leftover money and discuss using bed tax revenue to fund a pilot project for a downtown shuttle bus on cruise ship days.
    The meeting will start at 6 p.m. at Harrigan Centennial Hall.
    Under new business, the body will consider amendments to the city’s fireworks regulations that would permit displays around New Year’s Day and the Fourth of July. The amendments would allow pyrotechnics from 4 p.m. Dec. 31 to  1 a.m. Jan. 1; from 4 p.m. July 3 to 1 a.m. July 4; and from 4 p.m. July 4 to 1 a.m. July 5.
    The proposed ordinance says large fireworks will be allowed during those times with a permit from appropriate city and state officials.
    “No fireworks of any classification may be used and exploded within 200 feet of any tank farm which contains any petroleum product,” the amended ordinance says. “The Chief of the Municipal Fire Department may issue a ban on all fireworks at any time due to heightened risk of fire.”
    The ordinance as it stands now allows fireworks only for individuals who receive permits from the city administrator or other designated employee and have appropriate insurance coverage in the event of any damage, or files a bond of at least $500. Mayor Matt Hunter and Assembly member Aaron Swanson sponsored the ordinance.
    Under unfinished business, the Assembly is set to approve an ordinance on final reading covering “defense and indemnification of city officers and employees” against claims and lawsuits “resulting from good faith efforts to perform their official duties and responsibilities.” The Assembly asked a number of questions before approving the ordinance on introduction at its July 11 meeting.
    The ordinance comes in the wake of a lawsuit against the city filed by former Sitka mayor Marko Dapcevich. He filed a lawsuit against the City and Borough of Sitka, Administrator Mark Gorman and Mayor Matt Hunter, contending that the city didn’t follow the Home Rule Charter when it awarded a bid for a floating dock at Gary Paxton Industrial Park. Dapcevich is seeking damages from Gorman and Hunter individually, in addition to their capacities as administrator and mayor.
    Budget adjustments also are on the agenda tonight. The Assembly will consider a supplemental budget ordinance to adjust the FY 2018 operating budget by re-appropriating unspent funds from FY 2017 on second and final reading. It will also discuss taking $10,000 for a proposed downtown visitor shuttle out of the visitor enhancement fund, which is comprised of bed taxes.
    “As the shuttle will serve all visitors, not just cruise ship passengers, and be available to residents as well, staff feels that use of the visitor enhancement fund is most appropriate,” Interim City Manager Phil Messina said in a memo.
    Sitka Tribe of Alaska has offered to operate the shuttle, and signed a memorandum of understanding with the Assembly on July 12.
    The shuttle is already in operation and is set to run until Aug. 12. The 14-passenger mini-bus makes a downtown circuit of Harbor Drive and Lincoln Street on large cruise ship days, starting every 15 minutes from Centennial Hall and making three stops.