TRUCK FIRE – Firefighters knock down a fire in a Ford Explorer truck in Arrowhead Trailer Park in the 1200 block of Sawmill Creek Road Saturday evening. One person received fire-related injuries and was taken to the hospital, Sitka Fire Department Chief Craig Warren said, and the truck was considered a total loss. The cause of the fire is under investigation, Warren said. The fire hall received the call about the fire at 5:33 p.m., and one fire engine with eight firefighters and an ambulance were dispatched, he said. (Sentinel Photo by James Poulson)
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Daily Sitka Sentinel
Assembly Reverses Stand on CLT Funding
Newly elected Assembly members are sworn in Tuesday at Centennial Hall. Pictured are, from left, Steven Eisenbeisz, Ben Miyasato and Richard Wein. (Sentinel Photo by James Poulson)
By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
Newly elected Assembly members Richard Wein and Ben Miyasato and incumbent Steven Eisenbeisz were sworn in at the regular City and Borough Assembly meeting Tuesday.
The meeting was lengthened by intermittent problems with the sound system, a legal consultation in executive session, rigorous debate on two items, and a brief celebration to mark the transition from one Assembly to the next. The meeting ran past the three-hour mark, despite an action agenda with only a few items.
Aaron Swanson and Tristan Guevin, whose terms were up, were honored with certificates from the city for their years of service on the Assembly. Swanson was elected in 2013, and appointed in 2016 to serve the final year of Matt Hunter’s term when Hunter was elected mayor. Guevin was elected in 2014.
Before Guevin and Swanson stepped down and the others were sworn in, the Assembly certified the election results and approved the minutes. Guevin read a written statement from his new home in Baltimore, expressing the need for more “equity, inclusion and justice” in Sitka, and thanking volunteers and city staff he served with.
There was a brief break, with cupcakes and punch.
After the newly composed Assembly was seated, Mayor Matt Hunter went through a list of ground rules about decorum at the Assembly table, and told the new members how he planned to run the meeting. That includes report limits at 3 minutes, public comments at 3 minutes and Assembly comments during debate at 5. He said he planned to make sure all Assembly members have a chance to talk twice, and if he feels the debate is not advancing, he may call for it to be wrapped up.
“If you disagree you can extend the debate,” he said. “I’m just one of seven.”
In its first order of business, the Assembly narrowly rejected a request for city funds to help cover the cost of soil remediation at the old city shops property at 1306 HPR.
The request came from the nonprofit Community Land Trust, which plans to build seven small affordable homes on that site.
The city land was sold to the Community Land Trust for $1 with the understanding that the CLT would be responsible for cleaning up any soil contamination, a point that was made several times at the meeting.
The motion to approve an agreement for payment of $47,267 to the trust for the soil remediation failed on a 3-4 vote. It was a turnaround from the Assembly’s 4-3 vote in favor of city financial support two weeks ago.
Miyasato and Wein were voting on the issue for the first time, with Miyasato in favor and Wein against. But the swing vote was Hunter, who voted against.
The funds would have come out of the city’s Southeast Alaska Economic Development Fund.
“If we keep this money it will be available for future projects as well,” Hunter said. “I’m going to be the fourth ‘no’ vote on this.”
He said he was basing his vote on the precedent it would set, and the fact that the project would still get done without city money. Estimates that were given at the meeting were that it would add between $30 to $50 more per month to the mortgage on the typical house to be built on the site.
Besides Wein the other “no” votes came from Eisenbeisz and Aaron Bean. Voting in favor were Miyasato, Kevin Knox and Bob Potrzuski.
In general, those voting no felt the homes would still be affordable. They also said the trust had accepted the responsibility for site cleanup when they signed the agreement.
“It is my opinion that such a transfer of funds from the city represents a precedent that neither the City of Sitka nor this Assembly should allow,” Wein said. “This precedent overrides a prior contract agreement (or) ordinance and the spirit of the people’s referendum.”
Bean said he feels the CLT and city should adhere to the original agreement, which he said called for the nonprofit to cover cleanup costs.
“They knew it existed when they bought into the deal,” he said. He said he felt the $1 sale price was indication of the city’s support for the affordable housing project.
The Assembly met in executive session for about a half hour to hear legal advice about the issue from City Attorney Brian Hanson.
The members who spoke in favor of the project had their own reasons.
In voting in favor, Knox said he felt the city had created the contamination, and had a responsibility to clean it up. For many years the land was the site of a diesel generating plant and the city shops.
He said the $30 in additional monthly mortgage costs didn’t sound like a lot to some people, but it was to others, particularly those looking for affordable housing.
Miyasato said he was following through with his support for the affordable housing project he expressed when he was last on the Assembly.
“I was one of the sponsors and was included in the discussions between the Community Land Trust and city staff with this piece of property,” he said. “This is a reluctant ‘in favor’ of helping them out. ... I’m not going to walk away from my obligation.”
Potrzuski said he was in support of the project, and that the increased mortgage costs were many times the increase of sewage rates.
“If you truly believe you want to keep things affordable, and you balk at raising rates on things we have to have, that’s not being consistent,” he said. “Coming down to affordability, $40 is a huge dent to a lot of people.”
Liaison Assignments
The Assembly spent some time working out liaison assignments. Assembly members sign up to attend committee, board and commissions, and provide updates to the Assembly.
Eisenbeisz has been the hospital board liaison, and said would like to continue with that assignment, and Wein, who is a surgeon, said he would also like that position. Wein said he felt he his medical experience and hospital board work elsewhere would be of use in the position, and help the hospital at this crucial time.
“We are at a point at Sitka Community Hospital where it needs knowledge to help guide the ship,” Wein said. With the review of the RFP for management of the hospital coming up, Wein said he felt he can “help direct and explain what’s going on.”
Knox asked whether Wein would be an appropriate choice, given that Wein worked at SCH until his contract was not renewed by hospital administrator Rob Allen, who continues to hold that position. Wein said he bears no ill will over past incidents, and is a fierce advocate for the hospital.
“The hospital is a gem,” Wein said. “I have the best interest of the hospital at heart.”
The vote was 5-2 in favor of Eisenbeisz, with Knox, Hunter, Miyasato. Potrzuski and Eisenbeisz voting in favor. Wein and Bean voted for Wein. Bean said he felt Wein would bring needed expertise to the position.
Wein will take the alternate liaison position and fill in when Eisenbeisz is unavailable.
In the other appointments, and alternates:
Gary Paxton Industrial Park Board, Potrzuski
Health Needs and Community Services, Wein.
Historic Preservation, Bean, Eisenbeisz
SCH board, Eisenbeisz, Wein
Investment, Miyasato, Bean
Library, Hunter
Local Emergency Planning, Potrzuski
Parks and Recreation, Knox
Planning, Knox, Bean
Police and Fire, Miyasato, Eisenbeisz
Port and Harbors, Bean, Hunter
Tree and Landscape, Potrzuski
Sitka Economic Development Association, Bean, Miyasato
Sitka Tribe of Alaska tribal council, Knox, Bean
Sitka School Board, Potrzuski, Miyasato.
Other Business
In other business:
– under persons to be heard at the beginning and end of the meeting, Library Board member Darryl Rehkopf passed on the board’s thanks to staff and in particular interim Library Director Maite Lorente for her work over the summer at the library until the arrival of the new library director; Bahá’í faith member Tammy Judd Jenny talked about the upcoming celebration in the B’hai community; Kendall Folkert talked about his work maintaining the Halibut Point Recreation Area and asked for Assembly support for him to continue; and Charles Bingham reminded the community about the Sitka Health Summit, taking place today through Friday. Local merchant Shirley Robards asked about the amount of money the city spends at Amazon.com.
“I would like to know about it,” Robards said.
Under the Sitka Tribe of Alaska report, Tribal Council Chairman KathyHope Erickson said the Canoe Dedication Ceremony will be 4 to 8 p.m. Thursday at the UAS and MEHS ramp, with a reception at the Sheet’ka Kwaan Naa Kahidi.
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20 YEARS AGO
March 2004
Businesses using the Centennial Hall parking lot testified Tuesday against a proposal to charge them rent in addition to the $200 annual permit fee. City Administrator Hugh Bevan made the proposal in response to the Assembly’s direction to Centennial Hall manager Don Kluting to try to close the $340,000 gap between building revenues and operational costs.
50 YEARS AGO
March 1974
Alaska Native Brotherhood Grand President William S. Paul Sr. will be special guest and speaker at the local ANB, Alaska Native Sisterhood Founders Day program Monday at the ANB Hall.