FIFTH OPENING – The Sitka seine boats Hukilau and Rose Lee pump herring aboard this afternoon at the end of Deep Inlet during the fifth opening in the Sitka Sound sac roe herring fishery. The opening was being held in two locations beginning at 11 a.m. (Sentinel Photo by James Poulson) 

New RFP Sought For Managing PAC
27 Mar 2024 14:48

By GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel Staff Writer
    The future of management and operations at the Perform [ ... ]

Seiners Get Second Day with 2 Areas to Fish
27 Mar 2024 14:46

By Sentinel Staff
    The Sitka Sound commercial herring sac roe fishery continued today with open [ ... ]

Braves Take Second in Last Minute Upset
27 Mar 2024 12:41

By GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel Sports Editor
    After storming into the state 3A boys basketball brac [ ... ]

Tuesday City League Volleyball
27 Mar 2024 12:39

By Sentinel Staff
    The Queen Bees’ spotless season record ended Tuesday night with a 2-1 loss [ ... ]

Kodiak Alutiiq Museum Getting New Attention
27 Mar 2024 12:37

By SHIRLEY SNEVE
Indian Country Today
    A major renovation at an Alaska museum to attract tourist [ ... ]

House Hearing on Inmate Deaths Halted
27 Mar 2024 12:35

By CLAIRE STREMPLE
Alaska Beacon
    A presentation about a jump in the number of inmate deaths in  [ ... ]

Nominee to Bering Sea Council: Not a Trawler
27 Mar 2024 12:34

By NATHANIEL HERZ
Northern Journal
    Tribal and environmental advocates calling for a crackdown o [ ... ]

March 27, 2024, Police Blotter
27 Mar 2024 12:26

Police Blotter
Sitka police received the following calls by 8 a.m. today:
March 26
At 2:10 p.m. a man e [ ... ]

March 27, 2024, Community Happenings
27 Mar 2024 12:25

Big Rigs Sought
For April 13
The 3 to 5 Preschool’s spring fundraiser and Big Rig event is happening [ ... ]

Reassessments Raise Tax Bills for Sitkans
26 Mar 2024 15:22

By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
    The city’s reassessment of taxable real estate, alo [ ... ]

Two Areas Opened in Herring Fishery Today
26 Mar 2024 15:21

By Sentinel Staff
The third opening in this year’s Sitka Sound sac roe herring fishery was held Mon [ ... ]

Lady Wolves Rally to Take Fourth at State
26 Mar 2024 15:16

By GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel Sports Editor
    Sitka High’s Lady Wolves bounced back from an openi [ ... ]

Edgecumbe Girls Close Out Season Up North
26 Mar 2024 14:58

By GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel ports Editor
    Competing in the state 3A basketball tournament in Anc [ ... ]

City League Monday
26 Mar 2024 14:55

By Sentinel Staff
    Playing in a competitive division City League volleyball game Monday evening [ ... ]

House Votes to Broaden Rules For Review Panel Memb...
26 Mar 2024 14:52

By JAMES BROOKS
Alaska Beacon
    A bill that passed the Alaska House of Representatives on Monday  [ ... ]

Alaskan Grilled in D.C. Over Climate Science
26 Mar 2024 14:51

By NATHANIEL HERZ
Northern Journal
    Gus Schumacher, the Anchorage Olympic cross-country skier, a [ ... ]

Faster Internet Speeds In Rural Schools OK'd
26 Mar 2024 13:53

By CLAIRE STREMPLE
Alaska Beacon
    Alaska’s rural schools are on track to access faster interne [ ... ]

Native Words Gathered In Environment Studies
26 Mar 2024 13:52

By YERETH ROSEN
Alaska Beacon
    In the language of the Gwich’in people of northeastern Alaska,  [ ... ]

March 26, 2024, Police Blotter
26 Mar 2024 13:49

Police Blotter
Sitka police received the following calls by 8 a.m. today:
March 25
At 7:48 a.m. a calle [ ... ]

March 26, 2024, Community Happenings
26 Mar 2024 13:48

Vietnam-Era Vets
Invited to Lunch,
Commemoration
American Legion Post 13 will host a luncheon 1-3 p.m.  [ ... ]

Sac Roe Herring Fishery Opens in Hayward
25 Mar 2024 15:30

By GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel Staff Writer
    The 2024 Sitka Sound sac roe herring fishery got under [ ... ]

Projects on the Table For Cruise Tax Funds
25 Mar 2024 15:28

By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
    The Assembly will start the annual process of determi [ ... ]

Braves Take Second at State after Close Loss
25 Mar 2024 15:23

By Sentinel Staff
    Competing in the 3A state championship title basketball game Saturday, the M [ ... ]

City League Games Continue
25 Mar 2024 15:11

By Sentinel Staff
    Playing through the afternoon Sunday, City League volleyball teams faced off [ ... ]

Other Articles

Daily Sitka Sentinel

Assembly Closes Doors For Talk On Hospital

By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
    The Assembly met in executive session Thursday night to discuss a letter of intent and negotiating strategies related to SEARHC ’s proposal to purchase the health care business of Sitka Community Hospital.
    After about three hours, the Assembly returned to open session and voted to hire an outside attorney and to draft an ordinance appropriating $150,000 to cover attorney fees. The attorney is to be named later.
    “We discussed the hospital letter of intent and negotiating strategies and heard from staff, and the consultant about best practices and concerns,” Mayor Matt Hunter said, summarizing the executive session. “It was a good discussion and I feel comforted on the path we’re going, and discussion we’ve had to figure out how to protect Sitka, and the people of Sitka, and make it a positive outcome for everyone.”
    The Assembly has moved into Phase III of the request for proposals process, with the goal of signing a nonbinding letter of intent, and SEARHC and the city working together toward completion of due diligence “with the objective of drafting and entering into an exclusive agreement that best satisfies the objectives of CBS (City and Borough of Sitka) and the selected proposer,” according to the city’s summary of the RFP process. The request had been for proposals from health care entities interested in managing, affiliating with or purchasing Sitka Community. The Assembly on Aug. 28 voted 6-1 to go with the SEARHC proposal to purchase the hospital business.
    Attending the executive session Thursday night were six members of Assembly, City Administrator Keith Brady, City Clerk Sara Peterson, consultant Sarah Cave, and City Attorney Brian Hanson. City Finance Director Jay Sweeney was invited in at 8:10 p.m. Richard Wein, who attended by teleconference, was traveling and had to leave the meeting at 8:25 p.m.
    The vote was 5-0 to hire an attorney, with Hunter, Ben Miyasato, Aaron Bean, Kevin Knox and Bob Potrzuski voting in favor. Steven Eisenbeisz was absent because he was attending the Southeast Conference meeting.
    There was some discussion at the outset of the meeting about whether to go into executive session.
    Hanson said the Assembly could meet in open session, but it was not considered “best practices,” on matters such as this, when the Assembly might be discussing items it doesn’t want other parties to hear. The vote was 5-1, with Wein against, to go into executive session.
    Assembly members said once the Letter of Intent was finished, it would be released to the public. But at this point, when there will be negotiations over details, it made more sense to meet in executive session.
    Bean said he would be in favor of releasing the draft of the letter to the public, but expects some issues about the city’s position needs to be discussed in private before then.
    Kevin Knox agreed.
    “We have a lot to negotiate here,” Knox said. “Some of it, we don’t want to show our cards.”
    Wein voted against, saying he believes the items that would be discussed were already known to both the city and SEARHC.
    “There’s no reason not to have complete transparency,” he said. “Our cards have been shown from Day One. I can’t imagine the things that are possibly said that would be so controversial” not to be said in public.
    A few members of the public testified about the executive session before the Assembly voted in favor.
    Hunter said at the end of the meeting the public can expect a number of discussions to take place behind closed doors at this stage of the process.
    “As the Assembly is working through the negotiations phase, a lot of discussions will be held in executive session,” he said. “I understand the community’s nervousness. ... Until we get something (both parties) can sign, a definitive agreement in the coming months, it’s important we’re able to protect the community’s interest.”

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20 YEARS AGO

March 2004

Matthew C. Hunter of Sitka recently returned from Cuba as part of a St. Olaf College International and Off-Campus Studies program. Hunter, a junior physics major at St. Olaf College, is the son of Robert and Kim Hunter of Sitka.


50 YEARS AGO

March 1974

Eighth graders have returned from a visit to Juneau to see the Legislature. They had worked for it since Christmas vacation ... Clarice Johnson’s idea of a “White Elephant” sales was chosen as the best money-maker; Joe Roth won the political cartoon assignment; highest government test scorers were Ken Armstrong, Joanna Hearn, Linda Montgomery, Lisa Henry, Calvin Taylor and David Licari .....

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