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Assembly: City Needs Replacement Haulout

Posted

By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
    Fishermen delivered the message to the Assembly loud and clear Monday night: Sitka needs to have a boat haulout in operation by the time Halibut Point Marine LLC shuts down its privately owned facility in 2021.
    As it happens, Halibut Point Marine has made an offer to build a new haulout on city-owned property, that the city or a contractor will operate.
    That offer was on the Assembly agenda for discussion at Monday night’s regular meeting.
    In exchange for building a haulout facility at Gary Paxton Industrial Park, Halibut Point Marine would receive title to 17 acres of city-owned waterfront property at 4951 HPR, appraised at $1.95 million.
    HPM Manager Chris McGraw said his company is getting out of the boatyard business because it plans to expand its tourist-related business on the site, which is adjacent to the company’s deep water dock for cruise ships.
    The regular Assembly meetings are held on Tuesdays, but the Assembly met on Monday this week to avoid having to meet on Christmas Eve.
    Fishermen and others at the meeting Monday said it’s imperative that Sitka have a boat haulout to keep the commercial fleet from moving to communities that better support industry.
    This was not news to Assembly members, who have been supportive of having a haulout at the park for years, but were stumped by the problem of covering the estimated $7.5 million cost. The facility has been a top goal of the GPIP board the past 12 years. A few fishermen pointed out that the Assembly and city didn’t move forward before out of concerns about the government competing with private business.
    Public testimony came in heavily in favor of a haulout, but was mostly against tying the project to a land trade. Speakers said it was important to build a facility that will serve the fleet, and for the city to make sure it is done right. Some expressed doubts about the land appraisal value, believing it is worth more. But in general the discussion had a positive tone, with some Assembly members thanking Chris McGraw, the manager of Halibut Point Marine, for making his offer.
    The Assembly in the end gave direction to interim City Administrator Hugh Bevan to set up two work sessions: one on the proposed land sale (set for 6 p.m. Jan. 9) and the other on the proposed GPIP haulout (set for 6 p.m. Jan. 30). Both meetings will be at Harrigan Centennial Hall. The boat haulout work session will include the industrial park board.
    Park Director Garry White added today that the board had a “very robust” meeting on Dec. 4, with more than 50 members of the fishing community and marine service industry attending. The board voted in favor of the city’s continued negotiations with HPM for a haulout with a 100-ton lift. The company said that as part of its offer it will donate its 100-ton Travelift to the city.
Other Business
    In other business Monday night the Assembly:
    – approved liquor license applications for House of Liquor, the Longliner Lodge, and Sitka Hotel.
    – approved $117,000 for a lobbyist, and $20,000 for extra help in the Human Resources office, which no longer has a director. The lobbyist position is funded by leaving the Community Affairs director position vacant.
    – accepted funds to allow the Cross Trail extension project to go forward. Sitka Trail Works Director Lynne Brandon said funds came in from several sources to make the project possible.
    – approved the hiring of Larry Reeder, from Oregon, as the new city assessor. The positions of Electric Department director, HR director and library director remain vacant. The most recent library candidate interviewed declined the offer, the Assembly was told Monday.
    – approved amending a deal with Sitka Tribe of Alaska to add the new STA building at 204 Siginaka Way (the former Forest Service building) to the list of other STA properties that are covered under a Payment for Services agreement, similar to a Payment in Lieu of Taxes. The payment from STA to the city is $1 per year, under the agreement.
    – approved signing a letter of support for a new inpatient substance abuse treatment facility, a level of care not currently available, Assembly members were told.
    – approved proceeding with a request for proposals for providing transit services for passengers from ships using the Halibut Point Marine dock. The company has been providing the service, which is covered in part by the city’s share of the Cruiseship Passenger Excise Tax. Richard Wein voted against the RFP, saying the city has more pressing needs for the CPET funds.
    – voted against having the city clerk, administrator and attorney included in the group email address “assembly@cityofsitka.org.” Assembly members agreed that they may forward items to others, but felt that the emails shouldn’t automatically go to top city staff.
    – agreed to send Assembly member Valorie Nelson to the cruise ship trade fair in April as the representative of Sitka.