By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
The period to file as a candidate in the Oct. 1 municipal election opened Monday, and the city clerk’s office said calls are coming in seeking information.
“There has been some interest,” Deputy City Clerk Melissa Henshaw said. Packets of forms and information for candidates are available at the clerk’s office on the third floor of city hall on Lincoln Street.
The filing period will close at 5 p.m. Aug. 2.
Two Assembly members and one School Board member will be elected. The terms of School Board member Jenn McNichol and Assembly members Aaron Bean and Kevin Knox are expiring.
A question also will be on the ballot – Ballot Proposition 1 – relating to disposable plastic bags. If passed, the ordinance would prohibit a retail seller from providing or distributing disposable plastic shopping bags and enact a fee for “an alternative bag (generally a paper bag).” The proposition was placed on the ballot by initiative petition.
A candidate for Assembly must have been a resident of Sitka continuously for at least a year prior to the election, and provide a petition with the signatures of 25 registered Sitka voters. The residency requirement for a School Board candidate is 30 days.
Knox and McNichol said they are undecided about running again, and Bean couldn’t be reached for comment by press time today.
The plastic bag petition had more than 598 signatures, meeting the requirement of at least 20 percent of the number of voters in the most recent regular city election. The language of the proposition was approved by the city attorney and City Clerk Sara Peterson certified it for the ballot on June 7.
If passed, the ban on plastic bags would go into effect April 22, 2020.
Sponsors said the purpose is to reduce waste and address environmental problems associated with disposable plastic bags. Retailers would be allowed to provide “alternative” bags, but at a minimum charge of 10 cents per bag. The ordinance says the retailer can keep the money or donate to a Sitka nonprofit. There is a long list of plastic bags that would still be allowed.
The informational section states:
“Disposable plastic shopping bags do not include: bags used by customers inside stores to package bulk items such as fruit, vegetables, nuts, grains, candy or small hardware items; bags used to contain or wrap ice, frozen foods, meat, or fish; bags used to contain or wrap flowers, potted plants, or other items where dampness may be a problem; bags used to contain unwrapped prepared foods or bakery goods; bags used to protect a purchased item from damaging or contaminating other purchased items when placed in another bag; bags provided by pharmacists to contain prescription drugs; bags used for newspapers, door-hanger bags, laundry dry-cleaning bags, or bags sold in packages containing multiple bags for uses such as food storage, garbage, pet waste, or yard waste bags; and bags provided by a retail marijuana store in accordance with the requirements of any future statutes, ordinances, or regulations.”
The Sentinel will have more information about the ballot question in a future edition.
