Response to Sealaska
Dear Editor: Recently the Sealaska Corporation’s President and Corporate Executive Officer Chris McNeil called out the Sitka Conservation Society in a letter to the editor for causing “anxiety, anger, and opposition” to Sealaska’s actions.
I would respond to Mr. McNeil that we are not causing this reaction, we are responding to it. It is what most of us in the community feel when we think of public lands like Redoubt Falls, Lake Eva, Port Banks, Jamboree Bay, Kalinin Bay, and places in Hoonah Sound being taking out of public hands and put into corporate ownership.
We did put graphics with cartoon police tape over a photo of Sitkans subsistence dip-net fishing at Redoubt falls. They can be seen on our website at www.sitkawild.org. These graphics represent our greatest fears: that a place that all of us use and depend on, and that is owned by all Americans (Native and non-Native), will have limitations put on it under private ownership or will be managed in a way where members of the public have no voice or input.
Our fears come from past Sealaska actions. We also put photos on our website of Sealaska logging on Dall Island and around Hoonah; and we linked to the story of Hoonah residents who asked that logging not be so extensive and target their treasured places, but were logged anyway. The case in those areas is that the corporate mandate to make a profit superseded what community members wanted. We are scared of what corporate management of these important places around Sitka will mean on-the-ground and we will continue to speak out to protect our public lands.
Mr. McNeil Jr. paints the issue as Native vs. non-Native and accuses SCS of wanting to “put Natives in a box.” For us, the issue is about distrust of corporations without public accountability, not ethnicity. Mr. McNeil has an annual compensation package that is far greater than the entire SCS budget. He is flanked by lawyers who can write legal language and policy that we cannot begin to understand the implications of. Even in their different versions of the House and Senate legislation, the access policy is very different, confusing, and ultimately subject to Sealaska’s whims. As SCS, we are speaking out against a corporation owning the public lands where publicly owned resources are concentrated on the Tongass.
Sealaska’s legislation is not good for Sitka if it means that more places like Redoubt Falls could be taken out of public hands and transferred to a corporation.
Andrew Thoms, Executive Director,
Sitka Conservation Society
SHS Baseball Games
Dear Editor: this weekend is your last chance ot watch the high school baseball team for 2013. And it looks like the weather might cooperate. So come sit in the sun, eat a hot dog, and watch one of the greatest rivalries in the state – Juneau Douglas Crimson Bears versus the sitka High Wolves.
While you’re there, give a big thanks to the city for maintaining the grounds, the concessionaries, Brian and Kim Hanson for scorekeeping, KIFW, Luke Clayton for music, Dan Etulain for video, the Sentinel for photography and reporting, Mike Vieira, Sea Mart for their donations, our umpires Mike Bartaloba, Keith Perkins, Woody Widmark, Clint Daniels and Bill Steinbach, and all those in the background helping and donating.
A special ‘‘atta boy’’ to coaches Ed Conway, Mark Buggins, Scott Calhoun, John Wathen and Jim Way. Without their vision the greatest baseball park in Alaska wouldn’t exist. We are fortunate to have this group of coaches who have sacrificed so much for our kids.
Friday, May 10: 3:30 p.m. JDHS vs KayHi (V); 6:30 p.m. SHS vs KayHi (V). Saturday, May 11: 9 a.m. KayHi JV vs JDHS JV; noon SHS JV vs. KayHi JV; 3:30 p.m. SHS (V) vs. KayHi (V); senior recognition; 6:30 p.m. SHS (V) vs. JDHS (V).
See you at the game.
Sitka High School Baseball parents
Recycling
Dear Editor: Having participated in the recent Assembly work session regarding the solid waste budget, I feel compelled to comment on what I feel is a misunderstanding of the discussion regarding the profitability of recycling in a recent Sentinel article and in emails being received. As sometimes happens, the discussion of recycling, and the profitability of the recycling program, was far more in-depth and complex than can be reported.
During the budget discussion, the Assembly posed questions to Mr. Harmon on whether some aspects of recycling are losing money and potentially having a greater cost to the environment than benefit. Mr. Harmon commented that the costs are being tracked much more methodically this year versus the past practice of combining all expenses together. Mr. Harmon stressed that these numbers need time to mature over a period of at least one year before we can start getting a better feel for each component of how recycling is performing.
When concerns continued to be raised by an Assembly member about the profitability of the drop-off recycling center, Mr. Harmon said that his gut feel was it is losing money. Mr. Sweeney, the finance director, proceeded to look up the revenues and expenditures for the drop-off recycling and noted that the revenues were approximately $40,000 and the expenditures were approximately $80,000.
Mr. Harmon cautioned the Assembly that recycling is not necessarily about making money and comes with other benefits including providing a service the community uses and appreciates. The other benefit Mr. Harmon stressed was the fact that the recycling diverts refuse from our standard garbage waste stream that would cost money to be shipped to the off island landfill.
When you credit this diversion, Mr. Harmon pointed out that the gap we are seeing in the cost versus revenue closes significantly. In the past he noted that revenues have been up and down and we average close to breaking even on our total recycling program with the biggest revenue generation coming from the scrap yard operation at the Sawmill Cover Industrial Site.
I hope this information helps correct the perception of the conversation we had at the Assembly meeting. An additional goal is to commend both the city staff and Assembly for looking at all our services critically so that we continue to improve upon the services provided to our community. Our family recycles all of the items that are allowed. As a family that recycles, we want a program that balances the costs to the community with the benefits to the environment. Basically, we are doing that today and hopefully tomorrow we will do that even better.
Mike Reif, Assembly Member
MEHS Graduation
Dear Editor: The Mt. Edgecumbe High School Class of 2013 celebrated graduation at the Sitka Performing Arts Center on May 9.
Thank you to the expert staff at the Performing Arts Center. The lighting, sound and technical crews performed their duties flawlessly. J. Bradley and his crew make the technical and people moving issues appear seamless. The MEHS family is thrilled to hold our graduation at the beautiful Performing Arts Center.
Thank you, Sitka, for your support of Mt Edgecumbe High School graduation. Bev’s Flowers always, always takes care of every floral detail for the baccalaureate and graduation ceremonies; the flowers were especially fragrant this year. Thank you, Daily Sitka Sentinel, for providing thoughtful coverage of this big event. Community organizations who award scholarships to MEHS seniors illustrates how much the Sitka community supports Mt. Edgecumbe High School students. Finally, we are all heartened to see community members, MEHS alumni and family at the ceremony.
Marcia Drake, Kathleen McCrossin,
Mt. Edgecumbe High School
Graduation Coordinators
Sea Mart Donation
Dear Editor: The Sitka Babies and Books Committee would like to give recognition and express how grateful we are for the generous donation from Sea Mart to our organization.
Because of their contribution, our mission can continue to thrive and ensure that all children in Sitka can become lifelong avid readers. We are able to do this by providing books to children, as well as give parent education and support during the first three years of a child’s life.
The contribution we received from Sea Mart not only helps fund our organization and keeps it going, but they have also given encouragement and support to all the children in our community to gain a passion for reading.
Sitka Babies and Books Committee
Reliable Recycling
Dear Editor: We need to collect the good information that’s essential to reliable recycling. I’m learning a lot in my declining years. Recently, I stood in my kitchen holding a Quaker’s oatmeal box and decided NOT to bother Norm Campbell with a phone call. I later found that you remove the plastic ring around the top, flatten the box good and put it in the ‘‘mixed paper.’’ I think that cardboard (corrugated) is the most lucrative.
‘‘IT’S A SMALL PLANET. RECYCLE! I love that bumper sticker!’’
We privileged few live on a tiny, pristine island that has wetlands, alpine meadows and snowy peaks. The time has come when we can no longer ignore the fact that we are trashing it.
Pauline Fredrickson, Sitka
Exchange Experience
Dear Editor: My name is Frilly Utami, and I am a high school AFS Exchange Student from Indonesia.
This year, I’m hosted by the Clare family. As I think about heading home this June, I want to thank my entire host family: host dad Jim, Lione, Mamie, Drumstick, and especially my host mom, Krisanne Rice.
I spent a lot of fun times with her that I wouldn’t had done if I never met her. She is such a wonderful mother. I could feel how much she wanted me to succeed my exchange year and make the best of it. She helped me no matter what the situations were. I remember coming to Sitka with such bad grammar, but mom and the rest of the family always helped me by correcting me every time I said something in wrong way. She always there to give me courage, hugs, and advice when I was in my lowest point. No matter what the problems were, she always made me feel better after talking to her. It’s funny how a complete strange – like she was – can give me the sense of belonging.
I want to tell her that I appreciate everything she’d done for me, and she meant a lot more than a host mom to me.
Happy Mother’s Day, Mom!
Frilly Utami, Sitka
