By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
Following the Assembly’s certification of the Oct. 4 election results Tuesday night, Steven Eisenbeisz was sworn in as mayor, and Chris Ystad and Thor Christianson were sworn in as Assembly members.
In other business the Assembly, acting as a board of adjustment, heard the city’s appeal of a variance granted by the Planning Commission, and accepted the Dave Miller’s letter of resignation from the Assembly.
At the end of the lengthy deliberation on the variance appeal, the Assembly voted 5-2 in favor of the city’s appeal and overturned the Planning Commission’s decision. (Story in Thursday’s Sentinel.)
Steven Eisenbeisz is sworn-in as mayor by Municipal Clerk Sara Peterson Tuesday night at Harrigan Centennial Hall. (Sentinel Photo)
Elected Assembly members Chris Ystad, left, and Thor Christianson take the oath of office Tuesday at Harrigan Centennial Hall. (Sentinel Photo)
Near the end of the meeting the Assembly voted 6-0 to seek letters of interest until Oct. 24 for appointment to replace Miller on the Assembly until the 2023 city election. The appointment will be on the agenda of the Oct. 25 meeting.
The decision to seek letters of interest came after several members of the public spoke in favor of appointing Richard Wein, the next-highest vote getter in the recent Assembly election. Wein was present and also spoke in favor of that proposal.
Election Matters
Eisenbeisz has been mayor the last two years, and was on the Assembly for six years before that. Christianson was re-elected to the Assembly seat he has held for 12 years, while Ystad is a newcomer to elective office in Sitka. He has been a member of the Port and Harbors Commission and on the board of the Gary Paxton Industrial Park.
The Assembly certified the results to the Oct. 4 municipal election. A total of 2,485 ballots were issued, but 81 were not counted (spoiled, not returned, not registered, registered elsewhere) making 2,404 the total cast. The results as certified by the Assembly on a 7-0 vote were:
Mayor: Eisenbeisz, 1,282; Valorie Nelson 697; Kevin Mosher 391.
Assembly: Ystad 1,440; Thor Christianson 1,217; Richard Jan Wein 925; Kris Chinalski 741; Ryan Matthew Herbert 148.
School Board: Mitch Mork 1,745; Tristan Guevin 1,709; Melonie Boord 480.
Prop. 1 Marijuana Tax for school activities and travel; Yes 1,369; No 986.
Prop. 2 Marine Vessel Haulout, to dedicate up to $8.18 million toward the haulout and boatyard: Yes 1,921; No 453.
The certification came under Unfinished Business on the Assembly agenda and prior to the seating of the new member and Miller’s resignation, on votes cast by Eisenbeisz, Christianson, Miller, Knox, Crystal Duncan, Kevin Mosher and Rebecca Himschoot.
Knox, who didn’t run for reelection, was given a Service Award for his six years on the Assembly. In response he said that in his two terms he tried to support policies to promote “equity, inclusion and justice.”
Ystad joined in the consideration of the New Business items, and Miller took part until his resignation was accepted at the end of the meeting.
Miller, who is resigning for health reasons after one year of the Assembly, was thanked for his service and received a round of applause. He came to the Assembly after more than 20 years in public service including a position as chief of the Sitka Fire Department.
Eisenbeisz said, “I don’t like the resignation but I understand. I’m glad you’re putting yourself first because you’ve put the community first for as long as I can remember.”
Miller said, in essence, that not everyone will agree on things, but it’s possible to like and respect people you don’t agree with. “I think that happens all over the city,” he said.
Assembly Vacancy
After Miller stepped down, the six remaining Assembly members turned to the business of naming a replacement to serve until the next regular election.
In the past, the seat has gone to the next highest vote getter in the most recent election, or the Assembly’s choice from among letters of interest from the public.
The information packet for the meeting packet included a suggested notice of vacancy, and a copy of the city code amendment passed in 2004 that removes the former requirement that the appointment would go to the first runner-up in the previous Assembly election.
(Eisenbeisz clarified at the meeting that the 1996 provision to appoint the next-highest vote-getter applied to an Assembly member vacating his or her seat when elected to another municipal position.)
From the public, several speakers, including Wein, advocated for choosing Wein, who finished third in the election for two members to the Assembly.
“I realize that the city code does not require that you appoint that individual, but it would seem that fairness would suggest that you appoint someone that many in this town voted for just a few weeks ago...,” said Carin Adickes. “An assembly is a body of local people trying to represent and share ideas to make decisions that better our community. It is important to have different viewpoints considered to make a well-rounded decision. Aren’t we all looking for wise, smart decisions?”
Carolyn Evans also spoke in favor, saying that picking someone not in the election would amount to a “slap in the face to the people who voted.”
Shirley Robards said choosing someone not from the field of candidates is making her feel as if her vote didn’t count, that Wein put in the work and received a lot of votes.
She said the Assembly members “are looking at someone who is going to vote the way you’re going to vote.”
Wein said he would be a good choice.
“I’m a big believer in participatory democracy,” he said. “I know what the rules are, and everyone is within their right to do this,” he said, referring to the letters of interest. “But within a participatory democracy, a letter of intent is not a vote. It is not democracy. And so I think you really need to consider that.”
He said asking for letters of interest sets a precedent, of people being appointed who have not done the work that candidates do, and relying on “personal charms” to win a seat.
“I apologize to everyone if I did not graduate charm school, but I did graduate from a lot of schools and learned to do my homework,” he said.
From a different perspective, a resident testified that Wein is still eligible for appointment and can submit his name.
The Assembly expressed a number of viewpoints on the merits of choosing someone who might not want to run, but there was really no debate that they would adopt the letter of interest approach.
Other Business
In other business:
– Planning Director Amy Ainslie reminded the public to participate in the End-of-Season Tourism Survey by Oct. 15. The results will be discussed by the Assembly and Planning Commission Oct. 27. The survey can be reached at cityofsitka.com, and paper copies are available at the library and city hall.
– Outgoing Assembly member Kevin Knox was appointed to the Parks and Recreation Committee.
– Seven members were appointed to the new Sustainability Commission: Elizabeth Bagley, Kent Barkhau, Angela Bowers, Katie Riley, Aurora Taylor, Carol Voisin and Fernanda Zermoglio. The commission replaces the Climate Action Task Force, and will make recommendations on such issues as reducing carbon emissions, waste reduction, food security, and other actions related to sustainability.
The Assembly also approved the contract with the Public Safety Employees Association, which represents employees in the Sitka Police Department. (Story in Thursday’s Sentinel.)
