By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
The Assembly on Tuesday appointed the nine members to the city’s first Tourism Task Force, which will make recommendations on desirable levels of visitors, and other long-term tourism issues.
The appointments were made the day the first large cruise ship arrived in Sitka, kicking off what is expected to be the largest season on record, with up to 540,000 arriving on large ships.
The task force will meet for the first time at 6 p.m. Thursday in a public work session with the Assembly, at Harrigan Centennial Hall.
“The point is for the group to talk to the Assembly about the directives and make sure there’s common understanding of what directives are, whether they should be modified or changed, and to make sure the task force has a clear understanding of what the Assembly wants them to do,” city Planning Director Amy Ainslie said today. “It’s also a good opportunity for the Assembly to hear from task force members anything that may have been missed and should be considered.”
She said task force members can offer business and industry expertise, as well as the perspective from the general public, that would be helpful to the Assembly.
The Assembly had no shortage of applicants for the task force, with 15 applying for nine seats, each of the seats designated to represent different sectors of the community.
Some of the positions had only one applicant and they were appointed with a single motion: Camille Ferguson for Sitka Tribe of Alaska; Scott Wagner for Port and Harbors; Barb Bingham for the Sustainability Commission; Chris McGraw for Sitka Sound Cruise Terminal; and Jeremy Plank for tours and attractions.
In appointment of the other four, Assembly members said they were in a “no-lose” situation because of the high quality of the applicants. Some of the applicants spoke on their own behalf, and members of the public advocated for others.
“Each brings something unique and beneficial to the task force,” Assembly member Chris Ystad commented. The most competitive seats were the two “at large” positions, with six applicants to choose from. Phyllis Hackett and Rich McClear were chosen. A few from the audience and Assembly suggested more from the public should be represented in the at-large positions.
Cambria Holmes was named for business in general and James Michener for downtown business corridor.
“I’ve followed the industry my whole life, and recently I’ve been following what other communities are doing to try to look at the tourism situation,” McClear said, listing a number of communities around the world facing tourism challenges. “All of these communities are facing the same issue: how do we preserve the essential nature of our community while having business flourish,” he said.
Phyllis Hackett, who formerly served on the Assembly, said it’s important to find the right balance between lifestyle and economics.
“I know that summer is very important to the residents that live here year round and I really believe we need to find a good balance,” she said. “I’m concerned for Sitka. I know we need (tourism) but I think it’s really important to find the balance.”
JJ Carlson and Chris Ystad were the sponsors of the resolution to establish the task force, with the directive to make recommendations on levels of tourism in Sitka, city funding for tourism, Tourism Management Best Practices, land use regulations and waterfront development policies, and regional tourism strategies.
Elections
In other business Tuesday the Assembly made changes to the election code related to candidate biographical information and early in-person absentee voting.
The vote was 5-0 on second and final reading of the ordinance, which streamlines early voting regulations and also makes it clear that candidate submission of biographical information for the city website is optional, and is not required. That amendment was made by changing a single word in the election code from “shall” to “may.”
The Assembly spoke in favor of the ordinance.
“I appreciate we want to remove as many barriers to voting as possible,” Christianson said. “I think we’re doing that and I think we’re at an appropriate space where if they want to put their bio up on the website, great. If they don’t, fine, but I think they’re hurting their chances.” The requirement for a photo and bio first appeared in a 2014 overhaul of the whole section on elections in the Sitka General Code.
The other election changes approved at the meeting relate to early voting, which begins 15 days before an election.
“The process is identical to voting at the polls on Election Day,” the clerk said in the memo on the ordinance.
Voters casting ballots using this option can go to Harrigan Centennial Hall during polling hours, show their ID, sign the register and cast a ballot. In a change from current practice, early voting results will be tabulated election night, instead of the Friday following the election, which is the date for other absentee ballots to be counted.
Early in-person voting became a popular choice during the 2020 pandemic year, when 1,372 ballots were cast in that process. It remained popular in the following years, though the totals were lower in the next two years.
Also Tuesday, the Assembly gave direction on new emergency procurement procedures, approved grant applications for city projects, and was informed about a change in the public works department.
The Assembly approved changes in the draft budget for 2024 giving tentative approval to setting aside emergency funds for the general fund ($500,000), the water fund ($150,000) and the wastewater fund ($150,000). Access to the funds would be readily available in an emergency such as lift-station failure or a water main break, officials said.
The funds can be spent with the concurrence of the administrator, the finance director and the department head in the affected department. A budget ordinance covering the expense would be prepared for the next Assembly meeting.
The Assembly agreed that when such an emergency occurs, the mayor would be informed, and could call an emergency Assembly meeting.
“We hope the more we can be preventative and not have major and unanticipated repairs, we won’t use it,” finance director Melissa Haley said today. “Whenever possible we’ll come forward with a supplemental appropriation before work starts. However, if we don’t have time, we’ll be able to stop worse damage from happening and ensure our services and infrastructure stays intact.”
As an example of the type of emergency covered, the city cited the failure of the Thomsen Harbor lift-station, which allowed raw sewage to flow into the harbor. “Emergency repairs needed to be initiated immediately,” the staff presentation said.
Haulout Funding and Public Works
Under reports, City Administrator John Leach said he heard from Sen. Lisa Murkowski’s office Monday that she has placed an earmark for $2 million for the haulout and shipyard in the Transportation Housing and Urban Development economic development initiative.
“We’ll see if it makes it in the bill,” Leach said.
At the end of the meeting Leach said public works director Michael Harmon, at his request, has been reassigned to the position of municipal engineer to ensure capital projects are kept on track and are successful at a time of limited engineering staffing. A project manager in public works is retiring Friday, and there are no other engineers in the department. Ron Vinson has been reassigned as interim public works director, Leach said.
“Michael is an extremely valued and respected engineer and a loyal and hardworking member of our team,” Leach said. “His skills will be critical to ensuring our capital project portfolio valued over $150 million stays on track and our projects are seeing through to completion. With current and upcoming vacancies, our capital program was at risk of becoming more of an ancillary thought, rather than a primary mission within the department.”
The city’s capital list includes such projects as the new haulout and shipyard, the seaplane base, the airport expansion and remodel, the new bulkhead at the Marine Service Center and more than a dozen other major projects.
The administrator said, “There’s simply too much at risk for our capital projects to not be very focused of a highly qualified and project manager which is why Mr. Harmon and I mutually agreed on this path being the most beneficial to the city.”
Leach said he appreciated Harmon’s requesting the change “to bring the best value to the city. I have no doubt that Michael will continue to produce topnotch results in our engineering program as he did with countless other projects throughout his 14 years as public works director.”
In other business, the Assembly:
– rescheduled the Board of Equalization meeting to 6 p.m. May 9 to hear a single property assessment appeal. A tutorial on Board of Equalization procedures is 6 p.m. Monday.
– approved a resolution for a grant application for new security cameras at Eliason Harbor. The federal grant of $37,500 would be matched by the city’s $12,500.
– approved a resolution to apply for the National Renewable Energy Laboratories (NREL) Energy Transitions Initiative Partnership Project. The city has participated in the past, which provides professional and technical expertise. The goal is for the ETIIP program to help the city as it creates a long-term renewable energy plan. It will include refreshing the existing baseline assessment of emissions, future energy demands, options for renewable energy and priorities.
– approved a liquor license renewal application for the Halibut Point Crab and Brew restaurant.
– reappointed Shannon Freitas to the Local Emergency Planning Commission.
– authorized the administrator to apply for the hydroelectric production incentive program, which provides s incentive payments to qualified hydroelectric facilities for electricity generated and sold to support the expansion of hydropower energy development at existing dams and conduits.
– authorized a grant application for state funding to help rebuild the Crescent harbor High Load dock and net shed, which is heavily used and critical infrastructure for the harbor, the fishing fleet and community, city staff said.
A condition assessment said a portion of the facility is not safe, due to deterioration of some of the timber piles. A section of the dock is currently fenced off. Estimated cost of repairs is $1.5 million, and the city can apply for up to $133,774 to help cover costs, officials said.
