OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

City and Borough Assembly Regular Meeting – September 10, 2024

City and Borough Assembly — Tuesday, September 10, 2024
BodySitka, Alaska
SessionCity and Borough Assembly
DateTuesday, September 10, 2024
StatusFILED
Video Record
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0:00

10th, 2024, please join me for a flag salute.

0:04

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all.

0:22

The Assembly of the City and Borough of Sitka would like to respectfully acknowledge the traditional first people of Sheetka.

0:29

With gratitude, we proceed on Klinkitani.

0:32

Sarah Rollcall, please.

0:34

Mayor Eisenbais.

0:35

Present.

0:36

Mr.

0:36

Mosier.

0:37

Here.

0:37

Mr.

0:38

Pike.

0:39

Here.

0:40

Mr.

0:40

Yesad?

0:42

Here.

0:43

Mr.

0:43

Christensen?

0:44

Here.

0:44

Ms.

0:45

Carlson.

0:45

Here.

0:46

And Mr.

0:46

Celine.

0:47

Here.

0:50

Thank you.

0:51

Any correspondence or agenda changes this evening?

0:55

John?

0:57

Thanks, Mayor.

0:58

I just wanted to point out the letters in the packet.

1:00

It was some good news.

1:01

We received a letter from the Department of Energy.

1:05

Sitka was awarded the Section 247 Hydroelectric Incentive Program.

1:11

And that letter there we have some information that we have to send back, but we'll be negotiating on what that award incentive is going to look like.

1:21

And that will be very helpful towards phases two and three of the Green Lake Project.

1:26

So great work by Bree, the sustainability team, and others that uh assisted with that application in getting it in.

1:35

Great, thank you.

1:37

No ceremonial the matters this evening, so we'll move on to special reports.

1:41

Uh is anyone here for government to government.

1:45

Municipal boards, commissions, committees, municipal departments, school district.

1:55

Students and guests for special reports.

2:00

Seeing none, this will bring us to persons to be heard.

2:03

This is public participation for any item off of tonight's agenda, not to exceed three minutes for any individual.

2:25

Good evening.

2:26

My name is Richard Ween.

2:29

I'd first like to uh start off by just asking questions.

2:34

I don't expect an answer, but uh hopefully it'll highlight in your minds um some potentially important issues, and one of them is what is the status of the Mud Bay repeater?

2:49

This has come before the Assembly on several times.

2:53

Uh supplemental appropriations and equipment were obtained, and I would like some kind of public report or announcement on the Mud Bay repeater, because it is something that's very important.

3:09

And especially in light of the lost person down at Catleanne Bay Road, and with the accident that occurred there, I was certainly interested in having an update of the comms alias communication capabilities down that road, because I know that there was time, effort, and money expended.

3:38

Um the question is, are they operational?

3:42

And so I think that is you know, just asking for a friend.

3:47

Sorry.

3:49

Uh one of the important things about ecology and why it works is because of its complexity and redundancy.

3:58

Uh we found out on August 29th at 1123 a.m.

4:03

that even though internet, the actual science of internet, which far exceeds the ability of Al Gore to understand, is very complex, and the first computer-to-computer uh communication was in actually 1973.

4:18

Uh so that is the Internet Stone Age, I guess you can call it, uh, but also redundancy, and it shows that on an island like Sitka, we don't have things are very thin.

4:31

Um and I just feel that um it was so important to read in the various media that all of a sudden people were discovering themselves, discovering camaraderie, our relationship, and so forth.

4:50

And so with that in mind, I think it might be an interesting thing if we maybe had an internet free day once a week, perhaps Sunday, when we can um commune together.

5:04

Um, even better, we can give the tourists a true wilderness experience by cutting off all cellular and internet between 7 a.m.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Tourism███████████████████████████████████████39%
Public Engagement██████████████████18%
Economic Development██████████10%
Budget Equity Analysis█████████9%
Election Process████4%
Procedural███3%
Taxation Policy███3%
Workforce Development███3%
Personnel Matters██2%
Summary of Proceedings

City and Borough Assembly Regular Meeting – September 10, 2024

The City and Borough of Sitka Assembly held its regular meeting on Tuesday, September 10, 2024, at 6:00 PM in the Assembly Chambers. The meeting covered consent agenda items, new business including supplemental appropriations for recycling and fleet electrification, award of FY25 non-profit grants, discussion on visitor industry data collection, and authorization of sales tax free days. All seven assembly members were present; Mayor Eisenbeisz recused himself from the sales tax item.

Consent Calendar

  • Item A: Approved the minutes of the August 22 and 27, 2024 Assembly meetings. (Passed 7-0)
  • Item B: Approved a liquor license renewal application for Beak, LLC dba Beak Restaurant at 2 Lincoln Street, Suite 1A. (Passed 7-0)

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Richard Wein (off-agenda comment): Requested an update on the Mud Bay repeater project, emphasized the need for better communication in that area, and suggested hosting an Internet-free day to encourage community interaction.
  • Austin Cranford (on item E): Urged the Assembly to use data from visitor industry studies to support a memorandum of understanding with cruise ships; supported an online community survey and cautioned against potential bias in triangulation methods.
  • Robert Hattle (on item E): Thanked Assembly members Carlson and Ystad for their work; advocated for hiring a third party for data collection to minimize bias.
  • Rachel Roy (on items E and F): Expressed support for professional development funding; thanked Carlson and Ystad; supported the sales tax holiday as a way to boost local shopping; encouraged continued funding for the Alaska Visitor Statistics Program (AVSP).

Discussion Items

  • C. ORD 24-22 – Supplemental Appropriations for FY25 (EECGB – Recycling and Municipal Fleet Electrification): Sustainability Coordinator Bri Gabel reported that the Department of Energy approved the application; the City was awarded $75,300. The ordinance authorizes spending funds first then receiving reimbursement. The assembly approved first reading (7-0).
  • D. 24-136 – Award of FY25 Annual General Fund Non-Profit Grants: The assembly awarded grants in three categories. Members reallocated their unassigned funds among qualifying organizations. Final awards were:
    • Human Services: Brave Heart Volunteers ($9,921), Sitka Counseling and Prevention Services ($3,764), Sitka Homeless Coalition ($5,407), Southeast Alaska Independent Living ($4,493), United Methodist Church of Sitka ($1,129). (Passed 7-0)
    • Cultural & Educational Services: Alaska Arts Southeast/Sitka Fine Arts Camp ($2,622), Outer Coast ($1,061), Sitka Conservation Society ($1,847), Sitka Maritime Heritage Society ($2,837), Sitka Music Festival ($1,490). (Passed 7-0)
    • Community Development: Alaska Heat Smart ($2,143), Friends of the Sitka Animal Shelter ($2,357), Greater Sitka Arts Council ($1,429), Sitka Trail Works ($4,071). (Passed 7-0)
    • Unfunded organizations: Friends of Sitka Circus Arts, Friends of Sitka Animal Shelter (partial in Community Development), Greater Sitka Chamber of Commerce, Sitka Cancer Survivors Society, Spruce Root (received reallocations from some members but did not secure majority for full request).
  • E. 24-137 – Discussion/Direction/Decision on Visitor Industry Data Collection: Assembly members Carlson and Ystad presented recommendations from the Tourism Task Force, including an online community survey (to be conducted in October 2024), hiring an independent research firm for economic impact studies, and exploring regional approaches. Discussion focused on staff capacity, bias, and use of data; consensus was to proceed with an online survey (recycling last year's) and to have the Administrator issue a Request for Information (RFI) for third-party data collection services. No separate vote was taken; consensus direction was given.
  • F. 24-135 – Decision on Sales Tax Free Days Following Thanksgiving: Mayor Eisenbeisz recused himself due to a financial interest. Public comment from Richard Wein (expressed concerns about lost revenue) and Rachel Roy (supported the holiday). The assembly authorized Friday, November 29 and Saturday, November 30, 2024 as sales tax free days, excluding fuel, alcohol, tobacco, marijuana, and installment sales. (Passed 6-0, Eisenbeisz recused)

Key Outcomes

  • Ordinance 24-22 (supplemental appropriations for EECGB) approved on first reading (7-0).
  • FY25 Non-Profit Grants awarded in three categories (all 7-0); members reallocated funds as noted.
  • Visitor Industry Data Collection: Directed Administrator Leach to (1) issue an end-of-season online community survey in October 2024 (recycling previous survey), and (2) develop an RFI to identify third-party research firms for economic impact and other studies; report back with findings and potential budget.
  • Sales Tax Free Days authorized for November 29–30, 2024 (6-0).
  • Next Steps: Administrator will present findings from the RFI at a future meeting; planning and community development staff will prioritize the survey and RFI over other projects as needed.

Meeting Transcript

10th, 2024, please join me for a flag salute. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all. The Assembly of the City and Borough of Sitka would like to respectfully acknowledge the traditional first people of Sheetka. With gratitude, we proceed on Klinkitani. Sarah Rollcall, please. Mayor Eisenbais. Present. Mr. Mosier. Here. Mr. Pike. Here. Mr. Yesad? Here. Mr. Christensen? Here. Ms. Carlson. Here. And Mr. Celine. Here. Thank you. Any correspondence or agenda changes this evening? John? Thanks, Mayor. I just wanted to point out the letters in the packet. It was some good news. We received a letter from the Department of Energy. Sitka was awarded the Section 247 Hydroelectric Incentive Program. And that letter there we have some information that we have to send back, but we'll be negotiating on what that award incentive is going to look like. And that will be very helpful towards phases two and three of the Green Lake Project. So great work by Bree, the sustainability team, and others that uh assisted with that application in getting it in. Great, thank you. No ceremonial the matters this evening, so we'll move on to special reports. Uh is anyone here for government to government. Municipal boards, commissions, committees, municipal departments, school district. Students and guests for special reports. Seeing none, this will bring us to persons to be heard. This is public participation for any item off of tonight's agenda, not to exceed three minutes for any individual. Good evening. My name is Richard Ween. I'd first like to uh start off by just asking questions. I don't expect an answer, but uh hopefully it'll highlight in your minds um some potentially important issues, and one of them is what is the status of the Mud Bay repeater? This has come before the Assembly on several times. Uh supplemental appropriations and equipment were obtained, and I would like some kind of public report or announcement on the Mud Bay repeater, because it is something that's very important. And especially in light of the lost person down at Catleanne Bay Road, and with the accident that occurred there, I was certainly interested in having an update of the comms alias communication capabilities down that road, because I know that there was time, effort, and money expended.

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