Welcome everybody.

I will call to order the special meeting of Friday, September 13th, 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.

Liberty and Justice Paul.

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, roll call, please.

Mayor Esenbaiz.

Present.

Mr.

Mosier?

Here.

Mr.

Pike?

Here.

Mr.

Yesdad?

Here.

Mr.

Christensen.

Here.

Ms.

Carlson?

Here.

And Mr.

Saline.

Here.

Thank you.

Persons to be heard this evening.

Public participation for any item off of tonight's agenda not to exceed three minutes.

Hello.

My name is Keith Nitra.

I'm the executive director of the Secret Maritime Heritage Society.

And I wanted to come here today in person to thank the Assembly for their support of the society in the other day's meeting.

We wanted to send you cards, but I thought if I came and saw you all in person to say thank you very much.

I know our volunteers are going to appreciate not tripping over extension cords at the workshop.

I also wanted to thank Mr.

Leach and his staff of Holly Bain, Amy Ainsley, and uh Kim Davis for helping us work on the 20-year covenant now, 17-year covenant, which is looks like it's just about done.

But they've been very patient and very understanding.

And I just wanted again to say thanks to the assembly and to Mr.

Leach and his staff.

Thank you very much.

Anyone else under persons to be heard?

Uh seeing none, that'll bring us to our business tonight.

Um tonight we are gathered for a discussion direction decision regarding municipal attorney candidate Rachel Jones and the next steps.

Um we had the opportunity just a couple days ago uh to do a meet and greet where the community was uh present and we got to see uh Rachel interact with not only assembly members uh but with the community as well.

So one of the last phases we usually do uh on these uh um uh uh hires, um especially for an out-of-town candidate.

I think that's pretty important to to be able to meet them in person.

Um however, this is an in-town candidate.

Um so we uh we didn't have maybe the turnout we would have expected for an out-of-town candidate, but I think that's because uh Rachel is well known in the community, and I think people uh people already support and uh and didn't need to come shake your hand in that instant.

So um we do have the ability to go into executive session tonight uh if the assembly wants to wrap anything up and kind of finalize any thoughts um as as a body.

Um I would recommend that this evening just so we can get uh not necessarily on the same page, but uh see if there's any final thoughts from the assembly and then uh um we can come out.

Um there is the opportunity to uh extend a higher offer and uh and start contract negotiations after that if the assembly is is so willing after this phase.

So uh if there's a motion, great.

If there's discussion, we can do that as well.

So your recommendation personally is to go into executive session.

Uh if uh I think it'd be nice just to make sure there are no unanswered questions at this point.

Okay, um and give us the opportunity to have one last discussion about the candidate.