Sitka Assembly Meeting: September 23, 2025 – Budget, Contracts, and Grants
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Sitka City and Borough Assembly Regular Meeting – September 23, 2025
The Sitka City and Borough Assembly held its regular meeting on September 23, 2025, at 6:00 PM in Assembly Chambers. The meeting covered special reports from the Sitka Tribe of Alaska and the School District, approval of a consent agenda, appointments to boards and commissions, second reading of supplemental appropriations, and new business including police vehicle funding, a collective bargaining agreement with IBEW Local 1547, annual nonprofit grant awards, a lease agreement with Pacific Jewel Marine, and a $3.2 million transfer to the Public Infrastructure Sinking Fund. All votes were unanimous (6-0) with one member absent.
Consent Calendar
- Approved minutes of the September 9, 2025, Assembly meeting.
- Approved a liquor license renewal and endorsement for Mean Queen LLC at 205 Harbor Drive.
- Approved a new marijuana license and onsite consumption endorsement for AKO Farms LLC dba High Tide Cannabis at 4509 Halibut Point Road.
Special Reports
- Sitka Tribe of Alaska (STA): Tribal Council reported approval of two advisory and two voting seats on the Health and Human Services Committee, a limited waiver of sovereign immunity for a tribal community garden (50 raised beds), a recommendation to oppose rescinding the Roadless Rule, and letters to Tlingit & Haida and the Department of Education on K-12 consultation. The 2024 federal financial audit had no findings. The garden location is not yet determined. STA also noted the November 11 tribal council election and a tour of the Child Advocacy Center.
- Sitka School District: Phil Burdick reported that Sardis School is running smoothly, with new food and pre-K programs (31 students enrolled). Current enrollment is 1,046, above the budgeted 1,000. October is the official count month for state funding. The next school board meeting will include a maintenance and capital projects report. The State Board of Education may address the definition of local contribution on October 8-9, but no clarity has been received.
Board, Commission, Committee Appointments
- Planning Commission: Margaret Frank was appointed to a three-year term (6-0). Samuel Lee Pointer Jr. was nominated but not selected. Frank spoke via phone, citing her architecture background and interest in affordable housing.
- Health Needs and Human Services Commission: Amy Wilson was appointed to a three-year term (6-0).
Unfinished Business
- ORD 25-23 (Supplemental Appropriations – Reappropriations): Approved on second reading, 6-0.
- ORD 25-24 (Supplemental Appropriations – Library Books Unbanned Programming Grant): Approved on second reading, 6-0.
New Business
- ORD 25-25 (Police Vehicles): Approved on first reading, 6-0. A $65,000 supplemental appropriation will allow purchase of two new hybrid police interceptor SUVs. Police Chief stated the order must be placed by November 1 to avoid an 18-24 month delay. The vehicles will be white, replacing older gas-only models. The assembly noted the need to revisit the sinking fund allocation for future purchases.
- IBEW Local 1547 Collective Bargaining Agreement (2025-2028): Approved 6-0. The three-year contract covers electrical department employees. A first tentative agreement was rejected by union members in August; a second revised agreement was ratified September 10. Economic terms include hourly rate increases of 6-12% for most classifications effective July 1, 2025, with 3% increases in 2026 and 2027. Employees will move to the IBEW Health Trust (replacing the city’s plan). Total estimated increased cost to the city is $507,853 over three years. No supplemental appropriation is needed for FY26. Assembly members noted that the wage increases are helping recruit and retain linemen, and that the cost is offset by reduced contractor expenses.
- FY26 General Fund Non-Profit Grants: The assembly approved three categories of grants after reallocations by members. Final awards:
- Human Services: Betty Eliason Child Care Center ($7,736), Brave Hearts Volunteers ($8,354), Sitka Counseling and Prevention Services ($3,268), Sitka Homeless Coalition ($2,589), Southeast Alaska Independent Living ($3,768).
- Cultural & Educational Services: Alaska Arts Southeast/Sitka Fine Arts Camp ($4,714), Sitka Maritime Heritage Society ($2,643), Sitka Music Festival ($2,357).
- Community Development: Greater Sitka Arts Council ($2,619), Sitka Trail Works ($6,952). All motions passed 6-0. The assembly noted that the process highlighted the need for better applicant information, and they look forward to the new Sitka Legacy Fund process.
- Lease Agreement – Pacific Jewel Marine, LLC: Approved 6-0. A 10-year lease (with four 10-year renewal options) for Block 4, Lot 9B at the Gary Paxton Industrial Park to provide unobstructed access for a boat house. The lease was negotiated non-competitively due to the unique adjacency. The tenant will pay market rate. Assembly members supported the lease as a good use of the parcel.
- Public Infrastructure Sinking Fund (PISF) Transfer: Approved 6-0. The assembly approved the Municipal Administrator’s recommendation to transfer $3.2 million to the PISF, effective June 30, 2025. The funds will be available for FY27 capital projects. Assembly members praised the surplus as a result of conservative budgeting and departmental efficiency, noting it will help address infrastructure needs without raising taxes.
Reports
- Mayor Steven Eisenbeisz: Reported on the Southeast Conference meeting, including a meeting with DOT about roundabout maintenance (city may now maintain it), broadband redundancy opportunities, discussions on mining, the FISH Act, and a decline in seafood earnings (down 29% in Sitka, lowest in 20 years including COVID). He also noted the formation of a regional trash consortium (CSWA) and shared the State of Sitka’s Economy report, which showed jobs and wages up but population loss (17% of workforce age over 10 years), high housing vacancy rates, and concerns about federal impacts. The mayor thanked the outgoing assembly member Chris.
- Municipal Attorney Rachel Jones: Reported that the OH cell tower appeal decision is delayed; the judge expects to issue a thorough ruling soon.
- Assembly Liaison Reports:
- Tor Christianson: Planning commission reviewing an engineering report for potential land development; noted Sitka’s highest vacancy rate in the state (325 summer-only homes) and plans to revive a “snowbird” ordinance.
- Tim Pike: Police and Fire Commission meeting tomorrow (Sept 24) will discuss police body cameras; data storage costs will be a future assembly consideration.
- JJ Carlson: Health Needs and Human Services Commission requested an extension on their goals; they are also reviewing their code section.
- Kevin Mosher: Local Emergency Planning Commission discussed tsunami risk; Sitka has lower risk of subduction-zone tsunamis.
- Chris Ystad: Harbor Commission reported that parking ticket funds will now go to the harbor fund; Crescent Harbor lost several stalls due to deterioration, potentially accelerating Phase 2.
- Municipal Clerk Sara Peterson: Announced vacancies on several boards/commissions and early voting information for the upcoming election.
Key Outcomes
- All consent agenda items (A, B, C) approved 6-0.
- Margaret Frank appointed to Planning Commission (6-0).
- Amy Wilson appointed to Health Needs and Human Services Commission (6-0).
- ORD 25-23 and ORD 25-24 approved on second reading (6-0 each).
- ORD 25-25 approved on first reading (6-0).
- IBEW collective bargaining agreement approved (6-0).
- Non-profit grant awards approved in three categories (6-0 each).
- Lease with Pacific Jewel Marine approved (6-0).
- $3.2 million transfer to PISF approved (6-0).
- Meeting adjourned at approximately 8:30 PM.
Meeting Transcript
Thank you for joining us this evening on our regularly scheduled meeting of Tuesday, September 23rd, 2025. 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 Clinkit Ani. Sarah Rollcall, please. Mayor Eisenbeis. Present. Mr. Pike. Here. Ms. Carlson. Here. Mr. Yes Dad. Here. Mr. Christensen. Here. Mr. Mosier. Here. And Mr. Celine is absent this evening. Great. Thank you. Any correspondence or agenda changes. No ceremonial matters this evening, so we'll move on to special reports. Our first scheduled report tonight, Sika Tribe of Alaska. Yeti Kuka. Welcome. Thank you. Good evening. Thank you. For our report, we just have a few updates regarding measures that were passed at our recent meeting as well as a few other various and sundry things. At our last meeting, the tribal council approved the addition of two advisory and two voting seats to add to the Health and Human Services Committee. Four citizens were also appointed to these new seats. And thank you to our citizens for expressing interest in participating in any and all of our committees. Also, a an agreement for the limited waiver of sovereign immunity for the construction of a tribal community garden was passed. A recommendation to oppose the rescinding of the roadless rule. Also a letter to Flinget and Haida regarding consultation on K-12 education in Sitka, as well as a similar letter to the Department of Education and Early Development regarding the Sitka's school district mandate to consult both STA and TNH. We also passed for the Sheet Kukwan Nakahiti Community House to be a polling location for our upcoming tribal council elections to be held on November 11th. Our 2024 federal financial audit was completed, and the council accepted and authorized staff to submit that audit to the federal clearing house on September 17th. And I'm happy to report that the tribe had no findings. As a leader in traditional food security and cultural stewardship, our tribe seeks to expand access to garden space, educational resources and local food systems to promote food sovereignty and economic resilience for generations to come. The garden will house 50 raised beds, 23 for the tribe to grow produce for distribution, two for students in the Sitka Native Education Program, and 25 available to tribal citizens. Senator Burt Steadman, his financial aid Rose Foley, and staff member Margot Leonberg join Lisa and Melanie and Doug for a tour of the STA Child Advocacy Center. In May of this year, the legislature approved 5.5 million dollars in funding for child advocacy centers in Alaska.
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