Welcome everybody.

Thanks for joining.

We'll get started in about one minute here.

There's a firefighter in the room.

I heard it.

To order.

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 Clinkett Ani.

Sarah Rollcall, please.

Mayor Eisenbais.

Present.

Mr.

Pike.

Here.

Ms.

Carlson.

Here.

Ms.

Radley?

Here.

Mr.

Christensen.

Mr.

Mosier.

Here.

And Mr.

Celine.

Here.

Uh thank you.

Welcome, Katie.

I know we I wasn't here for the the swearing-in ceremony.

Um, but um congratulations on your election.

Uh, look forward to continuing to work or to starting to work with you.

Tor, congratulations on your re-election.

Uh number uh I don't think I have that many fingers.

Um so yeah, congratulations on that.

Look forward to you know keeping the band together as you as you stated.

So um I think we got a good group with us right now.

I think we're gonna be able to accomplish a lot within this next uh year's time frame.

Um and if people out in the community have more ideas of what they want to accomplish, here's your people right here.

Especially Katie.

She's motivated.

Uh is there any correspondence or agenda changes this evening.

Uh for ceremonial matters, we have uh several today.

Uh, we'll start with a proclamation recognizing Native American Heritage Month.

Uh is anybody from STA here this evening?

Oh, perfect.

Um after I read the the uh proclamation, uh we'll have you come up for photo and acceptance.

Uh a proclamation recognizing Native American Heritage Month.

Whereas the purpose of Native American Heritage Month is to honor and recognize the indigenous people of our nation.

And whereas the Klinkit Haida, Simxian, and EAC cultures of Southeast Alaska have much to celebrate in their varied and rich cultures, and whereas it is important that honor is bestowed on our state's indigenous ancestors and today's tribal elders, because if not for the survival and adaptive skills of those who have come before us, Alaska's tribal cultures may not be as strong as they are today.

And whereas by continuing to teach the next generation to employ and respect their cultural and spiritual, spiritual heritage, indigenous languages, oral narratives, and traditional foods, our state's local, regional, and statewide tribal leadership is nurtured and inspired to serve.

Now, therefore, be it resolved by the city and borough of Sitka that the citizens of Sitka honor our native peoples and recognize them for strengthening the diversity of our society.

Be it further resolved as the mayor of the city and borough of Sitka.

I here do I hereby proclaim November 2025 as Native American Heritage Month and call upon Sitkins to commemorate this month with appropriate programs, activities, and celebrations.

Signed and sealed uh today by myself.

Um thank you.

You don't have to say anything, but you're welcome to.

We have to at least get a picture.

I know we've done uh several of these, which it is my honor to do.

Um it's also a a great changing point.

I don't know that 20 years ago uh we would have stood up here and done this as frequently as we have been doing it.

So I'm super excited to see um the culture and that being recognized in a way that uh you have strived for for a long time and that has not always been uh as accepting as it is now.

So I hope we we get to continue and I look forward to all the events uh that tribal council and Sega Tribe of Alaska puts on for Native American Heritage Month.

Um on behalf of the tribe, I just want to say that we really do appreciate our ongoing and you know, really fruitful relationship that we have with the city of Sitka, and that we hope that the more things that we host out there, whether it's for Indigenous Peoples Day that we just had earlier this month or this whole month of activities for Native American Heritage Month, that more and more of the community at large realize and fully understand that it really is just our intention to extend our hand to people to feel free to come into indigenous spaces and to learn more about indigenous history and culture, and that we welcome folks from everywhere with open arms and chish.

Uh next we have two service awards.

Uh we'll start with Annette Evans.

Annette, are you here this evening?

I didn't all right, we'll make sure that you get this proclamation uh this service award.

Uh but on behalf of the city and borough of sitca, um this expression of grateful acknowledgement for almost three years of valued service rendered in the public interest while serving on the health needs and human services commission.

Uh thank you.

And yes, very much thank you.

Um that is one that takes up some very hard tasks.

Uh there's been some tasking from the assembly that is been very lengthy because it is is very valuable.

So I I thank her for her service on there um over the past several years.

Uh one more service award here, uh service award on behalf of the city and borough of Sitka is hereby awarded to Mike Reif.

This expression of grateful acknowledgement for 11 years of valued service rendered in the public interest while serving on the investment committee.

Uh thank you.

Uh but not only that, um I know that this is for just the um investment committee, but Sarah, if I don't give this to him, does he still have to serve?

Maybe.

Maybe can we convince you?

Um but not only has he served on the investment committee, um Mike has done quite a few uh different boards commissions and even was on the assembly for multiple periods of time uh throughout his service.

So we definitely thank him.

Uh he was on planning and zoning for nine years, uh two different terms on the sit Sitka Assembly.

Uh if I remember correctly, award winning when you were on the assembly.

I think it was pretty green at that point, but I think I think there was an award there.

Um 11 years on the investment committee and then uh some other um duties, other duties as assigned.

So uh Mike, we thank you for your service to our community.

And we look forward to to seeing what uh we might have up your sleeve again.

Uh oh, he's got a full PowerPoint going on here.

All right, well, uh thanks uh photo.

Let's uh we don't want the photos from either often they come out later.

Well I didn't have the opportunity to proofread these before, so if it's disparaging towards me, we probably need it.

I want to tell all of you and then also all of you how much I really appreciate probably 25 years of serving this community.

And I can tell you some of the reasons for me, and they're probably similar to you, is why we don't do it.

We don't do it for popularity.

Because we get more known, but you're not more alike.

So get that.

We don't do it for the money.

You guys make less than ten dollars an hour and everyone else does it free.

And you don't do it because it takes a lot of time.

If you don't have time, you don't do it.

And for me and probably for you folks too, you do it because you want to make a difference in the community.

You may not sometimes agree with what that difference is, but everyone out here genuinely wants to make a difference.

And also for me, I did it for myself.

Now the other thing the reason I came here with these signs is over here.

You can suck back in.

You are.

And Mayor Stephen.

I would like these signs with you because you decide not to run.

I want you to find someone named White.

Someone named White.

And they they did not hurt me when in the election, but they didn't put me over the top.

So the B signs, one of the people is now a graphic design designer professional.

And I'd like to think this is where he started.

Well, uh, all those in favor say the mic.

Thank you so much.

Thank you.

Again, a big thank you to those that uh received service awards tonight.

And uh again, looking forward to Native American Heritage Month and all the activities that STA typically and others uh typically plan for it.

Uh that'll bring us to special reports this evening.

Uh, our first scheduled special report, uh SUCA Tribe of Alaska tribal council Yeti Kuka.

Good evening.

At our October 15th council meeting, we approved several different measures.

Uh we approved the appointment of various tribal election related positions.

We also passed a resolution authorizing an application for elder services, a letter of support to our congressional delegation regarding the National Ocean Sciences, a resolution in support of the National Ocean Sciences Bowl items for consultation with the National Park Service, as well as agenda items for our upcoming meeting with the Assembly.

We tabled a letter of support for Craig Craig Tribal Association's request for reconsideration to the federal subsistence board.

We do have our tribal election coming up for four seats, and that will be held on Tuesday, November 11th from 8 a.m.

to 8 p.m.

at the Sheet Kakwan Nakahiti Community House.

So absentee voting applications are available on the STA website, and early voting will begin late this month, and there will be a variety of times available for folks who cannot make it from an eight to eight time on Tuesday.

We've adjusted our child care assistance program so that eligibility is no longer based on income and co-payments are also not required.

It's a powerful statement to the community of the commitment that STA has made in addressing the complicated and costly issues of child care in Sitka.

People can contact Kathleen Adams at the tribe for further questions.

As mentioned previously for the proclamation, we do have Native American Heritage Month coming up.

And for that, there are a variety of activities that are happening.

And if you go to the STA website and go under news and events, there's a whole separate tab that takes you to the Native American Heritage Month activities.

And we will be having an event at the Sheikhakwan Nakahiti.

That late afternoon and evening for a feast and native dancing, it's open to all.

And it will begin at four o'clock.

I know that that's Black Friday, and I don't know yet if if we're doing the tax-free thing, but it it provides a good break from the Black Friday shopping for folks.

I know that that's Black Friday, and I don't know yet if we're doing the tax-free thing, but it it provides a good break from the Black Friday shopping for folks, and also gives you a good place to bring your Thanksgiving leftovers if you have some.

One other event that isn't on my report because they had printed it for me in advance that I just want to highlight for everybody on the assembly, but also just the community at large, is that in response to the government shut down and folks finding themselves in a difficult perdecamment there, as well as the SNAP benefits.

The tribe is hosting a fill the bus event at all three of the grocery stores this coming Saturday, where people can come bring food donations to try to alleviate the stress that's placed on the families in our community.

And so we'd sure like to see people coming out for that.

So thank you, and looking forward to our dinner here shortly.

Moving on in special reports this evening, uh Sitka School Board.

Phil, I see you there.

Can you handle that?

That's all I know.

Okay, I'm out.

Um I thought I'd give you an update on the in-kind donations and uh um the definitions for local contributions.

I attended uh via Zoom, the State Board of Education meetings on October 7th and 8th.

Uh the board took the recommendation to send that policy back to the Department of Ed to gather more stakeholder input.

Um, when questioned by board members about definitions and examples of what might be considered local contribution or in-kind donation, Commissioner Bishop stated that if the money was for a specific purpose and it doesn't go into the general fund, then it wouldn't be a defined as a knock against the local contribution cap.

So SICA was specifically mentioned um in both of the meetings on the 7th and the 8th.

Um Dr.

Bishop reiterated that because our marijuana tax goes directly to fund student activities and not into the general fund, it wouldn't count against the CAP.

Um we will continue to monitor this though because uh I think things can shift depending on the tides, time and tides.

Um finished our board retreat last weekend, and after looking at our self-evaluation, the board decided on three goals to help improve our work and communication, including adopting a liaison policy for the schools, reviewing and revising our and reviewing and revising our own annual calendar.

We'll also be taking official action next week at our board meeting.

Um the district priorities that we agreed to, which are to identify strategies to close the learning gaps and develop internal and external communication plans.

Those come directly from the strategic plan of 21 22, and uh we decided not to throw the baby out with the bathwater on that, but to um really hone in on those pieces that we think we can uh still accomplish.

Um more on that next week.

Um, in order to better understand our facilities maintenance and the CIP list, we're working on scheduling a work session to tour all the school buildings with administration and city staff.

I'd like to thank Brooke Volschenck and the finance department and Connor Dunlap and the maintenance staff for providing the board with the information we need to make sense of all these complex decisions.

Thanks for that.

Um and finally, in the really good news category, Blachley Middle School was awarded a blue ribbon school designation for being a high academic achieving school.

This means that their test scores are in the top 10% of the state, and they also had to meet other requirements of the Blue Ribbon School.

Unfortunately, the feds shut down that program.

Um, so they will not be able to be awarded um uh at the national level, but we will be having a reception at next week's school board meeting at 5:30 at Sitka High School, and there will be cake.

So please come and celebrate Blatchley with us.

So thanks.

Well, I don't know.

You said uh we can still fund at the level we've been funding and cake.

Sounds pretty good to me.

There we go.

Uh moving on in the agenda tonight.

Um under special reports, still we have a department quarterly reports.

Uh, we'll start with fire Dave Johnson, please.

Uh there's a button on the very bottom.

If you hit that, there we go.

There we go.

Sorry about that.

Um my name is David Johnson, the assistant fire chief.

Um just gonna highlight some of the uh things that Chief Warren uh had in his memo to the assembly.

Uh we just wrapped up the 2025 Alaska Fire Conference.

We had about 200 people uh between attendees and our vendors that came to town.

So that was uh a heavy lift, and I'd like to thank all the volunteers and our staff that uh helped out to make that um go through seamlessly.

Uh we have a let's see, October's fire prevention month.

So um just want to remind everybody to change those batteries in your smoke detectors.

Um what else?

Fire one.

We've got a firefighter one course, we've got nine people currently going through that.

Um that'll wrap up early December, and then they'll do a hazmat class in uh early January, and then we have an EMT one course that's gonna be starting in uh also in January, uh mid-January.

So if you know anybody out there that wants to uh come and be a volunteer and get some good training that EMT1 courses coming up, it's open to reach out to us, and that's all I have.

Appreciate it.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Uh next up uh is library Jessica.

All right, good evening, Mayor and Assembly members.

This is Jess Yremia, library director.

Um so I'm happy to report that uh our staff are almost completely staffed at the library.

We have one part-time library assistant who has just moved to a temper as a temp position, and they always stay as in a temp position until they're gonna be moving out of state.

So we are actively right now looking for one part-time library assistant.

Um as our library highlights are over the summer.

I'm happy to report that a building project was completed.

We had dimensional communications come in and they installed a new audio and visual system, and that was partly purchased with the grant from the white elephant.

Uh, we got a new projector, uh new speaker system, and it's compatible.

We use it with uh we have two cordless microphones, and we also were able to uh reorientate the um projector so we could accommodate more seating and just better viewing in that room, and we're really happy with the outcome.

It's uh super easy to use and just a great setup.

Uh in August, our summer reading program wrapped up, and we had 46 adults and 176 youth participate this year.

And two highlights in our youth program was our mini camps that we had this summer.

We had the Molly of Denali Salmon Protectors, and we had the PBS space camp come.

And this was our second summer working with the Alaska Public Media, and they're just an excellent organization to work with.

They did great programming.

Um, their teachers were really high quality, super energizing and inspiring.

Uh, with the feedback we got from the families was they liked the high quality of the STEM and environmental programs that we had to offer, and plus it was just so much fun for the kids, and they loved all the food and snacks that we had too.

And and uh so we were really looking forward to working with them again next year.

And our reading buddy program, we had 20 first and second graders participate in the program this year, and that also means that we had 20 adult volunteers come to be their their buddies, and once a week come and spend one hour a week in the library with them reading, and we would just like to acknowledge those individuals and to thank them for doing that.

It really can make a huge difference in a child's life.

Um we also had a very busy teen room over the summer, just teens coming in, hanging out, doing teen stuff.

We love it when they come there and do that at the library, but they also participated in a lot of self-directed programming that we had for them this year, and they really like that.

So they like it, we like it too.

So we're offering that stuff um quite a bit to them.

And the teen advisory board, we had four members of the teen advisory board this year put together an acting class, and they had 11 people enroll, 11 kids enrolled.

And I wanted to bring this up because it takes a lot of effort to put on a really good program, and these kids did it.

They they did a great job, and so my hats off to them.

And our snack grab and go program that we offer every summer is we had about approximately 30 kids every week come for snacks.

This is our sixth year doing it in conjunction with uh SICA Conservation Society.

They've provided the funding.

The library provides the manpower and the place.

And this year we had quite an increase in demand on our food, and we were able to meet that demand this year with a pretty uh good donation from the friends of the SICA public library, and we would like to thank them for doing that, stepping up and doing that for us.

As far as our statistics go, over the summer, we had 13,200 items checked out this summer.

Uh 18,161 Wi-Fi sessions, 25,593 people came through our front doors, and with our three meeting rooms, we had 398 reservations in those three rooms, and 947 computer sessions off of our four computers.

And so we had a we had a busy summer and it was and it went really well and smooth.

We really enjoyed it.

Um, some upcoming events to look for.

Um, currently we have a literary pumpkin pageant happening at the library, and so we are doing voting this week.

Please stop into the library, take a look at some of these pumpkins.

They are just adorable.

There's some really artistic people in town, and so come come vote on them.

And our STEM kits to go are they are back.

So for the month of November and December, we are offering once a week these to go STEM kits, and they're they're offered at a first come first served basis.

And in December, we have a screening documentary of Wild Hope Building for Birds, and also right after that program a do-it-yourself decal for your for your windows so your birds don't birds don't fly into the windows, and then after that is a very short program about the Christmas bird count.

So if you're into birds, this is the program to come to.

It's for all we have something for pretty much all ages in this program, and then also keep an eye out for the rest of the winter.

We'll be offering a lot more bird programming.

And we will also be having to take and make adult programs coming up this winter.

We're gonna be having a torch-fired enamel earrings workshop.

Ashley Lohr is coming back to town, and so in a week that class is coming, and there'll be two classes offered.

You got to register for that, and then we will have a card printing workshop in December that we will be offering to.

So something fun right around the holidays, you can make a gift for yourself or for someone else.

And a couple other items that are coming right around the corner is we have a sound bath and meditation workshop.

It's with the sound healing practitioner Laura Humphries.

So if you're kind of wondering what the heck is that, is it for me?

Well, come check it out.

It's free at the library.

And the other thing that we have planned right now is the Sica Studio of Dance will be presenting the nutcracker once again at the library in November, and they will be dancing excerpts from the ballet, uh, including the land of sweets, and the audience will also get a chance to learn a short dance.

So come on in and just keep an eye out on our Facebook page.

We're always adding new things you know, weekly that are coming up.

So any questions from anybody?

Jess, are you getting any help from the city on improving that ventilation of the computer room or the community aspect of the windows being screwed shut?

Um Connor said he is looking into it right now.

Yes.

Kevin.

I just um I maybe I missed this, but I happened to be walking by the library uh last week, and I noticed there's uh a tarp over the roof held down by sandbags.

I was wondering if that's a major thing or is that something?

Well, it's it's funny you say that we do get people calling us up every once in a while, asking us um concerned that we have a tarp on the roof, and we have had a leak that we have been that we have a tarp over.

We've just been testing to see if we can find the area that's leaking, and we have the tarp on that spot right now, and it has not been leaking, so we have located the area, and then we will be doing work on that part of the roof.

Okay, good.

Yeah, it's not easy to find.

They it finding where a um where a leak is is actually pretty darn tricky sometimes.

So thank you for asking.

Anyone else?

Wonderful.

Thank you.

Have a good evening.

Thank you.

Appreciate the report and uh appreciate the price point of many of your events free.

Uh wrapping up uh department quarterly reports this evening would be electric Ron.

Good evening.

My name is Ron Vincent, and I'm the electric utility director for the City and Borositka.

Um tonight I'm presenting the third quarter report for our department.

Um as I was drafting the summary, uh kind of the executive summary at the front of this report.

Um we we really broke things into four buckets for this quarter.

Our first bucket is capital work.

So this quarter we began um some pretty good price uh site prep and procurement for the Green Lake Dam failure monitoring.

So this project is uh to help with some FERC recommendations that came in, and uh it's to get some cameras and additional monitoring out on the Green Lake Dam to be able to capture dam failure before it occurs.

Um our second major uh improvement out there has been the Green Lake Secondary Transformer Yard Project.

This is another project that was funded in this last budget cycle.

This project is um focused on getting our existing um transformer yard out of kind of a an active landslide area.

So getting that out will help us provide more reliable power and uh better resiliency within our system.

And um, and this quarter we had some really good success.

We had a uh a site um kind of a site assessment uh done by some contractors.

Um they did some resistivity studies out there and determined that uh the area that we thought we would would be a suitable area to build uh indeed is.

And so uh good success there.

And that project's moving forward uh on time and on budget.

Um we've also procured some materials for the metering upgrade project with the ongoing tariffs and uh other logistical issues going on in the world right now.

Um we got a good jump start on this, and we have quite a few meters coming.

Uh, when those meters hit, it should be within the next uh quarter or so.

We'll start um uh the replacement and upgrade procedures, and uh and that should be taking place over the next year and a half to two years.

Uh and that that overall project is really geared towards getting better metering data, um, more real-time data.

It gives us the ability to make better decisions and uh and adjust things accordingly uh for our system.

Uh a couple other capital projects we have going.

Um our environmental permitting has started for the submarine cable replacement.

That submarine cable replacement is CR0.

It's uh the first line of submarine cable that goes out to our uh 19 different islands that we serve.

Um that CR0 line is specifically going to tie into the phase two uh seawalk project.

Um we're trying to coordinate as best as we can with that project, and that work should be taking place in this next quarter, uh wrapping up in January.

Uh and then our last capital project here is the 69 KV disconnect replacement project.

And this is a critical project.

It's replacing uh really some outdated and defective um disconnect switches that we have around town right now.

Uh this project will help uh replace those those existing disconnect switches and get uh new um new disconnect switches in place so that as we're doing switching for operations and maintenance and during emergency activities, uh we can we can do proper switching and make sure that our staff are safe and so is the public.

Um moving on to the next bucket that we have here is regulatory compliance.

So our regulatory compliance work this uh quarter wrapped up with um some additional work as far as safety compliance.

So on the OSHA side, uh you may recall we had um we we pulled in a safety consultant the last quarter and had some uh safety audit done.

That punch list is now available, and so we're we're chipping away at that.

And some efforts were made this this quarter on that, as far as uh developing better uh safety apparel policy, making sure that our staff have uh FR clothing, which is fire fire resistant uh clothing uh for arc flash and things of that nature.

Um other things we had going on for regulatory compliance.

We did our emissions read training this quarter.

So, as you all know, uh we have diesel backup generation.

Um DEC requires us to have uh yearly or annual uh emissions reads, and so our staff underwent training for that, and then uh it was actually this week and and last week.

We started to actually perform those emissions reads.

Uh and it was successful.

Um, and then again, a couple more things for the compliance area.

Um we were able to complete a recreational study and a cultural and historic study in the Green Lake uh development area.

Um, those yielded good information, and uh those are going to help us with our FERC relicensing.

Those are mandatory studies that were uh requested for us.

Uh and then lastly, uh we navigated or I should say we successfully navigated our annual insurance inspection.

Um these are pretty rigorous inspections where uh the insurance company uh comes in, they actually hire a risk specialist, they come in and make sure that we're performing maintenance and uh operational activities in accordance with best practice and uh safe standards.

So we got that under our belt this year, and uh looking forward to uh the next quarterly reports for those folks.

Uh a couple things that I do want to point out that are in addition to these two buckets.

Uh one of them would be the student assistant program.

Um this last year we spent uh a lot of good time working with uh Sitka Sound Science Center and the Sitka Conservation Society to develop a student assistant program.

Uh the department, of course, had student assistance assistance in the past.

Um this effort was um specially funded through a grant and gave us the ability to work with these partnering um these partnering organizations here locally in town to develop more of a program that is uh structured.

Um it gets the students hands-on uh experience here in town in our industry, and it's hopefully going to attract uh local talent into our industry so that we can grow our own uh future electric utility director here in town.

And so uh lots of success with that program.

We had one uh gentleman that was a college student, um great kids to work with.

Another was a I I believe uh a junior in high school.

Um both of them did excellent work this summer.

I I would call the program a success.

Of course, we do want to improve it next year, and uh looking forward to that planning right now with those two uh organizations.

Uh a couple more things here.

We did run through our our normal boring preventative maintenance, those included uh battery testing, thermal imaging, and then site inspections.

Um challenges that we did face and that are kind of ongoing.

One of them is inventory management.

Um we've been shifting to a new inventory management system.

Our old system uh is no longer supported uh as far as the software is concerned.

Um, however, we were able to jump on board our maintenance management software that was implemented through the city's asset management program and um and use an inventory management module that that software has.

So at no additional cost, we're gonna get an improvement uh in the way that we manage our inventory, which is exceptionally uh critical based on the fact that we're on an island, you know, kind of out there.

Um we need to be able to uh respond accordingly and get our power back up quickly.

Uh, a couple other things here.

We do have a general form in uh vacancy.

We have just posted our generation manager position again.

Um that position was posted last year and then taken down for some budgetary concerns.

Those are the two primary vacancies that we have right now.

We did pull in a new um contract manager during this last quarter, and uh I'm happy to say that uh for the first time in five or six years, we're we're on track to have a full line crew.

Um, and as you all know, line crew is pretty important when we have outages from from the weather that we get here.

Um we're looking in December to have that full line crew up, and then we also are looking at the beginning of next year to hopefully have our apprentice um topping out and moving into a journeyman position.

So lots of headway there.

Um couple other things here, just bucketing this up.

Um staff recruiting, we're gonna continue to recruit.

Uh we have a number of different projects that we're going to be kicking off this next quarter.

Um the big the big improvement that we're looking for this next quarter is to get um some more of our contracts out.

We're trying to recruit some professional service contracts and get uh contractors assisting us with these projects so that we can we can get these these moving forward.

So that's what I got.

Uh there's lots of data in this report again.

That's kind of in line with our our goal over this last year being in this position, uh, trying to be more transparent.

Um, if you guys have any questions about that, just let me know.

Thank you.

Yeah, thank you for that extensive report.

They all all you guys do great reports.

Thank you.

JJ got a quick question.

Uh how is our water level looking for both Blue Lake and Green Lake?

Yeah, so that's great question.

Uh, if you look at the data on our very last page of that report, uh, we did have some concerns that I reported this last spring.

And uh our main concern was that we were looking at something like a 50% snow pack.

Um, last you know, if you look back to last May, um, surprisingly enough, we still spilled within about a week or two of our normal traditional spill.

So um the positive in that is that uh the dam expansion has helped build more capacity.

Um that being said, I I think we have pretty steady climate here, which is helping as well.

Um yeah.

Yeah.

I think all of our gardens understand how much rain we got this year.

Thank you.

Yeah.

Uh wrapping up with special reports.

Is there anybody I missed for government to government, municipal boards, commissions, committee, municipal departments, or school district.

All right.

Uh that'll 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, Mayor Eisenweiss and our assembly.

Uh, my name is Arlie Reynolds.

I am the executive director of the Sick of Sound Science Center.

I wanted to update you on a couple of things.

Um, the first one is that uh we're expecting some bad weather later this week.

And um with um heavy rainfall and wind gusts up to 60 miles an hour, and this is sometimes associated with a higher risk of landslides.

So I'm asking folks to keep an eye on the National Weather Service uh forecast from Juneau.

Unfortunately, we are not receiving rainfall data to our dashboard right now from our airport.

So that means that um the readings that we have on our dashboard may be a little bit lower than what they would normally be.

And so I just wanted to make people aware of that and to just stay in tune to the forecast and and to what's actually happening over the next few days as we're about to go into another atmospheric river.

We hope that um once the government shutdown changes, we will probably have that data back and available.

Uh I also wanted to update everyone on whale fest, which is coming up next weekend.

Um that's actually starting the 6th through the 9th of November, and let folks know that all tribal citizens, um, our assembly and mayor and all school board um members are um offered free admission to the scientific um part of that.

Our theme this year is intwined, um, and we'd love you to join us in unraveling the tangled connections of the natural world, revealing how intimately we are bound together on this shared planet.

And that's kind of a double entendre.

It's um there'll be some talking about um actual marine mammal and other types of entanglement that happen and how we can be aware of that and how we might be able to help prevent it, but also um some talk about how you know our ecosystems, our terrestrial marine and aquatic ecosystems are all intertwined and how they are intertwined with us as well.

Um just to give folks a quick update of what is available.

Um we start on Wednesday with Tongus to Table with Mary Goddard, and then um we have uh the student art show on Thursday and our um Wheelfest Film Fest, which is a free film for the um entire community.

It's uh gonna be uh here at um Centennial Hall, and it's um Ben uh Hamilton's film on the Sitka Wonders if any of you got to see that this summer.

It's a great film if you didn't.

I highly recommend coming.

And we'll also have a uh group of folks, uh a small panel to answer questions after that.

We have our market and cafe that that's open Friday, Saturday, and uh it's open to the public for free.

Um we still have a few slots in our scientific illustration work workshop with Norm Campbell on Sunday.

The maritime grind will happen on Friday evening, and that is gonna be dedicated to our dear friend Kitty Labowney.

Um with our wildlife cruises on Saturday and Sunday with Alan Marine.

There's a fun run and walk um starting at Whale Park on Saturday.

There's marine trivia on uh Saturday night and uh scientific symposiums Friday, Saturday, and Sunday afternoon.

So hope to see you all there.

Thank you.

My name is Jay Say, and I'm here to ask the assembly if there will be any plans to address uh the large protests that are going on at the roundabout by Swan Lake.

I'm supportive of our rights protest.

However, this location comes with some problems and make it worse as more elections come on.

There have been some conflicts in the past between the groups.

Also, the roundabout is not the best place to hold a large protest because it's already a tricky spot to drive through, and it can be a distraction for drivers.

Thank you for your consideration.

Anyone this else this evening for persons to be heard any item off of tonight's agenda.

Thank you.

Moving on to consent agenda.

I move to approve the consent agenda consisting of item A, approve the minutes of the October 14th assembly meeting.

Second.

It's been moved and segmented to approve the consent agenda.

Is there any public comment Sarah?

All right on the motion to approve the consent agenda mayor eisenbyes.

Yes.

Mr.

Christianson Ms.

Riley?

Yes.

Mr.

Mosher?

Yes.

Mr.

Celine?

Yes.

Ms.

Carlson?

Yes.

And Mr.

Pike.

Yes.

The motion passes 70 on item A.

Thank you.

Uh board commission and committee appointments.

Item B, please.

I move to reappoint Thomas Dova do all vote, excuse me, to a three year term on the tree and landscape committee and Deborah J.

Miller to a three year term on the tree and landscape committee.

And Greg Olson to a three year term on the police and fire commission and Candice Rutledge to a three year term on the Parks and Recreation Committee.

Second.

It's been moved and seconded to reappoint those individuals to their respective committees.

Is there any public comment assembly deliberation?

Yes thank you for serving Sarah.

All right on the motion to approve um these reappointments um Ms.

Riley yes Mayor Eisenby's yes Carlson yes Mr.

Mosher?

Yes.

Mr.

Pike?

Yes.

Mr Christensen and Mr.

Celine Yes.

The motion passes on item B.

Item C please I nominate uh Larry Edwards Jacqueline Foss James Poulson and Gail Rodrick to fill an unexpired term on the planning commission.

Second it's been moved and seconded to nominate those four individuals for consideration to fill the unexpired term on the planning commission.

Is there any comment on the appointment potential appointment of those four any of those four individuals.

Back to the assembly for deliberation do you have a please is it supposed to be red?

Okay.

My name is Lisa Way I um would like to express my support for Gail Roderick.

She serves with me on the Baranoff Island Housing Authority Commission.

I think she would make a great partner for the city um Baranoff is doing a lot of projects in Sitgit and I think it would be helpful plus she has an extensive background in the assessor's office is that right so anyway that was it thank you.

Any other public comment on the appointment of one of those individuals assembly deliberation I I know that there are at least a few applicants here tonight and just um really am grateful that there's so much interest expressed in the in the planning commission I think it's a really important commission I would love if any of the applicants wanted to express uh their interest in serving why they are motivated to do this to kind of assist in our decision making uh I'd be really grateful if anyone wanted to do that please if uh anyone of those four individuals would like to come up and um state their case hi my name is Jack wellin but I go by Jackie Foss.

So it's an opportunity to serve in a place that I think the city of Sitka has um a real meaningful way of supporting development in the town and affordable housing and I like the opportunity of serving a partial term to make sure it's a good fit for me personally and for the city and for the board I um I have like a busy life so I like to make sure that when I make a commitment that I'm able to follow through and so something like this is a good opportunity I have a lot of board experience and I have a lot of probably strong opinions about housing that I think could be best served by a board like this.

I have a lot of board experience, and I have a lot of probably strong opinions about housing that I think could be best served by um a board like this.

Um so that's all I have.

Thank you very much.

Hello, I'm Larry Edwards.

I'm uh familiar with the uh zoning codes and the uh comprehensive plan.

I uh always do my homework and uh I would always come prepared with good questions and do all I can to make sure that the findings that the commission comes up with are strong and clear and defensible.

Thank you.

And I put my hat in the ring uh just because I thought it would be a nice change of pace.

I was on the um uh parks and rec committee for quite some time and um ready for ready for some uh other challenges.

I don't have an agenda, but I would like to kind of work to help try to solve some of the housing issues in town.

Um and people have given me ideas for uh uh for as much as we can do at a at a at a at the commission level um for uh for addressing some of those problems.

Um but uh looking at the list, everybody uh uh you're a winner, whoever you pick.

I think that's it's a great group of people, and um yeah, uh I would uh I I'd like to serve and um but that's not gonna break my heart if you choose someone else, but thank you.

Hi, I'm Gail Roderick, and I worked in the city assessing office for 26 years, and alongside that was with the planning department, and I got to see everything that they did, all the people that came in and all the discussions, and we would do subdivisions with the planning department.

It was like a second language to me for 26 years, so I feel like I'm a good candidate for the position.

Thank you.

Uh thank you to the applicants who came up and uh stated their reasonings for being willing to serve Kevin.

Just say one thing.

Thank to uh thank you to all four who applied.

Uh this is the the tough ones here because you don't want to say no to a volunteer, which effectively we are for three people.

Um I think everyone uh brings uh can bring a lot of good.

So if I don't pick you, doesn't mean I don't think you're valuable.

Um just trying to choose the best one considering what uh we're going through right now.

Thank you.

Torah?

Yeah, so uh I was out of town this last weekend, so I was sitting in my hotel reading my packet, and when I got to this part, my first thought was wow.

I mean we always have good people going for things, but this is we we this is a no lose uh for us at least uh because I I could make I could sit up here and make an impassioned argument for every single one of these people and mean it.

So um I'm hoping to hear actual opinions from other assembly members, and not just this is great, because uh I I uh I could be swayed because I I like I said I could make a real argument for every one of these people.

Well, I'll give you one.

I'm going for Gail because of how the city let me re reiterate this.

Gail knows how a bad city planner can affect a town for decades after.

And uh 40 years ago, she was paying attention and tried to do something.

So I everybody on there is fantastic, but my vote's going to Gail because she knows her way around weasel words.

JJ I think we have such great candidates because Katie made it look easy for so long, right?

Yeah.

It it's great to see so many people wanting to be a part of like a very big and important an only five-member um commission uh for this town.

They they do a lot of important work.

And one of the things that's coming up uh is that housing study and selecting land and looking through resume here um for Jackie Foss, the soil science, I think is a is a great um thing she didn't mention.

Um she's been doing that for 20 years here, and I think that would be a great uh contribution to what's at hand here in the next um the coming months with our with our housing studies as well as her um understanding of doing that uh by building homes herself in in this community.

So uh I I will be voting um for Jackie.

Very hard choice here, um, but this is an expired term, so it's a short amount of time, and in that short amount of time we will be making um decisions on this this housing study.

I think she fits in very well um with that research.

Kevin, um sorry, Tim, did you uh Tim, go ahead.

Go ahead.

Okay, Kevin.

Um I didn't mean to cut you off.

Okay.

I agree with um JJ on this.

It's hard because I I think every single person has a lot to offer and really appreciate them putting their their uh names on it.

Really appreciate it.

Um JJ, you were astute who um mentioned about the housing study.

It's gonna be a big deal when when that starts to come out.

I believe the um planning director is gonna be doing a report around November or so about the preliminary results of the um land study.

It's our last piece of city land that we have that we want to develop in a way that you know I have thoughts about it, but I don't want to just go to the highest bidder from someone out of town who needs a second home.

I want uh this to be done thoughtfully.

And uh I saw that um Jackie has uh experience well, she owns and operates at Airbnb.

I worked with Katie Riley and I believe Kevin Knox, uh we did an ordinance uh two years ago, I think, to uh regulate the Airbnbs, which I think was a huge uh help uh with this community.

Um but I think experience with that kind of thing is helpful and uh the environmental analysis, I like that exp and um want to do the uh work on the affordable housing.

I think uh something we need to start saying too.

It's not affordable housing can kind of have a bad rap wrap.

Um I think we should, you know, I've been told it's better to call it workforce housing because we just when we're working on these things, we want to make the development happen in the way that people can afford to pay for a place decent place to live.

So I am gonna vote for Jackie, but every single one of you, I really appreciate your putting your um your names in Tim.

Thank you.

I mean, I think Torr nailed it.

I mean, we're spoiled for choice in this particular uh situation, which is not unusual in Sitka, but I think is really uh an important one for this uh committee.

I think uh diversity of opinion on one of these on the planning commission is a really good idea, and I think we've seen uh just recently that sometimes this ends up um in court, and um for that not just that reason, but also because again, I think like Tor, I can make a case for any one of you.

Um I'll be supporting Mr.

Edwards.

I wrote a couple notes as uh as people were talking and as I uh reviewed uh the applications here.

And as one of the applicants stated, uh we we don't lose uh the community the sitca community does not lose by any of these appointments, which is a great thing.

Um you know, we have uh a candidate um who could be on the more conservation conservative side.

We have a candidate with variety of experience.

Um we have a candidate with history, and then uh we have a candidate that uh you know kind of doesn't care if they serve or not, which that speaks to my heart, right?

Because the the guy that doesn't want the job or the person that doesn't want the job is the person you want doing the job, right?

Um so again, no um loss here.

Um I don't disagree with any of the names that have been thrown forward.

Um I had a a couple in mind as I came in here, and um we may have to do two rounds of voting on this one because I'm I'm still undecided, so unless uh there's Katie, please.

Yeah, um if I can just lend a little bit of context, so yeah, for the priorities that we have coming up this year, that's how I'm trying to think of the um perspectives that would be best represented um and really appreciate the building experience that Jackie Foss brings.

Um, I think that that is something that we uh we have uh a bit of that on on the commission already, but always um really helpful when considering plans and things like that um and and lot layouts.

Uh that perspective is really strong.

And then as well, um James's experience in starting, you know, being one of the founding members of the community land trust.

Like it's not just um opening up the land and determining you know which parcels are most suitable, but how do we actually do development on that land in a way that uh is is policy decisions, right?

About how we are able to develop in it in a way that increases uh housing for working families, um, also sets aside you know, maybe some land for the land trust or and finds a way to make that all feasible with uh what you need um for developers to also make their their ends meet.

So um, and and then you know uh Ms.

Rodrigue brings um a great amount of experience in the planning commission work, which is very useful to have that, especially as we are gonna be doing all of this code work.

And I know Larry um does his homework and always does ask really good questions.

So just in terms of the things that uh I was working on and that I know are gonna be in front of the commission.

Um as well, uh the the experience that James brings in working on older homes.

Like one of the priorities I think I've I've heard from some assembly members before is that we have a significant amount of aging housing in this community, and uh how do we repair it and maintain our existing housing stock, I think is really important, and so looking at um you know policies that can help builders um make you know improve houses without it breaking the bank, help families take that stuff on.

That's a big priority of mine to you know keep keep the housing stock that we have healthy.

So um that was one of the things that was making me lean towards James, but as well.

I really think that everyone uh would be great.

So if there's any uh opposition, we'll do round one of voting, uh, because I have a feeling there'll be two or three rounds, but anything else before we go to round one?

Sarah.

All right, I will call your name and then if you will state uh the applicant of your choice, Ms.

Riley.

Pulson, Mr.

Pike, Larry Edwards, Mayor Eisenbais Roderick Mr.

Selene, Roderick, Mr.

Christensen, Ms.

Carlson, Foss and Mr.

Mosher.

Foss.

All right, we'll try for round two.

Uh we have uh one in that round, we had one vote for Mr.

Edwards, uh two votes for and two votes each for the remaining uh three candidates.

All right, Mayor Eyes and Bys Roderick, Mr.

Mosher.

Foss Mr.

Pike.

Foss.

Mr.

Christensen.

Ms.

Carlson.

Foss, Mr.

Celine.

Roderick.

And Ms.

Riley.

Foss all right.

Um Jackie has received five votes, so she will fill the unexpired term.

Uh great.

Thank you to all those applicants.

Um there I believe there will be terms coming up again.

So I would be uh pleased to see all your names uh next time when seats are open.

Uh it is past the top of the hour.

Uh so the assembly will take a brief recess.

Uh assembly, please be seated when you're ready to continue.

Uh thank you all.

I appreciate that.

Um we're moving on in our agenda tonight to unfinished business item D, please.

Okay.

I move to approve resolution 2025, 11A on first and final reading and petitioning the Alaska State Alcoholic Beverage Control Board to issue up to three additional restaurant or eating place licenses under Alaska statute.

Um AS 04.11.405.

Second.

I so moved and seconded to petition the ABC board to issue up to three additional restaurant eating place licenses.

Is there any public comment on the issuance of additional eating place licenses?

Hello, good evening, members of the assembly.

Uh my name is Luke Bruckert, co-owner of Campfire Kitchen.

It's our business that spearheaded this measure, and I want to sincerely thank you for your consideration tonight.

A little about me, though many assume I'm from New York, where I spent much of my career.

I was actually raised in Barrow, Alaska.

It has been my dream to bring my professional expertise back to my home state.

For over 20 years, I've built and led restaurant teams, developed beverage programs, and open kitchens.

Food and drink to me are one of the most powerful ways to connect people to culture to place and to one another.

At Campfire Kitchen, we're creating something new for Sitka, a contemporary woodfire restaurant inside the historic Coliseum Theater, where guests can enjoy a killer dinner and a first run movie.

What we're asking for is simple.

An REPL allows for the sale of beer and wine only, not liquor.

It requires that at least 50% of sales come from food and must be a bona fide restaurant.

It's not a bar license and has nothing nothing to do with existing liquor license holders.

Some concerns have been raised about minors being allowed in the theater.

Under AMCO's guidance, we clearly designate wet and dry areas of our theater.

So families, students, and kids will always be legally allowed and welcome.

The hard truth is both restaurants and independent movie theaters have to adapt to survive.

Streaming has changed entertainment and restaurants face rising costs and here in Sitka seasonality.

What Sitka needs are more year-round businesses, spaces where locals and visitors alike can gather, eat, and connect.

By approving additional REPLs, Sitka would create more year-round jobs for locals, generate more tax revenue for the city, support downtown revitalization, and strengthen our local dining and cultural scene.

Picture it, families coming downtown, lights on in the winter, enjoying a wood fire pizza while their kids watch a movie.

It's good, healthy, family friendly, fun, and it keeps revenue right here in our community.

This isn't a question about whether beer wine and dinner with a movie in a movie theater are a good idea.

The question is whether Sitka will support its local entrepreneurs and embrace the new opportunities that Alaska's updated Title IV legislation has created for small towns like ours.

Thank you.

Thank you for your time.

Number one, I uh um my apologies to Tor and JJ as co-sponsors.

Um I skipped over your opening comments, so we will go back to that.

And uh number two, uh there may be people in the crowd tonight that uh do not agree with your viewpoint.

I would ask you refrain from clapping or booing during these comments uh so that we can get through all of the public comments in an orderly manner tonight.

And I appreciate your cooperation with that.

Uh so going back to Tor and JJ for opening comments.

Thank you, Tor.

Um so this is been a process.

Um we uh well we meaning Chris, Chris and Tor uh brought forward we uh as the assembly um looked at it in August, I believe.

Uh tabled it so we could go out for for more public opinion.

This is exactly what we were hoping for, a more engaged conversation and more understanding about what this would do for our community.

So we're we put together in the packet with extensive um help from the planning director what the submission would be to the state.

So it's a process that's now allowed under new state statutes.

That was around two years ago to request to position to petition for additional licenses.

So that's where we're at.

Other communities have have done it handful or so.

And it's allowable, um, but we need to find out you know, if we want to and out at what level.

So the question is is three additional liquor licenses.

Um the original two sponsors started this process, they were thinking four.

Um they went to tourism commission um to seek feedback.

Uh there was a lot of support um from that group, and so they raised the number to six.

Um it came to this assembly uh at six through an amendment process uh a couple months ago.

We brought it down to three.

Um after that, it went to Planning Commission and Health Needs and Human Services Commission, seek additional kind of comments.

Um, because we got kind of the economic side from tourism, and we wanted to hear about kind of the balance from planning and potentially you know those negative health or community concerns around alcohol in in a town like ours.

And the Planning Commission supported it with some with some tweaks, I believe.

Um Katie could speak more to that uh when we get into discussion after.

And the Health Needs Committee didn't come to an agreement um to support or or kind of oppose it, um, but you will see some information in the packet about kind of the negative side of this, uh perception um through with teens and teen drinking rates, and um some of the police department's um calls and data through DUI and other things that um could be you know contributed to by by alcohol.

So it's all there as part of the discussion in the packet if you haven't seen it.

Um it's a it's a large document um with lots of attachments, so go through the website to it with that.

That's what um we're looking at tonight.

Um we're thinking three.

Um there's some amendments that are being considered as well, um, some kind of updates to the language, uh, because it was originally drafted in the resolution um in July.

And yeah, so we're really interested in hearing from everyone and having a robust conversation.

Thank you.

Yeah, JJ, that was a pretty good recap.

Thank you.

Um like I say, Chris and I started this um, we were asked to, we we received a number of requests to do something like this.

Um I say I didn't realize how involved of a process it was gonna be.

Um it's you know, we received a lot of comment both formally and at meetings and also I've I've received a number of calls.

Um and I understand well, I don't want to get too much on the uh just more so I guess I would say that the three to me represents a compromise uh because we have had some groups requesting significantly more, some of Chris requesting we do none.

Um the the only uh and we'll talk about the merits my or my own personal opinions on it later, but um it it is a community decision, and then of course the other thing that point needs to be made is we're not making the decision tonight.

All we are doing is asking the ABC board to make the decision.

Uh they're the ones who are gonna make it.

Don't know what they're gonna do if we do pass this.

Um and then finally when plus this does not actually issue any licenses.

It allows them to apply, and then we will have a chance to comment on any applications when they are actually made.

Uh so if there you know there's been some concern about maybe inappropriate places, we will definitely have the ability to object to if there's something that we as a assembly don't or as the public don't like uh any specifics, let's put it that way.

So I think that's what I want to add.

All right, thank you to the co-sponsors again.

I apologize for the oversight there.

Um and thank you to the public for standing by while we go back to our normal order of business.

Um so I would like to open it up again to public comment.

Um any comment on issuing three more restaurant or eating place licenses uh requesting the state ABC board to Hi, my name is Renee Jacytis Traffin.

I'm the chef and owner of Beak Restaurant, which is located in downtown Sitka, and I'm a James Beard semifinalist for best chef in the Pacific Northwest.

I've been operating Beak Restaurant since May of 2017.

I hold a restaurant and eating place license that allows me to serve beer and wine at the restaurant.

I'm in support of there being more of these licenses to sell alcohol available in Sitka.

Running a restaurant is extremely diffic and extremely difficult undertaking and is a field where it's notoriously difficult to be profitable.

Selling beer and wine adds value not only to the dining experience, but also to the profitability of the business.

With license I hold, I'm not sure if Peak would have been able to survive without the license I hold.

I'm not sure if Peak would have been able to survive, much less thrive.

With more licenses available, I'd hope there could be more small year-round locally run food businesses in town.

I'd welcome more variety and diversity to the SICA dining scene.

I personally don't feel like adding more licenses is a threat to my own business's viability.

I think that more food businesses in town will further elevate our food scene, um, be a larger draw to tourists, encourage locals to go out, be social and contribute to our local economy.

Falco laws in Alaska are currently very restrictive, and Stica Assembly has the power to make amendments to them in a way that makes sense for our community, or request amendments.

I think that adding more licenses would be a positive change that would augment and enhance the SICA dining scene as well as provide more jobs in the sector and positively contribute to our overall economic situation.

Hi, my name is MSPs, and I have been uh an employee at Campfire for a few near years now.

Um a resident of Sitka as well.

Um Campfire is a great restaurant and a great place to work and has shown up for me as I am now trying to show up for them.

I would like to ask the assembly to allow more REPLs in Sitka.

Winters in SICA are long and dark, and what better way to compact that than with a new place to hang out downtown and pizza with beer.

Thank you for hearing from us.

Hello.

Um, my name's Dave Stanick.

I live here in town, and I'm just a patron.

I'm a consumer and I enjoy the opportunity to have more choice in my consumption.

So I in support of this.

Thank you.

Hi.

Uh my name's Claude McEwen.

Um my wife and I are small business owners in Sitka, and I wanted to voice my support for another small business.

Campfire Pizza in obtaining an REPL.

Uh their business model is very unique and something we have never had in Sitka.

Being able to move forward with their plans to offer beer and wine with food in a theater setting, not only would provide enjoyment for locals and tourists, but uh employ many sitkins year-round.

I feel that as a small community, we all appreciate new options for food and entertainment.

Campfire would provide both, not to mention increased revenue for the city.

I have greatly appreciated all the support given to me for my new business.

And I feel as a community, it is a responsibility to support other businesses with benefits which benefits all of us in many ways.

We all succeed by supporting each other.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Good evening.

My name is Peter Vu.

I just want to thank the City Assembly for taking your time and listening to all the public comments tonight.

Um I've lived in Sitka for about eight years.

I came here as an AmeriCorps a long time ago.

Um in all that time I've worked at Campfire for probably four or five years.

Uh I've worked at other jobs, still work another job right now.

But one thing that I found that really draws me to this town and keeps me here are not just the community as a whole, but all the communities we find ourselves in while being here.

And I've been lucky that I found myself in lots of really intimate, really amazing supporting communities.

Now I come back to Campfire all the time, despite how busy my schedule is because of the community that I see there, not just with the workers and the management, but all the people, all the people who come and they get excited and they tell me that they've been waiting all week to come and eat our pizza.

And unfortunately, you know, I economic activity forces us to have to consider having beer and wine as an option.

But like what was said before, I don't think that campfire or businesses like it do this to sell beer or wine.

They do it so that they can sell their passion so they can share that with a growing community so they can make people happy through food.

And if there was any other way, I know that they would do that.

Um I don't enjoy a beer with my pizza, but I think that if this was just about making money or this is just about increasing the alcohol consumption in Sitka, um, I don't think you would see all the support that you see today.

I think that this is about growing our community.

This is about providing uh uh environment and atmosphere for people to feel welcomed to be excited about coming to.

Um and I hope that this establishment and others like it are able to continue building this um kind of culture for our community.

Thank you.

Hi, my name is uh Tristan Berlingame, and uh I live here in town, and I would just like to express my um support for this movement.

And uh I think that I would just personally like more options in town and uh places to hang out and have a drink with some friends, and we're limited, especially during the winters, and I think that uh if we want more business downtown, then we need to give these businesses the opportunity to prosper.

Thank you.

Hi, I'm Cedar Pook.

I live here in Sitka.

I would love there to be more REPLs in Sitka.

It would help Sitka's year-round restaurants thrive.

I also worked at Campfire last summer.

They're good people and have done a lot for the community.

Please say yes.

Thank you.

Hi there.

Uh my name is Josh Johnson.

I'm a Sitka resident, and I'm here to offer my support for adding um REPLs.

Hope hopefully I got the acronym right.

Um, but I had the privilege to travel down to Ketchcan for my work over the summer, and I found myself walking downtown at 7 p.m.

after everyone went back to the cruise ships looking for a place to eat, and uh I didn't find much.

Um so I I feel like as a community we need to offer all of the the possibilities we can to local businesses to service us, our community, and everyone else year-round and not just focus on tourism exclusively, like many other businesses around uh seem to.

So please uh continue to support them and if you can uh accelerate this or or make it happen, you know, I think a lot of the community would appreciate it.

Thank you.

Uh hi, my name is Charlie Jordan.

Uh, I've been living in Sitka for the last nine years.

Uh I'm a small business owner.

I run a kayak tour company in the summer.

Um I also work for Campfire Kitchen uh in the winter.

Um they Campfire Kitchens played a really big role in me being able to come back to Sitka um a couple years ago.

I had a major hospitalization uh that took me out of state for nine months.

Uh and it was campfire being available and uh having a job ready for me that I was able to like come back and uh re-establish myself in here in Sitka.

Um I just wanted to voice my support in them getting the RAPL.

Thank you.

Hi, my name is Vicky McFadden.

I live here in town year-round, and I'm here to support uh the additional licenses.

I I feel that Sitka is uh changing and evolving, and that we need to um support any thing that we can do to uh help these new businesses.

I see a lot of younger people coming up here and speaking to it, and I have read that our we are losing a lot of our younger population, and as one of the older generation, um I think that we need to keep this community vibrant, and I think that one way is to um have businesses that cater to the needs and um uh not only of the tourists but of our in-house people.

So thank you.

Hi, my name is Ed McFadden.

I'm a full-time resident of Sitka.

Um I'm in support of resolution number 2025 11A.

What I see downtown, what I see the campfire kitchen is doing is exciting.

I want to enhance it.

I want to see more of it.

I want to have more places to go that are your open year-round and at night.

I was just trying to find a place to take visitors to to eat and off season, it can be very hard to do.

So I'm asking for your vote in favor of this revolu resolution.

So thank you.

The lights on, so I think that means it works.

Um hi, my name is Royal Henderson.

Uh I'm a relatively new resident of Sitka.

Um, but I'm a big fan of Campfire Pizza.

Camerie and Luke are friends.

Uh I think in terms of this resolution, um, as a community, as an assembly, um if you say if we say that supporting you know new businesses and our existing businesses is an important priority.

I think this is one of those times where the rubber meets the road because I think from the descriptions that we've heard.

We work in this state within the context of some complex and some would say outdated liquor laws.

And I think I think that like you need that this is one of those moments where everyone who works in the restaurant industry and the food service industry here would tell you that that's an important part of their business.

And so I just think that as an as a community we need to support them, and we need we need to give them the tools to succeed.

I think it's very, very important that we support more RAPLs here.

And thank you.

It's just about bedtime, so um, I just wanted to come up here and say I'm a SICA resident.

I'm uh in support of the if we could get your name for the record as well.

My name is Dane McFadden.

Thank you.

Uh just wanted to voice my support for adding more reples and uh gonna keep it short and sweet and go to bed.

Thank you.

This on.

My name is Dan Evans.

Uh lived here for 45 years, and uh I just want to say I support this business as well.

I know these two people that are starting the business, they're my neighbors, and I watch how hard they work.

And uh so there's two reasons I wanted to open the business.

First is they're hard workers and I know they're gonna go far and they're gonna do good.

There's no doubt about that.

Mark my words for sure.

And the second is I don't know if you know this, but I'm actually from New York and uh grew up in Brooklyn.

And pizza over there is the big deal.

So when I have his pizza, it brings back some memories.

I don't know if you ever had any of his pizza before, but if you have, feel good about it.

Good evening.

Uh my name is Chance Gray.

I have lived in Sitka for almost nine years now, and as we have grown in the last few years, we've watched many young families create businesses, can create opportunities in the tourism industry and in the year-round economy economy of Sitka.

Uh Camria and Luke have done amazing things to further that for this town.

They are creative, they um work their tails off and have done something and are trying to do something that will make this community, this downtown more vibrant.

And I think that is something worth celebrating and something worth supporting.

So I am here to support uh this motion, and um think we really should be bringing more opportunity and more vibrancy to sitca.

Thank you.

Good evening.

I'm Adora Villanoeva Dumag.

I'm born and raised here in Sitka, and I am here to share my support in the resolution for the addition of three REPLs.

Um, I've witnessed um campfire grow from the ground up, basically from day one, and I've seen them build this campfire culture that is incredible to witness.

Um they've recently a few years ago won the chamber business of the year.

Um I've seen them selflessly give back to the community, and they are being able to help them with the tools to grow the business will help and building SICKA's a common economy and support our small SICA businesses.

Um they are creating an environment for local families to gather and break bread and drink wine together, and um just this opportunity to be able to be a part of that and to show my support and and be in front of you to say, you know, thank you for your time and consideration to pass this resolution.

Thank you.

The light means it's on.

My name's Kate Strata.

Uh, I'm a resident of Sitka.

I work three days a week uh at our hospital, and I am just gonna ask that you guys support adding a few more uh RELPs.

Um I enjoy giving back uh and stimulating the SICA economy and have families come to visit from out of town.

Um originally from Louisiana.

My husband's from California, and when they come and visit year-round, uh during the off-season, it can be difficult to find places uh to accommodate different lifestyles.

So I just ask that you support this, and thank you for your consideration.

Michelle Cavores, prevention director at SICA Counseling, Chair on the House Needs and Human Service Commission.

I said I'm the police and fire commission, and I'm the Southeast Regional Co-Chair for the Alaska Alcohol Alliance.

Thank you, Mayor and Assembly.

I am an opposition of this petition.

In the packet, it references sickest total population at over 670,000, which is obviously not a true representation of sickness population.

That number includes temporary visitors, most of whom are here for less than a week, and many who only hear six to ten hours a day.

These individuals do not reflect sick as resident population of 8,006 three, which is the number recognized by the state of Alaska for determining license limits.

It was stated that Amco requires those visitor numbers to be counted in the population.

That is inaccurate.

And that is the responsibility of local governing bodies to ensure the numbers accurately represent their community.

We need to look closely at these population claims before making decisions that could have lasting and unintended consequences for SICA.

We've heard the phrase, it's just beer and wine.

Research clearly shows that when alcohol outlet density increases, youth drinking and heavy use rise as well because it normalizes alcohol use and shifts community norms.

SICA police and fire commission's monthly report shows three more DUIs just in the last month, including a 17-year-old.

That is not just a statistic, that is a young person in our community.

We cannot look the other way and pretend there is not an issue here.

Since January 1st, we've had 29 alcohol-related DUIs.

Our police department is short-staffed, 11 of 27 positions are vacant.

Meanwhile, funding cuts continue to threaten programs that support people with mental health and substance use issues.

Finally, Senate Bill 15 now allows 18 to 20 year olds to serve alcohol, increasing youth exposure and excess.

And sick as recovery communities running out of places to go that do not serve alcohol.

The ABC board board relies heavily on the local governing bodies to help them guide their decisions.

When we consider public interest, we are not just looking at creating revenue.

We are looking at the health and safety of our community.

Adding more licenses means adding more risk for our youth, for our families, and for our community.

Any increase in alcohol availability has the potential to affect public safety, mental health, and overall well-being, and these factors must be weighed thoughtfully.

Thank you.

And as a community, how lucky we are to have a place like Campfire Pizza.

Um I support them having the opportunity to serve a glass of wine or beer with their pizza.

People don't come to Campfire Pizza for alcohol.

They come for the pizza.

They come for the people that started this restaurant.

They come for the vibe and the love that they get every time they come in, the way they're treated, the way they're talked to.

It's you literally have your own cheers, if you remember that show in Campfire Pizza.

Um allowing them to be able to serve alcohol is not going to be the center of campfire pizza.

It's a another dimension that allows them to create revenue for not only themselves but your entire downtown.

You get this amazing energy that is literally right in your downtown and not way down on Sawmill Creek.

It's right there.

And I just think that as a community, everyone is super lucky to have the ability to walk into Campfire Pizza and be part of what they are.

And I'm really lucky to be part of them as well.

Thank you.

Any other public comment on petitioning the ABC board for additional restaurant eating place licenses.

Good evening, Assembly and Mayor.

Um, my name is Chris Yestead.

Um I'm sure most of you know why I'm have interest in this, and thank you, JJ, for picking up the torch for me.

Um so since our first reading of this, uh I've had a lot of time to think and contemplate, and there were a lot of good points that were brought up by both sides of this argument here.

Um that has made it a hard choice, and at this point I'm thankful I'm not the one who has to make it.

So good luck.

Uh one of the points that I started thinking or that someone owners of these previous permits have talked to me about is consider it much like my my limited entry permits that I own, and they are kind of bought and traded very similarly, and markets are kind of considered similarly.

So it was kind of it was easy for me to wrap my head around that, just considering it like my fishing permits.

And in doing so, some of the things I thought about was it appropriate for the assembly to be this act as though they are the CFEC, which is the commercial fishery intercommission or limited entry to commission.

Um in the end, I I don't think it is appropriate for this body to be the limited entry to commission.

I think that's more appropriate for the ABC board to be that.

Um so that was one of my reasons for supporting this and and pushing it forward.

Um of the things I didn't like that was coming from the other side of the argument was how is this fair to our existing businesses that have already bought these permits or licenses, sorry, not permits, and um, you know, that they had to pay a pretty fair sum to to get access into their business.

And these new licenses, these people won't have to pay that uh entry fee.

And that was something that was very troubling to me.

Um it's something I've I'm still struggling with right now.

Um quick conversation with our wonderful planning director, pointed out a good point to me.

And that if any one of our existing license holders forfeits their permit and it goes back to the ABC board, someone else can apply for it and not have to pay this entry fee.

So it it made me think that it is wow, I'm really running out of time, guys.

Well, this is this is tougher on this side of the table.

Um I support new businesses coming in.

I also support our existing ones.

You have a very tough choice.

We have a lot of people here in the summer, and more opportunity, more diversity, I think is a good route.

Thank you.

And uh I'm glad that was a perfect uh there is a difference between the REPL and the bar licenses, and the bar licenses when they're exchanged, there's money that's transferred, but I don't know of any REPLs that transfer with money, so it's not a fair comparison.

Yeah, it is no well.

So there's a bar license, and we're allowed six and zitka.

We have eight.

One's out of the golf course, one's out the cruise ship dock.

You know, we don't have that many downtown.

So that's a bar license.

And then there's a REPL, and the REPLs aren't exchanged with money.

That's right.

Okay, we'll get corrections.

Scotty, this isn't a time for back and forth.

Right, and that actually good point.

This isn't a this isn't a time for back and forth.

Hopefully later we can address it later during that.

How many applications?

Um also maybe I think there's more than more than obviously campfire.

So I'm hoping it's more than campfire.

So I would just push for you should have more licenses, I think.

Um then on this notion of like a limited uh resource and IFQs.

It seems to me I actually discussed it with Luke Johnson.

He said, Yeah, well, if we could drink all the alcohol in Scotland, that would be a problem.

But it's not about the alcohol is limited.

It's the it's the cut is so we can do you can discuss this later.

Um, I just don't think it's I mean, other communities aren't bar bars are always pushing existing owners have a want scarcity because then they have a you know the benefit.

That's all.

So um folding as a part of it.

I hope there's more.

I hope uh and over time in a few years you can petition for more.

Thank you.

Scotty, this is a bit out of order from our normal procedures.

We will have an opportunity to um address comments made um when it comes back to the assembly.

I'll make sure to call on you right away.

Thank you.

So I am Lisa Way.

I am here to just encourage you guys to support our youth, and we want them to all come back to Sitka.

There has to be opportunity for entrepreneurs, and I think that really you should be supporting the businesses in Sitka.

And I just wanted to appreciate you guys all for your work and dedication.

I only know how long this takes.

Anyone else on the petition for an additional three restaurant eating place licenses?

Hello, my name is Christian Lytton, and my wife Grace Ivers and I own and operate Wildflower Cafe and Bakery.

Uh I'm a born and raised local class of 03 for doing that.

Uh and I'm here to encourage you to vote in favor of this resolution.

Uh but to be clear, I do think that three REPLs is not enough.

Uh, Wildflower Cafe is one of the businesses that would benefit greatly from the conclusion of more restaurant eating place licenses, and we plan to apply for one when and if this resolution passes uh at the uh AMCO level.

Uh our cafe operates year round, employs locally, and is an ever growing part of the small business community here in Sitka.

Adding beer and wine to our menu is a simple change that would give us more opportunity in our establishment, allow us to provide products that would complement our uh our existing food menu.

Uh, this addition to our menu would help our business grow, hopefully give us the opportunity to hire more people, offer more products, and work with other local businesses like our local brewery to provide locals and visitors with a high quality cafe experience that people have come to expect at Wildflower.

I understand that some businesses with existing liquor licenses feel that this might somehow lower the value of their existing license, but I don't see that happening.

Their license will still be worth the huge amount of money they spent on it, and at any time they are welcome to turn around and sell it for the market value they decide that it's worth.

If they'd like, they can sell it to me.

Uh but by offering more REPLs, the city would simply be providing healthy competition to the market, and healthy competition is vital for businesses because it drives innovation, improves product quality, lowers prices for consumers, and fosters overall market growth.

It pushes companies to improve and adapt, leading to more options and better value for customers, and encourages businesses to operate more efficiently and sustainably.

These businesses with existing licenses may think it's unfair for a new business to be able to acquire one of these REPLs at a much lower cost, but I find it unfair that some of those businesses are ones that were established long ago when it was much easier to do this.

Property taxes were lower, cost of living was lower, products were cheaper to buy, the barrier for entry into the system was just overall easier, and now they want to pull the ladder up behind them, leaving everyone else to struggle.

I find it strange that the main businesses coming out against this aren't even the ones with the same license.

They are establishments with full liquor licenses that are bars first, eating places second, whereas Wildflower Cafe, Campfire will always be a food first establishment.

I'm simply asking that we be allowed to offer a beer with lunch and a mimosa with breakfast, and if someday able to offer dinner, a glass of wine.

Again, Wildflower is a local small business, open year-round.

We simply want to be able to add products that would complement our menu, make our business stronger so we can keep staying open through the winter to better supply locals with a place they love.

Um I hope that you'll vote in favor of this motion.

Thank you.

Uh, one more time, the button on the bottom, you turned it off instead of the case.

Well, there we go.

Hello, my name is Cambria Holmes, co-owner of Campfire.

Some people have expressed concern that issuing additional REPLs would make existing licenses less valuable.

But under Alaska law, that simply is not the case.

Alaska Statute 41160 clearly defines a liquor license as a personal privilege and not a property right.

These licenses exist to serve our community and not to be held as private investments.

The reason Sitka can now request more REPLs is because of new Title IV legislation passed by the state, which gives cities like ours the legal ability to ask for more restaurant licenses.

This isn't bending the rules or finding a loophole.

It's exactly what the law was designed for.

The state recognized that communities were growing and that the old population caps were holding small towns back.

Before I go any further, I want to share with you why this matter means a lot to me personally.

So when I talk about serving alcohol, I do not do it lightly.

My entire goal has been to create a space that reflects the opposite of what I grew up watching, a place centered around food, community, and connection.

At campfire, alcohol would be an accompaniment to a meal and not the focus.

And I want to be clear.

If I thought for a moment that obtaining this license would harm anyone or hurt the fabric of this community, I wouldn't be standing up here advocating for them.

I'm raising my daughter here, and I care deeply about the kind of place that she grows up in.

One where businesses act responsibly, where families feel safe, and where we model what community looks like at its best.

That's why it's been disheartening to hear Char and a few local bar owners protesting new restaurant licenses under the hypocritical claim that there's too much alcohol in this town, or fear of youth being exposed.

When in truth, Char supported the 2025 legislation that lowered the serving age from 21 to 18.

And neither Char or either any bar owners protested the two recent distilling applications here in Sitka or the golf course request to add endorsements to serve alcohol on the course.

So the concern can't really be about youth or alcohol exposure.

It seems to be about competition, which in my opinion is a great disservice to the people of Sitka.

These licenses were created to serve the public to help communities like ours grow in a healthy, sustainable way.

For me, this isn't about alcohol at all.

It's about what we build around it.

It's about creating sustainable year-round places where families can gather safely, where the next generation can work, eat, and belong.

Sitka deserves a chance to keep growing into that kind of town, one that leads with fairness, balance, and heart.

Thank you.

I know this has not been an easy subject.

All right, I want to thank everybody for uh an orderly and uh as expedient as we could uh get the public comment done.

Um it means a lot to me to be able to hear everyone's opinion, whether it was in favor or against these this evening.

Um I also do want to clarify before we go on a recess um and public or uh assembly debate that this restaurant and eating place uh petition is not for a particular business, um, but any business that that would apply.

So I wanted to make sure I made that clarification for those in the room and uh for those who might be listening, although there was a lot of support for a particular business this evening.

Um so again, thank you for allowing an orderly um persons to be heard, and uh the assembly will take a recess.

Um please be seated when you're ready, assembly.

Uh thank you, everybody.

Uh we will continue our work on item D.

Um, it'll come back now to the assembly for deliberation.

Um, Scotty, I indicated uh if we would call on you first if you had some some comments, and this would be the time for that.

Was gonna be because the last three people that obtained them paid 70 grand for them, and they're all in favor of this, and I'm in favor of it.

But when people misstate stuff, that's why I felt compelled to say something.

I got it straightened out with JJ that the state doesn't recognize cash transfers with the restaurant that you buy.

And that's why people got the wrong idea, but there is capital gains tax to be paid as your permit goes up for what you're asking prices.

So I'm in favor of it, but I think we need we need ten of them if we're gonna do it.

There's other people that want to sell beer and try to survive in town too.

Yeah, um so like I said before, I think this is a compromise.

Um and there's nothing to say we can't do this again, but there was numbers up and down, and this I think three was you know the sign of a good compromise is nobody's completely happy.

Uh but a couple of points that came to mind over the through this process.

Um first of all, I don't see these as really competing with bars.

Um, you know, with a regular traditional bar.

Um there uh the um so I I I know I've I've had a number of people reach out to me saying that they don't like the idea of that, but it I just don't see it.

Um the fact is I don't like our current system we have.

Um, but it's the one we have.

I mean, in my mind, they shouldn't have a value like when you give it up, it goes back to the state, and another person would do it.

That would be a lot more fair, but it's not the system we have.

Um and with the change in the law that allowing us to have more.

Um I just don't see it as really making it worse for the existing ones.

I mean, it it I wish they hadn't had to pay for them, but they did, and it's uh but I also know that until fairly recently we hadn't hit the limit, so a number of people who have them now didn't pay for them either.

Um not everybody, but a number of them, you know, they did we hadn't hit the limit.

So um and our economy has changed, and I think a higher limit is appropriate.

Um the uh you know, they're not as valuable as a bar license, they're worth whatever people are willing to pay for it.

Uh, but I don't again, I don't see them as coming down.

Um but uh said I see this as a compromise.

I think it will be good for the economy.

I don't see this kind of license uh as being contributing to uh any more than anything else to kind of the ch uh younger drinking or the uh I do know that the ABC board is extremely uh villigant as far as that kind of thing.

It's and that you know, I I recently took got my tap card for various reasons, and um I don't think this places like this are where underage drinking is happening uh because they would get in so much trouble and they know it.

So um it's not perfect.

I would love to be able to address everybody's concerns, but we can, it's the system we have, and I think we should go ahead and do this.

Katie um yeah, well, I have uh a couple things to say, but um so I'll just I'll start at the top.

Um but I just wanted to thank everyone for the taking the time to contribute their thoughts.

I I think at one of the assembly meetings that I first came to this issue was being discussed, so I got it there.

I heard you guys um giving it to the planning commission, so then we discussed it there.

I'm happy to talk about the recommendation that we made at the planning commission, um, and then again hearing it at this table.

So uh, you know, I did a lot of research um because I as well I don't think knew what a charged issue this was.

Um, but we got a lot of input from folks um, you know, both for and against these, and so I wanted to make sure to do my research into you know our system, where it came from, why it is the way it is, how it functions, how these licenses are currently being used or not, and then also the potential impacts to community health, which I do take um very seriously, and and really like a lot of what it comes down to is what is our role as a local government to inform this decision.

And I appreciate your clarification, um, Steven, about you know, the question being asked of us tonight uh is whether or not essentially it's in the a public interest, right?

Or whether or not our community has the capacity to handle three more restaurant and eating place licenses, not who should get it or um what they should do with it, but really like can we handle it?

Do we have the you know appropriate um police force to handle it and um the uh you know numbers, things like that.

And so uh that's kind of the lens that I tried to look at it for, and it's also you know, we're not asking uh if we should handle more full bar licenses uh or liquor stores, which I think are um you know a big part of the problem for for team drinking, um, but rather you know, beer and wine licenses.

So I just wanted to say like the state has 11 different license types for stores, bars, lodges, clubs, restaurants, breweries, all of those have different limits, different costs, and uh, you know, just there there has been um confusion over uh when we say liquor license, and we're talking about we are wine, just what that means.

So wanted to say 11 different licenses, um, and we have a lot of them here in Sitco.

When so when people say like there's a lot of places to get alcohol, that's true, but they are not all uh the same type, right?

And so we're talking about restaurant and leading places.

Um I hear concerns that we are overlicensed already, uh, you know, the devaluation of existing permits, the impacts on the team drinking rates, those are some of the more common ones.

And I I just want to say that I don't think we're overlicensed because I don't think that the licenses that we have are currently being used to their full potential.

Um we have multiple licenses, REPLs under the same roof.

We have year-round licenses that are being used seasonally, and we have licenses that have been temporarily suspended for years.

So when we say we have six in our community or eight um, you know, with two seasonals, that doesn't mean that they are all being, you know, we don't have six places that you can go get beer and wine with your meal right now.

Um and this is because our current system incentivizes people holding on to these and artificially inflating the resale value of the license itself.

But uh, you know, as as um the law says, this license is not a property, right?

It's a privilege.

And so as it was explained to me by our attorney who I spent some time talking with, um, you're not buying the license itself.

Uh that is not even guaranteed, right?

You're buying the ability to ask the state to give you a license.

Um, and you are buying the revenue stream that comes along with that license.

And so I think the most helpful comparison I actually uh heard was uh in terms of like a short-term rental.

Um you apply to the city for a short-term rental permit, but you're the permit itself is not the thing that has value, it's the revenue stream that comes along with running an Airbnb, which can be you know up to $30,000, as we saw in our short-term rental report, which was helpfully included.

Um so that that revenue stream is the valuable thing.

It shouldn't be the license itself.

Um and the way that the you know system currently works, as you pointed out, is is not um helping us use these, I think, in the way that they should be.

So holding on to these to increase their economic resale value.

It's not what the state intended.

I think it's being done legally, but I don't think it's it's proper for you know what our community um needs in terms of you know supporting businesses growing here, supporting um economic development in our town, and we don't have any power to really like police how those are used unless there's like a violation as as laid out in the law, I think, what those are.

Um but what we can do to support economic growth when we see those aren't being used necessarily like they they should be in our opinions.

Uh we can uh issue, you know, we can petition actually for new licenses, not like we can issue them ourselves, we gotta ask.

And then the new businesses that want them also have to ask.

And so all the folks that showed up here tonight, you will probably have to come back when uh or if this particular business has the opportunity to actually apply for a license if this passes tonight.

Um so that's a bit about the licenses, and then just with the um teen drinking, that was something that we discussed on the planning commission because that was in our purview of thinking about you know community development and like do we have um the systems in place to deal with this.

We have a massive teen drinking problem.

I was really uh appreciated the reports that um Scap sent over and uh that were provided by our police department.

Um that was really concerning uh to see that our team drinking rates are higher than the rest of the state, which Alaska is already higher than I think the rest of the nation, um, and especially uh, you know, the the female trained drinking rates being like twice as much as um the their male peers.

And so I am really interested in figuring out why that is.

I don't think that restaurant and eating place licenses are why that is.

I think this is something that existed, you know, back when I was in high school.

Um I think this is something that will continue to exist, and uh it is definitely, you know, we we have a need for alcohol-free activities, absolutely.

And I really want to thank you know, Parks and Rec for uh doing a ton of that, right?

Like this is this body has supported the ability of Parks and Rec to offer so many activities and sports for our community um to be alcohol free and engage in, and like that is a wonderful thing that we offer this community.

I think it's really hard to run a business model that uh is profitable that does those same types of activities.

And I would very much invite anyone who thinks they could have that business model to like get out there, do it, and like let us know how we can help.

And I think us as an assembly, you know, we if we want to encourage entrepreneurs, it's like of all stripes, right?

So that is the invitation I would give there.

And then yeah, I I just want to keep learning and researching about the uh the teen drinking issue and the exposure to alcohol.

Like I said, I you know, I don't think this is where the real rub is.

I think that alcohol has been normalized in many other capacities in our community in a in a concerning way.

And so um, you know, that's not that's not what we're here to discuss tonight, but our assessment on the planning commission was that we did have the you know the sworn officers in place, the police force in place, um, the EMS, fire capacity to kind of deal with uh with those incidents when they occur.

Um we're staffing up in our police department.

I know that it's not um it's not the same as it was.

We have a motion here to to potentially amend that, but I do think we even have seven sworn officers of the law, which was what it it uh said in the last one.

And so that was not where we felt we were falling short.

I think what we wanted to see on the planning commission was um supporting not seasonality but really uh year-round developed business.

You know, this seasonality trend is something that we're experiencing more in our community.

I think we're all invested in figuring out like how can we retain, you know, um people in our community, uh, especially uh working age people um you know support that that drop in population that we're getting that impacts the rest of the services that we're able to offer as a community.

And so we made a recommendation that the city ask for um if there is competition amongst application to prioritize established businesses that are open year-round.

The planning department interpreted year-round as um open 10 months out of the calendar year.

I think that's great.

People got to take vacation, absolutely.

People got to decompress after the tourism season.

Um, and that was found to be uh an acceptable policy um suggestion on behalf of the assembly.

So it's not like a uh legislation thing we're doing, but it's it's a recommendation that we're making as our preference to um AMCO if if this body decides to do that.

I think that is um a good one to ensure that you know we're not we're not creating these licenses just to help out um tourism.

I do want to see more year-round businesses, I do want to see a revitalized downtown, and I think that uh that is a good amendment to make.

So I really appreciate everyone's thoughts.

Um I am in support of this, um, but I really do hear the concerns about it and have tried to take uh as as objective as a look at these concerns as possible, given that you know essentially this is um policy decisions, and you know, when you make those people like you, and then they also disagree with you.

So thank you for that time.

Please, Kevin.

Um I was kind of waiting for everybody else to go.

Normally I try to go more first, but I believe that there's enough votes on here to pass this.

Um I'm probably not gonna support it, and I wanted to I'm not gonna try to sell this or anything like this.

I'm just gonna state my opinion.

I've struggled with this a lot for the past however many weeks, month or so, uh, since this has been going on, because although I'm going to vote no, it bothers me because I want to support business since I've been on.

I've been very supportive of business.

Um it's the lifeblood blood of an economy, and it helps everything and helps uh support schools and fix our roads.

So but I wanted to first, yes, thank everybody for coming in and uh speaking, everybody who emailed.

I could see everyone was really passionate and respectful, and I really appreciate that.

And uh I don't go to campfire often, but the past couple times I've gone, I have noticed it's a very community-minded place, it's very much like cheers, it's a really special place.

Um so um, oh yeah, forgot I talked to the mayor before this.

I have to disclose I have two of my daughters um have worked at a restaurant that has an RAPL.

I I don't know if they'll be working this year, but I just felt like I should disclose that.

Okay.

Um I don't yeah.

So I'm glad that you said something, Mr.

Mayor, about uh the distinction because I think we're getting caught up in um campfire and then um the wildflower because that's not the issue before us, and I've been really struggling because it's I wanted to try to make this as objective as possible.

And it's a very tough issue.

This is surprisingly difficult, and it's cost me a lot of stress, and I normally I don't worry about these things that much as as I have, but um, I guess I'll get down to it.

Uh I sorry, I normally don't type up either, but I'm doing it this time.

Um so my question is like why why focus on uh we need to focus on the licenses, not the the restaurants.

So the ABC board set population limits based um uh to control the density of alcohol serving establishments, which is a common policy measure across the country.

And then they started this in the 80s.

It's been around the the numbers uh thing has been around for a long time.

And then in 2022, they rewrote the the the state legislature rewrote the law, and that was after a very long process.

It was people from the health um community uh not wanting to do this uh versus the businesses, and um this the same kind of argument as profit over safety, which is hard to say because it's very subjective.

So um, and in that case they did some compromises, they added a seat to the uh ABC board of a public health uh advocate.

Um so the bottom line is this was not easy for this for the state when they were doing this.

Um so my biggest hiccup on this whole thing has been big picture.

Although we can request licenses for um to be issued from the ABC board, we don't have to.

The leverage and the control is in the in the city, this um the municipality, us to decide whether we want to ask, and we don't have to or we can.

But the population what I'm trying to get at is while I'm rambling is that uh because of this new law, we can include the seasonal numbers.

Um before we couldn't, but I am struggling right now with choosing to request the license that will be for a year-round thing uh for something based on um seasonal numbers.

So in my mind, although the state made it legal, I don't know that that's a wise course of action.

Um why did we issue the licenses for public safety?

Um I think there's been a lot of emotion in this, and for I mean, appropriately so this is a big deal.

I'm trying to put out of my mind the the businesses who currently have it or versus anything like that.

My mind the the issue boils down to just that.

The um population included uh if this if this passes to it would be is including the seasonal numbers for a um a non-seasonal license.

So I just can't get my mind around around that.

I can't reconcile it, and so for that reason I'm going to vote no.

Um like I said, I think that there's the votes here to pass this, and I'm not gonna lose sleep over this, but I I do believe at the end of the day, it's a public health issue.

Um as much as I I want to support businesses because I do very much, and I think um the the people who talked in uh support of these two um businesses, it's great places, and I have no problem with them, and I want them to succeed.

It's just for me, this is where I stand, and uh like I said, I'm not gonna try to convince anybody.

This is just where I stand, and thank you for your consideration and all your uh uh your your comments.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Wow, I mean, this has been quite the topic um for the community, no doubt.

And uh, I think you know, Kevin Kevin raises a very valid point that I've been uh pondering as well, which is uh when the numbers were initially set, it had to do with our permanent population.

And while while you can include all the visitors, um is that really what you want to do you really want to increase those those numbers on a community during the winter?

And um, you know, so I mean if if people were approaching us for seasonal licenses, I think that'd be a whole different question.

Um the other hand, many of those licenses that are currently issued are being used seasonally.

So where's that balance?

Where's that number?

Where does that fit?

So, you know, I I agree, and I I work with teenagers for a living, um, and I can tell you that you know, teenage drinking is a big problem in our community, and it is kind of a nationwide problem, but it seems to be a real issue here.

The question of whether they're getting it from the restaurants or not.

I I think that's not really a question.

Um they're getting it somewhere else.

Um, and unfortunately, for our community, it's quite easy to get, apparently.

So um, and I think if we wanted to address an alcohol problem, I think we as a community should definitely approach that problem, but that's not what we're talking about here right now, as far as I'm concerned.

So this is whether or not um adding some more licenses to our community is going to be detrimental.

Um, and I'm not convinced that it is going to be detrimental.

But I agree with Kevin.

I think we need to be very cautious um to include all the visitors because of the visitors are not what we're talking about during that.

And I was thank thank the mayor for pointing out that actually it's not about any particular business we're talking, it's about our community as a whole and the licenses that we might or might not want to ask for from the ABC board.

So I think it's a big question.

I think my comments um can perfectly follow yours, Tim.

And um Kitty, I thank you for your um your overview of it because a lot of your thoughts and comments tonight reflect mine.

Um so I won't go over those again, but just indicate that that's that's kind of where my my mind is, too.

Um that made me pause on this one was the exposure for our youth.

And I don't disagree with that one.

Um where it is culturally the norm to consume alcohol, uh, where in other countries uh it may not be.

Uh so I think I think the exposure for our youth is a is a valid um concern and is something that we should weigh as we go forward in this process.

Uh would also agree with Tim that I don't believe our youth are getting uh the alcohol at our licensed establishments.

Um that uh that does not seem to be the the avenue of it, but um you know this is adding another exposure point, um, much in the same way smoking in restaurants uh back in the day added another exposure point to cigarette smoke.

Um so I guess I shouldn't say cigarette smoke, more of the act of smoking uh would be more appropriate in this case.

Um I am still in favor of this, um, but I just I want those paying attention to know that uh the the exposure for youth part is uh one of my main notes on my uh on my sheet here.

Uh I missed the the first opportunity where the assembly did go down to three additional licenses.

I don't think I want to start that uh debate again.

I will say that I believe three is too small at this point due to the need for them.

Uh I hope if uh we we do get these three we go forward uh that ABC will look favorably upon us for kind of sectioning it off as opposed to other communities that have requested up to 20 additional licenses all at the same time.

Um I hope that it's not a detriment to us if we go forward in the future.

And well, you said you only needed three, that must be what your community needs.

Um but a measured and stepped approach can be uh a healthy as well as opposed to um more of a machine gun with uh with 20 different licenses there.

Um yeah, I think there's a couple amendments uh that people may be making as well this evening that we do have in front of us the ability to um and I think those amendments have some some merit on their own as well this evening.

Yes, amendments um because this resolution has been out there for a while.

Um there's some updates needed just on a factual basis and then something from the planning commission um requested.

So I'll start with the first one, which is um I move to amend resolution 2025-11A by replacing lines 24 through 26 with the following.

Whereas the SICA police department meets the criteria of AS 04.11.405 B1B as a local law enforcement department in community jail and is responsible for maintaining public safety and order within the city consisting of enforcing state statutes and city ordinances as well as providing aid and assistance to residents, visitors, and the business community semicolon.

Second.

That's been moved and segmented to amend lines 24 uh to 26 with the um more factual um statement of our law uh of our SUCA police department.

Um I would remind uh folks that are in the audience tonight and may want to comment on this that all your comments do need to be germane to the amendment at hand.

Uh so do you uh approve or disapprove of the rewording of lines 24 through 26?

And we'll maintain uh our comments to that uh very specific part of this.

Is there any public comment on amending lines 24 to 26?

Sarah, is there a copy of this available in the back for for folks who may not have been able to digest that?

No.

Um we'll put uh I'll put mine up uh front.

Okay, we'll put one up uh at the um public comment table if anyone needs to read that while they're um giving public comment any public comment on amending uh the resolution for a uh more factual statement regarding our SIC police department.

We'll put one up uh at the um public comment table uh if anyone needs to read that while they're um giving public comment any public comment on amending uh the resolution for a uh more factual statement regarding our CIC police department seeing none back to the assembly Sarah All right on the uh motion to amend uh lines 24 through 26 um regarding the local law enforcement Ms.

Carlson Yes Ms.

Riley Yes Mr.

Selene?

Yes, Mr.

Mosher?

No.

Mayor Eisenby's yes, Mr.

Pike, yes, and Mr.

Christensen.

Yes, the amendment passes six one uh back to the original motion as amended.

All right, and I move to amend resolution 2025 11a by adding the following beginning on line 52.

Now therefore be further further resolved that the city and borough of SETCA requests that the Alaska State Alcoholic Beverage Control Board prioritize these applications by established businesses in SITCA, which generally operate during 10 months of the calendar year on and or more on in cases of mutually exclusive applications for new REPLs issued in accordance with this petition.

Second that's been moved and seconded to add an additional line on 52.

Um again, um the wording of that is available up front if anyone's interested in that.

Ums on adding a line to encourage the ABC board to prioritize applications of businesses which be open 10 months of the calendar year or more hello, it's Cambria again.

Um I love this idea.

I feel like there are already four REPLs out there that have year-round licenses that could operate for 48 months total, and they are operating for four months.

So prioritizing year-round businesses that can help pay people, give people jobs, revitalize the town, all the things that all of us have said.

I think it's a great idea.

Thank you.

Any other public comment?

Assembly deliberation.

I do have a 10.

Um, I'm not gonna vote in support of this, and I'll and I think it's largely to do with timing.

Like, is this the right point in time to actually talk to the ABC board about this?

When I read it in context, I didn't it didn't look like that to me.

I mean it's almost like we're presupposing they're gonna go in favor of this thing.

I I think the time to say we're gonna support uh year-round businesses is when we actually see who's put their name in the hat if we move forward with this.

And so I'm I just don't know that this is a particularly valuable statement to make at this point in time, or whether this is the moment in time we want to make this statement, or do we want to when we if if and when this moves forward and we're endorsing businesses, we want to endorse businesses and say this is your round business.

We're really in favor of this and as opposed to seasonal.

I mean I don't know.

I I mean that's Mike.

It's a it's a timing contact context thing rather than um you know later.

I can certainly see supporting this as a community, but but I'm not sure that this is the venue or moment.

Tor.

So when I saw that this is what the I had to go pick up my daughter, so I missed the end of that meeting.

Um I understand why we put it, but I I'm not gonna I I I very much agree with that sentiment sentiment.

Sorry, it's getting late.

Um, but I don't know if we have to have it in here because we have the ability to object to any uh actually any transfer of it, let alone a new one.

Um I probably will vote for this, but if it went down, I I think we don't lose the ability.

Uh we still have the ability to say um no to if we're to a seasonal one, and I guess I could possibly see scenarios where we want a specific scenario uh seasonal one.

So I don't know, I may have bivalent about this one, but I understand why the planning commission put it forward.

Katie.

So to clarify, um Mr.

Peck, I think that is a uh great point.

And if anything, I would request that we potentially change the language to say now, therefore be it further resolved that in the event that the ABC board approves our petition, we would request and then the rest of the language.

But uh I think that it is important to put this in there because it states the assembly's intent in this.

Um we actually already have an opening for one more seasonal REPL according to the population limits in our town.

So someone can apply for that, potentially someone is applying for that already, um, that they don't have to go through uh you know additional permits or anything that would go you know to the petition of the board and then to the assembly, but I don't want to be um turning things down at the assembly table on um based based on feeling, you know, like oh I would prefer if you were year on, I'd like for the assembly to state its intent broadly speaking before we are talking to an individual business that uh it's our position that we want these year-round licenses to be used in a year-round way, and that way we don't have to target how an individual business operates, um, and we can just state our intent and say that uh you know that's where we're intending to go with that.

But I I would uh happily make the amendment to not presuppose that we will have this granted.

I think that is um smart, so I don't know how to do that or if there's interest in doing that from the rest of the body.

Um, but that would be a simple language change about be it further resolved that in the event this petition request is for additional licenses is approved, we then also request that the board prioritize applications by established businesses.

On this one, I uh it seemed it seemed as if we like I understood the intent.

I understood understood the idea, um, but it seemed initially to me like I didn't know that we could actually ask the ABC board to do as such, and it also it seemed maybe stepping out of our boundaries a little bit.

Um so I did talk to our our city attorney um who indicated uh we are allowed to request this.

Um there's not a legality issue there, which is is big for me.

Um and I also understand the the point and the intent on this one.

Um the intent is great, it still doesn't quite feel right to me.

Um and maybe that's because we're in these instances, um, our objections are very our objections or approvals uh at the assembly table are very guided and laid out, and this seems like it's well outside of that established policy procedure and practice already.

Um so I don't know how it would be looked upon by the ABC board.

Um and I I don't know if anyone has an answer to that question if anyone was able to reach out um to um staff or or the board themselves, but it I get it, I want to vote for it.

I'm hesitant still JJ.

I'll echo that, but with a more direct question.

Um Amy, have you been communicating with the ABC board or AMCO-ish?

Um Amy's our resident expert.

Um as one can be.

Um it's a new process, and so it's hard um to really know.

Um because there is AMCO, and that's the State Department, their state employees, and then there's that ABC board, which is five um volunteer members.

Um do you know, speaking on the the timing piece first, is there another opportunity that we would have to make the this request of them?

Sure.

Amy Eansley planning and community development director.

Um I think it's important to differentiate between powers that the assembly has in general versus in specific cases of mutually exclusive or competing applications, and because those are different.

So there is there are restrictions on when on what grounds a municipality can object to a uh to an application, whether that's a new application or a transfer and that sort of thing, right?

Um and that's that's usually a pretty you know kind of narrow set of of reasons for why a municipality can object.

Um largely has to do with whether or not the you know the applicant is you know acting in conformance with like zoning laws and building laws and sales tax laws and those kinds of things, right?

Um but then the there's not really necessarily a you know a grounds for a municipality to object because well we like this permit more or this this application more than that application.

That's not a that's not a grounds to to actually um you know formally object to a um to an application.

I mean the uh the assembly could probably provide comment if there is you know an you know a a choice between two licenses um like in a competing situation or one generally, um but it's important to differentiate between whether you're actually objecting formally to a license versus offering a comment.

Um in the case of competing applications, there is potentially I think more leeway for municipalities to to be involved in that conversation.

Um so we've we have talked with AMCO staff about the process of for competing applications.

Um they have their own set of criteria that they'll look at, they'll look at you know, let's say they've got two applications head for head for one license that's available, they'll look at a couple of different factors about whether or not the location is suitable, the density of other licenses in the area or other sensitive uses in the area, um, but they will also take input from local government if local government chooses to weigh into that conversation.

If between all those things it's a dead heat, it's literally a draw out of a hat.

Um it comes down to a random draw.

Um and so the assembly could hold off and make a could choose to make a comment on a case-by-case basis if there's competing applications.

Um there's also you know, the the route here that's in the the resolution kind of makes that you know, sort of essentially a policy statement, um, so that the assembly wouldn't have to necessarily get involved on a case by case basis and be you know with two applications choosing between essentially trying to choose or favor between those two.

Um so there's you know, there's there's different there's different options uh based on how the assembly wants to approach this and how far they want or how much they want to be involved in that process.

So AMCO and the ABC board is fine with municipalities suggesting policy, or is this kind of new to do we know at all?

I'm not I'm not sure and I we've only talked about them we've only talked about this with them in the context of competing applications.

Okay.

So if there's a tie, I'm just creating a situation.

There's a tie, then our request for 10 months or more would be okay.

Okay, thank you.

Um that helps.

Is that something maybe it's more of a legal question, so between everyone.

Um is this our primary opportunity, or we write a letter in a year, or what's is there a way we just don't know enough about if I'm understanding Ms.

Ainsley correctly, the way to participate would be by making a essentially public comment, but as a municipality at the at the state review level.

Is that right, Miss Ainsley?

Correct.

A public comment on every application as it comes forward.

Or we do this now once.

I mean it that you could I mean you could do both, right?

If you put this in the resolution, you could still also choose to provide a comment when you have when there's a case there's competing applications, so you it's they're not mutually exclusive.

Um so you you could still do that, but um there's a yeah, there's definitely a preference to exercise of whether you want to have something that's kind of broad that would that could be referenced in multiple situations or if you want to wait to get involved on a case-by-case basis.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Can I ask a question while you're up here?

Uh yes, a question's for Amy, and then I'll have one as well.

So as I understand it the applications open up about every three or four months, is that correct?

There's there's a uh the ABC board meets quarterly.

So yeah, so generally there's there's about four times during the year where applications are considered.

So applications are given or put in.

And then they're all looked at once.

So we would we necessarily know if there was a competing one here at our table if they were put in over those three months.

That would that could potentially be difficult to keep track of in the moment, yes.

Um because if yeah, it's not it's not competing until someone else applies, right?

And so if you're only seeing them as sort of as they roll in to AMCO and then get sent through the clerks to then come to you, um yeah, but it's not we I think we would you know there's there would still potentially be an opportunity for staff to bring that in front of the assembly if the assembly so directed us to do that that they wanted to have a more active role um in competing application scenarios, um but as they come up individually, it wouldn't necessarily be clear uh Amy question for you since you seem to have uh interacted with AMCO and or um ABC staff.

Um when you asked the the question about our preference, um did they seem to take offense or were they open to the idea of the assembly's wishes being considered?

To to clarify, we did not talk about I did not talk about with AMCO directly this resolution and or sorry this amendment to the resolution and having a local preference in it.

Um we've had previous conversations about them about what the ability of the municipality is or isn't to be involved in competing applications generally.

So we have not vetted this specific amendment or policy statement with Amco.

So their response to you is on a on a factual basis that this would be allowed.

Correct.

Okay, thank you.

Any other questions for Amy while we have her in front of us?

Rachel, you have something.

Amy, just to clarify, um, this amendment's not for a local preference, it's for a year-round preference.

Correct, thank you.

Uh thank you, Amy.

Appreciate your time this evening.

JJ, you still had the floor.

Thank you.

Yes, uh the I hear the concerns about timing, and that's valid.

I hear the concerns about overstepping and understanding what role we have.

Um with some of the responses that Amy gave, it's like I think clarifying the language like Katie suggested to be as courteous and not preemptive as possible is a good way to kind of blend and balance all of those concerns while still getting um our message across so someone doesn't have to show up um four times a year when something um comes to the agenda of the ABC board.

Um I would be willing to second if Katie makes that that motion to amend the amendments.

So Kitty, just on a procedural basis, because you did ask the question, um you make a motion to amend the amendment, um and then you would state your um you'd state your request, um, which would then be up for us um a second as well.

I move to amend the amendment to state now, therefore, be it further resolved that in the event the ABC board decides to grant the city of Sitka's petition for additional licenses.

We further request that the Alaska State Alcohol Beverage Control Board prioritize applications by established businesses in Sitka, which generally operate during 10 months of the calendar year or more in cases of mutually exclusive applications for new RPLs issued in accordance with this petition.

Second.

That's been moved and seconded to uh amend our amendment um to um prioritize an ask as opposed to a uh a request of the ABC board.

Is there any public comment?

Assembly deliberation?

Yeah, I mean, I think I'm I'm definitely I mean I'm slightly more confused and and even more uh you know I'm I guess the quite next question is um I mean some of our seasonal businesses, so this is not about like the preferences of our community per se in a way, but some of our seasonal businesses provide year-round income, right?

Like they they provide income to people for a year-round thing.

Are we as the assembly now stepping in and saying we don't want seasonal businesses doing this?

Because it's this could be interpreted that way.

Because this could be interpreted that way, and I think also because it's not a hundred percent clear we could be talking about any kind of transfers are gonna fall under these same sort of criteria because now this is the policy of our assembly.

You know, I think um this is I this is probably why Steven indicated some unease because I have that in spades.

Like, are we gonna get involved in that level of of depth on what kind of businesses we want to support?

I mean, I I'm not in favor of that, so if I may.

I got it, but I mean the amendment talks about uh if and when this takes place.

Is this just these three, or are we talking about all of them?

Katie.

Um, so to clarify, you know, I think uh that this was offered to fulfill the um needs expressed in our comprehensive plan and also those expressed by our community that we want the restaurant and eating place licenses that are not seasonal restaurant and eating place licenses, but full there they're they don't have an additional name, but there's seasonal restaurant eating place licenses and just restaurant and eating place licenses.

I would like to see any additional restaurant and eating place licenses be used at in their intended purpose, which for me means a year-round business.

A seasonal business can apply for a seasonal restaurant eating place license.

There is already one available for our population limits.

We are not being asked to um we are not petitioning the board to create additional seasonal restaurant and eating place licenses, and so I want to see if we are creating these additional licenses.

I want to see those be used to create year-round opportunities for local businesses, and so what this amendment is intended to do is actually to take the assembly out of some of that decision of like you know, having to decide between which business gets it.

I personally don't want to be uh you know, judging two businesses that are important to our community um that support it in all these different ways here at the assembly table.

I'd rather that we express our preference to the board and they work it into their decision making of how they judge those businesses, and they say, okay, this business is a seasonal one, this one's a year-round.

The city of SICA has expressed a preference that these year-round licenses go to year-round businesses, so we're gonna move that one forward.

And then I think that takes a little bit of pressure off of us to be you know, picking and choosing favorites here at the assembly table in that way that Amy mentioned does not necessarily have a lot of basis in um in fact, right?

Like there's the statutory requirements that that don't give us that much opportunity.

So I'm trying to actually um take a little bit of the pressure uh off the assembly to choose you know which business they support and put that on AMCO as like a judgment factor um for granting sitka's petitions.

Umologies for any confusion around the language.

The amendment that we just made states that you know we're not presuming that you're gonna give us these licenses, but if you do, please consider this when you grant the additional ones.

Um a clarification uh in your comments when you stated the type of business um that would have prioritization on this, you're talking about a year-round business, correct?

Yes, these are not locally owned businesses necessarily, these are year-round, and year-round is described as operating 10 months out of the year.

We are not um statutorily allowed to prefer local businesses.

We can express a preference for year-round business versus seasonal, and so that is what we chose to do here.

Thank you.

Further comments on the amendment to the amendment.

Sarah uh Katie, so I'm gonna need on the secondary amendment here um to the primary.

So you are inserting the words um now, therefore, be it further resolved in the event the ABC board decides to grant and I didn't get the this petition request.

Oh, okay.

And then you're just continuing with the rest of that pair.

Okay, and then I think that it says, you know, the new REPLs issued in accordance with this petition specifies that this is not retroactively applying to the six that our community already has, but rather just the additional three for new businesses.

So I think that just that additional line that all right, so that's the secondary amendment.

That's before the body right now.

It would be to add the wording in the event.

The ABC board decides to grant this petition request, and then the rest of that um verbiage.

Thank you for the clarification, Sarah.

All right, on the secondary amendment, Mr.

Mosher.

No.

Mr.

Pike.

No.

Ms.

Riley.

Yes.

Mr.

Christensen?

Yes.

Mr.

Steline?

Yes.

Mayor Eisenbays.

No.

And Ms.

Carlson.

Yes.

Okay, the secondary amendment passes 4-3.

And so now you're down back to the primary amendment as amended.

Thank you.

Further discussion.

Yeah, I earlier I said I was ambivalent until Amy talked, and I realized that number one we and I remember this now, that our actionable uh objections don't include things like year round.

So if we want preference given at all the year-round, we'd have to pass this because we're not really allowed to do that when they come when they come up.

Um and then the other one is even if we were maybe we won't know when they're competing because I doubt they're gonna be at the same meeting, maybe, but they're gonna come in over that three months, and we'll have so um I I understand why we might not want to uh preference year-round, but I think we should.

Uh so uh if you don't agree with me, great.

But uh if we're gonna do it, I think we gotta do it now, is all about at least if that's how I read what Amy was saying on the amendment as amended, Sarah.

All right, if you'll bear with me, I'm just gonna read what the amended um amendment, how that reads.

Um let's see.

So you'll be amending resolution 2025-11A by adding the following beginning on line 52.

So now, therefore, be it further resolved in the event the ABC board decides to grant this petition request that the city and borough of SICA request that the Alaska State Alcoholic Beverage Control Board prioritize applications by established businesses in Sitka, which generally operate during 10 months of the calendar year or more in cases or more in cases of mutually exclusive applications for new REPLs issued in accordance with this petition.

Ms.

Riley, yes, Mr.

Christensen, yes.

Ms.

Carlson, yes, Mr.

Celine, yes, Mayor Eisenbais.

No, Mr.

Mosier, no.

And Mr.

Pike.

No.

Right.

The um amendment uh passes 4-3 all right back to the um resolution as amended.

Any further comments on our resolution this evening, Sarah?

All right, on the uh motion to approve resolution 2025-11A as amended, Mr.

Christianson?

Yes, Ms.

Carlson, yes, Mr.

Selene?

Yes, Mr.

Pike?

Yes, Ms.

Riley, yes, Mr.

Mosier.

No, and Mayor Eisenbays, yes.

Okay, the uh motion passes six one on item D.

That is the top of the hour.

I'm assuming assembly would like a break before commercial use plan.

All right, uh, please be seated when you're ready to continue well.

We've only got an hour and 15 minutes left before we have to vote to extend.

So I think we should uh put a little coals to the fire.

All right, uh, thank you, Assembly.

We are seated.

Um that would bring us to our new business item tonight.

Item E, please.

Uh I move to adopt the 2026 commercial recreational use recreational land use plan.

Second.

That's been moved and seconded to approve the commercial recreational land use plan.

Uh Kevin and Amy, I understand you have an introduction to this one.

Look at me going in the proper order tonight.

Kevin, thank you.

I'll try to keep this to an hour for you.

So you have at least 15 minutes to debate.

Good evening, Mayor and Assembly members, Kevin Knoxia, Parks and Recreation Manager.

Before you is the 2026 commercial land use plan, or we'll just call it use plan from here on out for short.

Unanimously recommended by the Parks and Recreation Committee for adoption by the Assembly.

Serves as the guideline for staff in issuing commercial recreational land use permits for the for use of city SICA lands.

As you may recall, a similar plan was brought before you in December of 2024, but was postponed to provide additional time for the public to weigh in as well as operators to adjust to potential changes, such as the fee increases and limits to areas of allowed use.

Highlights of the changes from 25 to the 2026 draft plan include the removal of limits of the number of guides and group size maximums, an increase on water assets group sizes from four to six, an alignment of the maximum group sizes with U.S.

Forest Service permit systems for joint jurisdictional trails such as Thimbleberry and Heart Lake Trails.

It allows for fractional allocations for our weekly group limits.

Updated the Baranoff Warm Springs asset profile to reflect the cooperative resource management agreement with the state of Alaska's DNR, adding both uh the full trail and the grotto to the management area.

Uh it includes several uh changes to Goddard, um, including restricting uh permits to water taxi use only.

No guided outfitting uses were recommended by in this permit uh round.

Uh water taxi use is subject to a permit application, but not the client uh per client fee.

Uh water taxi limits, group size max to six and no more than 14 groups per week for all permits that are issued at Goddard.

Uh also uh permit conditions will include uh a required bathing instruction that groups uh that come by water taxi use only one tub at a time.

Uh over the past two years, the parks and recreation division and the parks and recreation committee have provided numerous opportunities for public comment and informational outreach.

Uh in 2024, as you recall, we had two open house meetings, uh, an operators focus group meeting, uh a con an extensive community survey uh and comment period, uh, various advertising and PSAs and a lot of press coverage.

Uh the parks and recreation committee had several meetings, and then the assembly also uh reviewed that 20 uh that first draft plan in 2025.

We had an email list of over 250 operators and interested members of the public that we use to communicate on a regular basis about uh opportunities for input and then the plans for the the um plan coming forward to uh any public body.

A variety of advertising mediums were used uh throughout that time, including social media, PSAs.

Uh we were on morning edition of on KCIW one day.

Uh also the Daily Six of Sentinels uh provided quite a bit of coverage.

Uh we had a three-week community survey and comment period that was open uh in September.

Uh an open house was held on September 25th.

Uh review by the SICCA tribe of Alaska's Transportation and Community Development Committee as well as tribal council.

Uh the Parks and Recreation Committee most uh recently held their final review on October 21st, but also it uh had official agenda items in July, August and October in their beginning of October meeting.

So there's been quite a few different opportunities for the public to comment.

Um efforts to review and strengthen the use plan also have included uh some interagency conversations and cooperation as stated earlier.

Uh we also uh engaged with uh the U.S.

Forest Service and Sica Ranger District, uh land and permit managers to kind of to come up with some of the alignments on our carrying capacity and group sizes on those uh shared use trails, as well as some discussions with them around enforcement, uh particularly with uh Baranoff Warm Springs and other special use and remote areas.

Um in the final section uh of the plan is the fee schedule.

The fee schedule uh recommended by the parks and recreation committee includes as it did in 2025, an increase in the annual fee from 250 dollars to 400 per applicant, an increase in the per client fee uh from $2 per client to $5 per client.

Uh and then for the special use areas of Baranoff Warm Springs and Goddard, it goes to $10 per client.

Uh there is no longer a minimum client fee, uh, which was previously um handled in our our applications.

Uh that uh minimum was a hundred dollars or fifty clients uh effectively making a uh the minimum uh permit fee of three hundred and seventy-one dollars, so slightly less than our proposed annual minimum fee of 400.

Uh in public comments and in emails received, uh majority of Baranoff Warm Springs operators have been supportive of the fee increases and would like to see it implemented as well as the Baranoff Warm Springs residents, they'd like to see that fee increase uh to the $10 per client.

Um local trail and water access operators have also planned on the fee increase as it was stated in the December 17th, 2024 meeting when the assembly elected to adopt or to delay the adoption of the land use plan uh with the understanding that the plan would be adopted for a 2026 season.

Uh you may also note in the land use or in the the plan documents that there's been a number of updates to the asset profiles as we had an additional year to collect data uh for both our traffics, trail counters, and also uh looking further into the place or analytic data.

Um as well, we uh included the 2025 commercial level of use in uh most of the areas uh for uh uh permits that were issued this year.

So uh thanks for your time and the overview, and uh we of course uh Amy and I will be available for any questions uh that you might have uh thank you for the overview, appreciate it.

So is there any public comments?

Go ahead and make uh my disclosure.

The disclosure please.

Yeah.

So I I just wonder if we'll put forward there that since we're talking about making some pretty major or changes to how Goddard is run to disclose that my family has owned, is I believe the only private property at Goddard.

We've been at for about 70 years.

Uh it's currently owned by my brother's family, uh, but we've kind of just treated as our family area uh for everybody.

Um don't think I have a conflict, but to make it really clear that this that those Goddard ones will affect my family.

Uh so if that's if you feel that that is uh a conflict, that's fine.

Uh thank you, Tor for the disclosure.

Appreciate that.

I find no direct conflict.

Um, however, do you have a bias uh that would prevent you from participating in this in an equal and fair manner?

I don't believe so.

Uh thank you.

Um please continue on our deliberations and voting tonight.

Correct.

Um that would bring us now to uh public comment on uh the 2026 commercial recreational land use plan.

Hello, Ben Huey.

I've been on the parks and rec committee since COVID and am now the chair, but I'm just speaking as an individual here.

Um in recent years, we've seen a dramatic increase in commercial use in our public lands, but our committee has been ill-prepared to deal with that as a volunteer commission without cumulative data about trail and public land use.

We didn't have a lot of means to deny or address growing use.

Um when we did deny permits at Baranoff Warm Springs, we lacked the legal justification in in order to do so, and those were overturned.

So this is a huge step in the right direction.

Staff has done a ton of work.

You've heard about the extensive public comment that's occurred.

Um we've been grappling with this for a couple years now, and there's not going to be a perfect number.

That's why we have adaptability built into this plan.

We're going to try something this year and see how it goes.

I think the decisions in front of the assembly tonight are about how liberal or conservative do we start from which to tweak.

So as a committee, we've grappled with a few different arenas.

Um, and uh you'll hear from other folks tonight who have different opinions.

Everyone's gonna have a different opinion on what the right carrying capacity is.

There's no perfectly scientific way to determine that carrying capacity.

The Forest Service has their approach, the state has our approach, and and the staff did their best at determining the methodology.

Um Goddard is a hot button issue.

I I believe uh warm springs is a hot button issue, but we're doing such a huge uh benefit by starting regulation as opposed to the lack of regulatory framework that exists.

Um at Goddard, the committee and the public, I think are unanimous in their uh desire to not commodify or overcommercialize that space.

The question is how the reason why we left water taxis as allowable use because we wanted to protect affordability of access for locals who don't own boats, we want to make sure they can get down there, and we allowed six people so that you can split a full six-pack trip and fewer people would be a more expensive trip.

So we left water taxis in.

But it leaves this big question of if guy our guides um in the current proposal not allowed.

Um, how much uh unpermitted use will happen because we don't provide a legal avenue, and um what is ultimately the impact of guided use.

So there's some things to grapple with as an assembly.

Um we struggle with this as a committee, and I'll look forward to your input and uh recommend approval.

Thank you.

Recording in progress good evening, Mayor and Assembly, city staff.

Um my name is John Dunlap, a full-time resident of Sitka, and together with my wife Alison, we own and operate uh a boat charter business called Alaska Wild Coast.

Most of our business is focused on um wilderness and wildlife sightseeing.

Um, but uh water taxi work is uh a not insignificant chunk of what I do.

Um a couple of comments I wanted to make on this plan.

I agree with uh the the objectives here, it's very important that the city have a way of measuring and and and managing commercial use on all of city lands, but specific to water taxi service to Goddard, there's something I wanted everybody to be aware of.

Um and Ben touched on this a little bit.

A lot of locals that go down there are folks that are privileged like me.

We've got a boat, I can go down there, I know the area well, but there's a lot of sitkins that don't have boats.

And I probably run seven or eight trips to Goddard every year, and about half of those trips are either sitkins or other people from Southeast Alaska that are you know, kind of out enjoying what I consider to be our collective neighborhood.

And and I just want to make sure that as we're looking at these fees structures that we're being mindful of that, that we're you know, at the same time we're trying to safeguard these things, that we're not creating barriers, uh price barriers for less privileged people to get out and enjoy this stuff.

Um I discount my pricing for for for locals, um, and and I just want to make sure that they can get out and do these things.

I'd also like to say there's there's some language in here about water taxi service to Goddard not being done in conjunction with sightseeing or wildlife viewing um stuff like that.

And I don't to me that's really puzzling because when I do water taxi service, it's essentially a sightseeing cruise with a destination.

I've always run that business, my business that way.

And how many times I stop with my customers to look at otters or eagles or other things, and what I choose to talk to them about, whether it's natural history or human history, commercial fishing, is not the city's business.

I I don't get why that language is is in there.

I think you need to look at that because it's just not the city's business, and I don't think this thing needs to be any more complicated than it has to be.

And also, how is that even enforceable?

Or the thing about you know, a water taxi operator can't give out towels.

Um to me, that's just hospitality.

I usually don't do it, but if someone asks me, I might I might figure out how to make it work and how does that have to do with anything?

You know, get rid of that stuff.

Thank you for your time.

Good evening, Bethany Laurence, high output tours.

I want to start by thanking city staff, parks and rec committee, Kevin and Amy, and everyone who's dedicated time and energy over the past year to developing this commercial land use plan.

It's been a long process, and I appreciate the thoughtful effort that's gone into balancing access, sustainability, and community benefit.

But it's important to remember that we're talking about public lands, spaces that belong to everyone.

These areas not only include city managed lands, but also places that connect to state and federal lands, both of which have clear guiding principles that encourage public use and access.

As we move forward, maintaining that spirit of shared access and responsibility should remain at the center of our decisions.

The proposed increase from two to five dollars a person for uh road road system-based trails represents 150% jump, a major change that will have significant impacts on operators.

A more sustainable approach would be to phase this increase gradually over the next few years, allowing businesses to adapt their pricing and operations without sudden disruption.

Many operators already have set pricing with cruise partners and travel agents well in advance.

Abrupt changes increase abrupt increases, can create unattended financial strain and limit flexibility both for local businesses and visitors.

I recommend the city consider adopting a system similar to the U.S.

Forest Service model where each operator receives an annual capacity allotment, a defined number of guests they can take out over the course of the season.

This provides predictability and accountability while avoiding the logistical confusion of groups per week without a clear laid-out structure or timeline.

It also aligns better with how other land management agencies handle sustainable commercial access.

Tourism is the second largest economic driver in Alaska, just behind oil.

It's a renewable and sustainable industry that not only brings revenue but also provides jobs and workforce developments for Alaskans.

Statewide, 68% of visitors arrive by cruise ship.

And while SICA sees only a fraction of that total, we still benefit from a strong flow of economic activity that supports our commercial, our community year-round.

With an increase of this scale, I'd like to see clear accountability for where the additional funds are going.

One of the most common concerns I've heard through this process is wear and tear on trails and infrastructure and the lack of resources to maintain or repair those.

Based on my company's projected 2026 guest numbers on city land, this increase would mean an additional 31,670 in per head fees plus an additional $1,900 in sales tax.

And that's just from one operator.

I would strongly encourage these funds be earmarked directly for reinvestment into the lands being used, trail maintenance, signage, safety improvements, and habitat protection, rather than going into the general fund.

Thank you.

Thank you.

I live here.

I'm down there a couple of times a year or for myself.

And I'm just curious how it would be the umfits, uh, commercial outfitters, impact Goddard to the extent that we would need to be excluded from the use of it.

I've only ever seen one other commercial operator down there.

Um, admittedly, I've only been operating for five years, um, and I don't get down there that much.

But it it is a personally important to me because every trip I do matters.

Um, it's something I have offered since I opened up the company.

Um I didn't do a trip last year there.

I didn't do a trip there the year before, but I did a couple in the years previous.

Um commercial uh guides are responsible for a couple of things when they bring people there.

One is to uh be conscientious of the locals and other people who want to use it, thereby not using it for longer than an hour to 90 minutes.

The other is to leave it better than when we arrive, and that's how I operate.

Uh and that's how the other commercial guides I know who use that place operate.

So it seems perhaps that uh it's not in the best interest of the conditions of Goddard to get rid of us.

Um that's all I have.

Thank you very much for your time and consideration.

Good evening, Robin Chairman Resident of Sitka.

I want to also thank the staff that put an enormous amount of work into this plan.

It's great to have the data and to see the intention to balance uses.

I'm an enthusiastic um user of almost all the areas in this plan, also a big supporter of tourism.

So it's a challenge to want to have as many people as possible enjoy a high quality experience, both residents and visitors.

I think in general, the plan does a good job of doing that.

I second the comment about using revenues generated from commercial use of our recreational lands to address the impacts of that use.

Um the two areas of concern for me were first the Indian River Trail.

I might have missed something, but if the bridge is still out on that trail for as long as it's out, I'd like to see permit conditions reflect that, that we're not permitting people to go over a bridge that is officially closed by the Forest Service.

And the second concern I'd like to talk about is Baranoff Warm Springs.

We've actually stopped going to Baranoff Warm Springs in the summer because it is so crowded between the small cruise ships, um, private yachts, charter yachts, the fishing fleet.

It is hard to find a place to dock once you're there.

There are crowds of people, there are no sanitary facilities.

Um it is just really no longer that pleasant an experience.

Um, and I think more thought is needed, especially in how to manage and enforce permit conditions in a place that's remote from the rest of the city to ensure that the people going there, both residents and visitors are having a good experience, and I think a little more work is needed on that.

Thank you.

Uh good evening, uh Rob Allen.

Uh I had to add a couple of comments about the plan.

First of all, the plan is great.

I enjoyed reading uh reading it and looking at all the information in it.

Um, but a couple of comments.

Uh I don't I I don't think we should have any e-bikes on the cross trail.

I use the cross trail quite a bit in that area and have almost been run down by e-bikes more than once.

So uh I really like to see that that limited as much as possible.

Uh the the Goddard issue.

Uh I was just surprised by the number of things that um uh that water taxis cannot provide to their customers.

Uh I think that is too restrictive, uh, especially with some of the safety safety equipment.

So I I really recommend that that be looked at and and and lightened up.

Uh echo those comments about uh Baranoff Warm Springs uh, you know, wondering how you're going to enforce that as well.

Uh and that brings up the concern I have is um is there also going to be um the resources put forward by by the city to monitor uh all of this and if the flexibility is there to actually weigh the the impacts and um and address them uh you know so that at the end of the season or during the season if there are issues and problems that they can be looked at uh and taken care of.

Uh, and uh, you know, I don't see where that's addressed uh and are the resources going to be given by the assembly to the city to actually pay for that and and to make sure that it happens on an ongoing basis because this is going to be an ongoing basis.

This is not a one and done, it's gonna be um uh uh gonna be on your agenda um or somebody's agenda at the city, I hope, uh uh continuously to make sure that the problems are addressed.

Thank you.

Any other public comment on our 2026 commercial recreational land use plan?

I see none we'll bring it back to the assembly.

Kevin.

Hi, Mr.

Mayor.

Um I just wanted to speak first because I'm the liaison for the Parks and Rec um Committee.

Um before we start talking, I just wanted to frame a picture.

Um a lot of the comments, uh pretty much all the comments have valid points.

Um but I've seen over the past two years the committee working on this, and a lot of the work's been done by Kevin and Amy.

They have uh gone above and beyond to try to make this something that they can present.

So I am in favor of approving this as is.

Knowing that Kevin and Amy are both um, and I've seen them that there's flexibility built into this, and um as one commissioner said, I think at the last meeting, um we have to start somewhere, and if we we've been spending all this time, and then to to delay it, I don't think that would be a wise course of action.

I think we should implement it because people know operators are gonna keep saying, Well, I've already sold and you know, for pre-season sales and stuff.

So that um I think this strikes a fair balance, although there's some issues that do need to be fixed, and I think that um they should be looked at, but we got to start somewhere.

Um and then when we do that, then we start seeing once it's being enforced, and that's a good point about the enforcement.

That's that is an issue.

Um because you know, we're just because we put this in effect doesn't mean it's gonna automatic people are automatically gonna listen, you know.

So um, but that's something we could consider in a future time, but at least we have to start something, we have to implement something in order to so we can have something to enforce.

Um I just was saying that because you know, I've come to some of these meetings as liaison and I see people speak and they said we should do redo this, redo this.

I've seen Kevin and Amy do a lot of work, a lot of take all the uh a lot of the um comments from the operators as well as members of the public into this, and as you see, they have a change log.

Um so basically what I'm just trying to say is is let's institute this now and make just keep in mind that we're gonna need to make some changes and tweaks as we uh hit more information.

Thank you.

Rachel, I have a question for you on this, and you're not gonna know the answer.

Um, but I want to you maybe you do know the answer.

Um, but I wanted to start uh a conversation um to potentially offset some of the direct um impacts to our commercial operators um in kind of a roundabout way.

And my question is um on an invoice.

Uh now I know a business cannot offer um like a singular price inclusive of tax uh within our uh within our tax code, but would it be within the ability of a business to offer a you know a hundred dollar tour, whatever it might be, um, and list out sales tax and list out a permitting fee uh from the city as well, uh kind of similar to what airports do where you buy a $500 ticket and then you've got your 9-11 fee, you've got your TSA fee, you've got your um airport concession fee.

Um would that be permissible in this instance so that the uh client understands it's not the business itself charging additional money, um, but it is the municipality and that that fee will be remitted to the municipality.

Assuming that we're not expecting that sales taxes are being paid on the permitting fee, the per head permitting fee.

Um I think you'd almost have to do that because otherwise you'd be putting your kind of lump sum for the tour and then putting a line item for sales tax.

Um but if you weren't breaking out that per head fee per person, you'd end up lumping it in and paying sales tax on it.

You are paying sales tax on it.

Um then I don't see if there's any reason they couldn't invoice it that way as long as they were complying with the sales tax.

Okay.

Uh thank you.

Um again, mainly as a conversation, um, food for thought, um, potential opportunity for for those operators um to make sure that they understand that they're you know their their clients understand that their their pricing is baseline um and it's um correct it's our fault, not theirs that the fee has gone up a couple bucks.

I know that short-term rental platforms like Airbnb and VRBO have areas for breaking out fees in that way for both both your bed tax and your sales tax, but then also a management fee or a cleaning fee or a linen's fee, that kind of thing.

Okay.

Um so I think I think that is a practice within the tourism industry.

Thank you.

I guess while I have the mic uh just to start this conversation, um, I think you know, from my perspective, enough work has done on this one.

Uh I was very skeptical when it first came forward to us.

I wanted to poke a lot of holes in it.

Um, I think a lot of those holes have been filled.

This is now a pretty not the first effort was a very comprehensive, um, and now we've added to that.

Um so I'm I'm good with going as is and uh dealing with issues as they arise.

Um I can't shake the fact that we have one user who guides to Goddard in a very low impact way that won't be permitted to do as such now.

Um I I I can't shake that one.

But uh, you know, I think uh overall as a municipality um as commercial operators, uh, we still have to win the hearts and minds uh of our community in regards to tourism.

And I think this is an amazing step forward to where we can start to mitigate some impacts so that Goddard does not become Baronoff Warm Springs, um, where there are too many people so that no one can actually go and utilize it.

Um so I will be voting in favor of this uh as is and would encourage those uh directly affected and in the industry to to continue the conversation with us.

Torf.

Yeah, I I I think that this plan if we're gonna talk about Goddard strikes a nice balance of having the ability to have water taxes.

I I I when I was reading it, it made very clear that I mean it I that when they say it can't be part of a tour, it's like a larger tour, you know, that includes lots of other things, and oh yeah, we're going to God it's more I don't think anybody's saying you can't stop and look at the sea otters on the way down.

Um the uh or you would never get there.

Um but I I think and I've heard loud and clear that a lot of people in town wants places that are a few places that really aren't tourism places.

And Goddard was probably the one that came up the most.

Um like I said earlier, my family has placed on there, but I don't go down there very often.

Uh but uh but I understand that that there's this you know we've got downtown, we've got other trails and things, but it's there should be one spot that's mostly locals, and I think that's the uh goal here, and I think they did a nice job of finding that middle ground.

Um so um like a number of people said this is gonna be a living document.

There's some stuff that's gonna work great, some that's not, we'll change it.

Um I'm sure Kevin will be on top of that, like is everything else, and so I don't have a problem passing this as is Katie.

I just have some questions um for staff, and um one of them is yeah, the I I appreciate all all of the work that has gone into this plan, the adaptive management component.

You guys have done a really good job in the planning department of putting out yearly surveys about how tourism is working for the community.

Um just wondering how you are planning on suggesting changes to this land use plan or um you know proceeding with input from the community as as the the guides and locals get used to it.

So under the guidance of of code, the way it's laid out, um the revisit on the plan is at the discretion of the parks and rec committee and the assembly.

Uh if um if there's uh the desire, I guess, to do that on an annual basis or a semi-annual basis, what whatever it might be, uh we would kind of do those reviews.

I think in some part we would I would imagine that we would do a uh process similar to what we've been doing already.

Um trying to do surveys uh looking at the actual use data uh that we can compile and uh and making adjustments that way and then and and holding public comment periods too.

Okay.

Um yeah, I know you guys have all been talking about this a lot longer than me, so I won't uh ask that we do that, but would love to hear from the parks and rec committee.

I think they'll be getting most of the input, yeah.

Yeah, I think the other just the other piece that I wanted to add um to Kevin's comments are that um you know we're I think there's there's obviously still a lot of work to be done to advance uh the tourism best management practices program or TBMP program.

Um but hopeful that we'll have folks who are interested in you know in helping to administer that program.

Uh please take a look at the Vizica RFQ that is currently posted on the bids and RFP page of the city website.

Um but part of that process as well is getting you know having a community feedback line and reviewing comments that we receive, you know, through a community feedback line.

Um and there are I think that is potentially a really valuable source of data to update the plan with, and whether that needs to be done annually or not, again, going to be the the discretion of you know the two bodies that are um you know that are charged with the with the oversight and adoption of the plan.

Um but if there are significant comments that are coming through avenues like that, and whether it's an end-of-season survey that we do generally for tourism or based on comments that we get from a community feedback line, um, those are also opportunities for us to make adjustments in regulation vis-a-vis the plan to make sure that the way we're managing you know land use is responsive to community needs um and desires for accessing recreational areas.

Okay.

Um thank you.

Yeah, I mean, one of the things that I liked the most about this plan is I felt like when I read it that and the community survey is like, oh, you really incorporated, you know, desires of the community where possible.

And so um just want to emphasize to community members that might be listening that it is super valuable to participate in these surveys and feedback processes and all the public comment processes because I think you guys really endeavor to um you know fit that into what you're working on.

So um, yeah, revisiting this or incorporating that feedback.

I'm interested in that as we go through this adjustment period um and get some feedback from local businesses as well as um local folks.

Uh the enforcement being the other one, from what I understand, there's like um fines laid out in code for some of these things.

How does the enforcement work?

Is this just like word of mouth reporting or like does does the department have a plan?

I know we don't have a code enforcement officer still, unless I'm mistaken.

So yeah.

I'll um I'll jump in first.

So I I think it's important for us to be transparent that we do not have a strong enforcement arm when it comes to um looking, you know, particularly these kinds of permits.

They're happening in sometimes remote areas or at least you know, in off kind of off-the-road system.

Um and so our ability to do proactive enforcement um is gonna be extremely limited.

Although I would note that's not a change from the status quo, right?

We already require these permits.

There's already conditions that are attached to them.

Um, and so we're not you know to you know, our our capacity in that sense hasn't changed.

Um and so what it all kind of boils down to is like we we tend to operate on it a com on a complaint basis.

So if we get um, you know, if we get re um complaints and if those are valid and meritorious, there's evidence and documentation behind them, um, then we can pursue enforcement actions as laid out in the code.

Um, and so it's I think we're really in the position of being responsive to enforcement needs, but not proactive about them.

Just full full transparency.

And I think the other side of that, much like other parts of the plan, um, we're really looking to work with people uh like from what uh Amy kind of laid out with getting reports of uh we have uh reports that come from come to the Harbor Department uh about users of Baronoff Warm Springs, anybody that ties up to the dock.

Generally a lot of the yachts and other boats that anchor out the larger boats that can't come to the dock are also reported as you know being in the bay.

There's you know, there's a local resident that kind of logs that and then sends those reports to uh the Harbor Department, the Harbor Department uh then in turn shares that with us.

Um we reach out to those operators if it's somebody that we think may need uh a permit or may be out of compliance.

Uh we've reached out to those uh those folks or those businesses and just said, hey, just so you're aware, you know, this is a a requirement uh under city code, and you know, we love to work with yeah so we don't we're not going down the road of the the fines right away.

Uh I think you know those those mechanisms there are something that we would hold for extreme you know cases or you know, somebody that's been long out of compliance and refusing to work with us.

Thanks.

Yeah, I appreciate that.

Um the only other question kind of more was uh suggestion, but just considering the state of the Goddard boardwalks, it sounds like we're not really um interested in permission permitting uh you know guide commercial access there.

Um but that in combination with the uh the bridge um and just any kind of recreational assets that the city may have.

I asked our attorney how to um reduce liability for the city, and uh she suggested adding having businesses who apply for permits add um CBS as an insured party, I believe.

Um, and I was wondering if that was something that y'all have explored or will consider.

No, we already do that.

It's already in the code.

Fantastic.

Yep.

Um, and for water taxis as well, is that yeah, and that it's a it's a general requirement, um, not in the plan, it's in the code um that anyone that has these permits has to have an insurance policy up to a certain limit.

I believe it's a million dollars for uh commercial liability, um, and the city needs to be named additionally insured on that policy.

So yeah, and that's actually already that even before this code change, that was already in the previous version of the code.

So that's already been our practice is to require an insurance policy that covers us.

Okay, fantastic.

Thank you.

Well, thank you for all the work on this.

I know it's been extensive, so looking forward to seeing how I got one for you guys of the 14 sorties a week uh to be booked in Goddard when those folks are in there, they don't have limited entry rights to the tub, right?

Anybody can walk in the tub just like today.

Correct.

Um there is a they the so the we have asked that water taxis give instructions to the people they're transporting to say, hey, just use one tub.

Um when you get there, you know, don't if you're especially if you're in a group of six, don't spread out over two tubs, please just stick to one tub.

But that's it's not um it's guidance that we want water taxi operators to give to their guests.

You know, on the guy that just spoke out about his business there, you know, I don't know how long it would take to paddle a kayak through the keyhole and bust out there and then come back to town in an eight-hour day, but that just puts my hackles up that this guy can't have people get out of their kayak after getting there and go take a tub.

Is there a process so that this guy could work that out before next year?

He only has two a year that people want to exert themselves that much to get there.

And to me, that's a limiting factor already.

That's part of an adventure to get there, and that's your reward, and I wouldn't want to paddle back after giving it a soak, and then he's even minimizing an hour ain't enough to soak there, you know, if you're gonna go there.

So I want to vote yes for it, but I want to have something to where that guy could work on it and then take those two parties a year to Goddard and not have that be excluded, or is there that's opening up a door that you guys I don't know, it just it's bugging me that I just I want to just start by saying the you know, staff like staff doesn't necessarily have a position on this, right?

We heard from the previous conversation that the assembly had in considering this plan at the end of last year, and conversations that have happened at the parks and rec committee level about what we want use at Goddard to look like.

And so if the parks and rec committee or the assembly wants to, you know, have accommodations for use um, whether you know, whether it's by kayak or other or other types of commercial use at Goddard, that is entirely their discretion, and we don't have a we don't have a strong opinion on that, um, or really really any opinion.

We want to make sure that the plan is reflective of what the public's intent and wishes for the for the lands to be used for.

Um we did put in the memo a couple of options because again the the parks and rec committee didn't really feel like they could settle on anything other than what's in the draft plan.

Um but they kicked around a couple of different ideas, um, and so we wanted to provide those to you to see if you know if the assembly wanted to take it one step farther and add more use, what some suggestions would be.

Um, and so we put those in the in the memo so that you would have um kind of have something to to um to access.

Um but specific to kayaks um the discussion I to characterize what the committee talked about was to potentially allow um guided or outfitted use for non-motorized watercraft with small group sizes of four to six um and limited groups per week, potentially one to two and again like Amy said this the uh official adoption of this is your plan.

So these portions can be changed.

These allowances or limits can be changed.

Other questions for Amy or Kevin while we have them in front of us.

Thank you both.

Appreciate it further discussion from the assembly.

I was kind of hoping from this too, there'd be something that would develop because you know Sitka Native Education has never had a field trip out there from you know, not have they can't keep a skiff going, and you know, but that's like the most indigenous place we have.

There's so much history there that if there could be something with these water taxi guys that would front a trip to Schnepp or something like that in an educational deal that would weigh in their favor as far as more commercial I don't know, just sorry.

Tor?

Yeah, is I mean to address that with the kayaks.

I think I'm I'm very hesitant to open that door uh because then you could have with the motorized craft said, well, if they can do it, why can't we do it?

And the again I come back to we heard loud and clear from a lot of different people that we want our one place that's not tourism, and uh you know the I I think you could easily you know you can fill up the tubs with kayakers just as easily as you can from a charter boat.

And you know, if it was and I could hear the equity complaints from other guides, tours, you know, that use motorized or not, but and and so I I'm very hesitant to open that door.

Anything further from the assembly.

Sarah All right, the mess before you is to adopt the 2026 commercial recreational land use plan.

Mr.

Pike?

Yes, Ms.

Carlson, yes.

Mr.

Steline?

Yes, Mr.

Moser?

Yes, Ms.

Raleigh, yes, Mr.

Christianson, yes, and Mayor Eisenbeis.

Yes.

Motion passes 70 on item E.

Uh that'll bring us to item F, our assignments for Deputy Mayor, Vice Deputy Mayor, and Assembly liaisons.

Um, thank you, Assembly, for the uh courtesy of waiting until I had returned in order to do this, as these are you know important roles uh to the overall functioning of the assembly, and I'd just like to be a part of the discussion.

Uh mainly didn't want to get stuck on all the liaison roles that I could not handle.

Um not gonna lie, that was probably the real reason here.

Um but uh I incur or uh uh appreciate that.

Um so let's start with uh assignments for deputy mayor, vice deputy mayor this evening, and then we'll move on to our um assembly liaisons.

So are there any uh nominations on the floor?

Uh we'll start with nominations and then uh if I have comments I'll I'll let you know.

But are there any nominations for uh deputy mayor?

I nominate Tim Pike for Deputy Mayor.

Nope.

Any other nominations?

Well, I guess I could do it.

I I am again I'm interested this year, and so I guess I'll nominate myself.

Uh but I am interested in doing it.

Okay.

Um we have Tim Torr.

Any other nominations okay?

Um so we'll start with Deputy Mayor.

Um Sarah, if we could do a vote on those two, please.

All right, I will um call your name and then if you'll um state your choice.

Mr.

Selene.

Ms.

Carlson, Tim.

Mr.

Pike.

I'll vote for myself.

Ms.

Riley, Pike.

Mr.

Christensen.

I'll vote for myself.

Mr.

Mosher.

Pike.

And Mayor Eisenbeis.

Tim.

All right.

Tim, you are deputy mayor.

I guess I should have asked you if you're willing to accept that nomination.

I know I had.

I think Tor would have uh accepted his own nomination, so did not occur to me, but uh congratulations.

Uh nominations for vice deputy mayor this evening.

I nominate JJ.

Would you accept a nomination?

Also a very key point.

Any other nominations for vice deputy mayor.

Congratulations, J Day.

All right, moving on to liaisons.

I know on this one sometimes it's hard to give up ones that you have been with for a while.

Uh when I look down the list, I see ones that I you know very much care about and uh and like to attend.

Um but on this one I would encourage us to get a little uncomfortable.

Um kind of switch it up a little bit, perhaps, and see um there's a few on there that I don't think I know a whole lot about, but maybe my presence there could offer um a different point of view, a different perspective.

Um I also know that noon ones don't really work for me.

Uh but uh I think we'll as in years past, we'll just uh kind of go down the list.

If you have a strong feeling about wanting to volunteer for that one, uh please put your name out if you have uh the ability to be an alternate uh alternates are very important.

Um I personally don't use mine as much as I should.

I apologize to those who um are alternates for me, but I'll make sure to do a little bit better about that this next year.

Uh so starting um here at the top, uh GPIP park board.

Yes, gone.

Christianson was the secondary.

Yeah, I mean I am willing to do that.

I I also still very I've done it before a few years ago.

I think I only had to cover for Chris once or twice.

Um there's still gonna be a lot of work to do there.

Um the only and they there's a I have my flesh, my schedule is flexible enough because they usually meet in the middle of the afternoon, which can cause problems if you have a traditional job.

Anyone wants to be the backup?

Um I'll I'll be back up to GG GP.

Okay, thank you.

Uh health needs human services.

Someone looks like a nooner on a Wednesday, so I can remain primary.

I'll be back up.

Thank you.

Historic preservation.

I still want to be on there.

I can stay back up.

Okay.

I think it's a great spot for you, Scotty.

Uh investment committee meets as needed.

I met once.

I wouldn't mind doing that.

Okay.

Please.

Same backup, different backup.

You want me to be your backup?

Yeah, I'd be happy to be back up, but like you said, you want to hear with everyone's.

Uh we can keep it uh Tor, go ahead and keep that one.

Uh in the library.

I'm still liking the library.

Okay.

Um I can do the backup again.

All right.

LEPC.

I can be primary.

I can be back up.

Okay, thank you.

Parks and Rec.

I'd like to stay primary if I wouldn't mind.

Because some of the things I'll be working on.

Perfect.

Planning and zoning.

I would love to take planning and zoning.

Um not necessarily a new perspective, but in a new role and overlaps with a lot of the um priorities that I ran on and want to address in the next year.

So really interested in continuing to work with that body and have several ongoing um issues with them.

And I would like to be back up on that because same reason, actually.

I've got a few things I really ran on, and I want to that to backdrop that's right.

Yeah, and I am definitely in the interested in someone else handling that.

So thank you.

Police and fire.

Yeah, they're kind of in the middle of something.

I'd like to stay there.

Okay.

Kevin, do you want to be?

I I can jump in as backup on there.

My name is not mentioned much so far.

Unless you have a strong feeling.

Okay.

Port and Harbors, no summer meetings.

If no one else, or did you want that one, JJ?

You want to take it.

That's not bad.

I haven't either.

Yeah, I can do ports and harbors, please.

I can be but not jumping up and say not doing it.

Yeah, I could back that one up.

I was gonna volunteer because summer is uh my busy time, and it looks like it's their busy time as well.

So sustainability commission.

I'll would I'd like a try shot at that one, I think.

That's awesome.

Thank you, Tim.

I I can like I'd like to take backup for that.

Okay.

Uh tourism commission.

Yeah, I can stick with it.

I can be your backup.

You want to be primary then, Scotty?

Sure.

Okay.

Yeah, I would have liked that one, but it feels a little close to home for me at times.

So and then tree and landscape.

I'm sorry about that.

I forgot that I was on that one.

Would you like to give her another go?

Uh okay.

You're also able to bow out.

Uh if you'd like to open it up.

Well, I feel bad.

I'll I'll make up for it.

You know, if you if uh if you were as good with them as you were with them library printers, you know, I think I think we're gonna get some work done out of that.

So I look forward to all the landscaping around town here shortly.

Tim, are you second on that?

Or I had no idea I was even on that thing.

I can actually I was waiting for Scott to tell me that he wasn't going.

So uh these typically the next two um STA.

Um, I'm very much like please.

Um I I need to remain that.

I feel that to be very important to have the chair and the mayor um liaise.

Um CETA, I would like to continue on, but if anyone has any strong opinions on that, I'm I'm okay with that one.

Can you be backup?

That's okay.

For uh SDC.

You want you want to be primary and me backup, is that what you said?

Or you you want to be backup.

Perfect.

Nope.

Sounds good to me.

Um Tim, are you okay with uh STA secondary?

Yes.

Okay, that's the one I um wasn't able to attend the couple meetings of, so I need to call on you more for that.

Uh and then school board right now, Mosier and Pike is back up.

I can do that again.

Yep.

Okay, perfect.

Katie, you have enough?

You want more work?

I was like really gonna volunteer, and I was maybe gonna pace myself while I try to learn the ropes of this body.

So thank you.

Planning and zoning is uh quite the lift.

So um we appreciate you stepping into that, stepping in and out of that role, I guess, huh?

All right, well, thank you all for that.

Um sweet.

I have 15 minutes now for uh well, I have persons to be heard first.

Um then you guys get a limited amount of time to uh to hear my report.

Uh so this is persons to be heard.

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

All right, there we go.

15 minutes for my report.

Um honestly, I wish I could give a 15-minute report.

I need to try and uh distill out how I'm going to get more information out from our Japan trip.

Uh we were there for a very limited amount of time, but had an amazing amount of experiences, and there was amazing amount of uh information gathered.

Um so I will use most of my time to talk about that.

I do want to indicate I just got back from uh ATIA as well, the Alaska Travel Industry Association conference.

Um I'll have more of that on the next meeting.

But uh the one main thing I want the assembly to start thinking about um Anchorage in their airport in order to connect to their Wi-Fi, and they have an optional survey um for resident and non-resident, and you can distill down like the different paths that people go based on their answers, you know, like the choose your own adventure books back in the day, right?

You know like the choose your own adventure books back in the day right but it gives them a lot of very very useful visitor information.

That report I believe is going to be sent to us I did ask for um visit anchorage to send that but it's a it's a thought it's a process perhaps on how we can get a little more visitor information from people logging onto Wi-Fi.

I don't know if we could utilize the Starlink out at the cruise dock as well as that is provided by Royal Caribbean but perhaps right so kind of some some chances to get some more visitor information there and I think that that could be a a good thing.

Going back to our Japan trip all I can say is wow a lot a lot of things learned a lot of experiences in just a very very short amount of time and the number one thing that I want to say is not only thank you to this body but thank you to the citizens as well for sending a delegation there.

It meant a lot to our sister city Nemaro.

They were overjoyed that we were able to come and they showed that in every single experience they had you know it was a little bit funky awkward but like we showed up to their city hall and uh they had all of their staff come downstairs and and they stood there and clapped for us for what felt like 10 minutes right it was every single time that we went to another location like we were we were very welcomed and they wanted to make sure that we knew that they that they did cherish our trip.

I did bring uh some stuff back as as I talked to each of you about the the cookies that were up here made specially for that event I have some newspaper articles from you know their local newspaper that commemorated the event and then just some other collateral that was provided.

Feel free to look through this and then I'm gonna pass it off to Hal at uh the um sitka history museum so that we can commemorate this event too for for uh people down down the line a couple things uh that I learned that I that I think are super important to start talking about one of them and this uh this was unknown to me uh but it was relayed and then I actually relayed this to uh some students at Sitka High when we had a zoom call between the the two organizations there are some direct links uh with the sea otter fur trade and the Russians uh in this area to that area uh they have a they have a piece of pottery in there in their city museum um that indicated it's it was from the new archangel trading company now they they can't say that you know that exact piece had ever been to sitka but some some very similar players um were eradicating sea otters in nemiro as well at the same time that they were they were doing that here so our sister city routes um not only currently um but they go all the way back um to the the early Russian occupations as well and I found that to be uh most fascinating because I had no idea we were able to tour um an aquatic hatchery that they had uh and this one really struck a chord with me because they're learning how to raise king crab and that's not something that uh is easily done uh but they're they're working through different processes so right now it involves basically capturing a pregnant female um hatching those eggs uh raising them till they're a size where they have some viability out in nature and and pumping them back out but I think some of their work could be you know translated over here on you know how can we potentially rebuild some of our king crab populations uh they're doing the same with sea urchins I know we don't need more sea urchins in this area um but it is an important food source for them uh so they're looking at repopulating um uh urchins they're growing sockee in tanks we're not necessarily into the farm fish uh but they are raising adult sized sock eye in tanks and they're they're learning how to um go through that process they said one of the hardest problems is to get the color right uh we know from farmed fish it's that weird pink color as opposed to the deep red uh but lots of lots of very very interesting things at their um aquatic um hatchery mariculture center there they do a lot of kelp farming slash kelp harvest there as well and I know that we're um getting into the mariculture industry here I think there's uh some opportunities to collaborate on that uh we we we made a joke every so often um but it's it's something that's near and dear to to the city of Nemaro um you know we could people can see Russia from their house there um and that's very true the Russian occupation of they call it the Northern Territories happened right after World War II and there are islands basically a stone's throw away um that Japan claims is their own Russia claims is their own and they've been kind of feuding back and forth over this for quite some time and the the actually where they harvest kelp is Russian territory but the Russians have said okay we we will allow this but you know if you come across this line it's very well known that uh your boat could be sunk by machine guns in that area uh our hosts were amazing hosts we had two big events we had a uh um the official signing of the the declaration and the intent to continue our sister city relationship and then we had a reception later with their chamber of commerce I think

Um and uh the actually where they harvest kelp is Russian territory, but the Russians have said, okay, we we will allow this, but you know, if you come across this line, it's very well known that uh your boat could be sunk by machine guns in that area.

Uh our hosts were amazing hosts.

We had two big events.

We had a uh the official signing of the the declaration and the intent to continue our sister city relationship, and then we had a reception later with their chamber of commerce.

I think the most exciting part there is they have a it's a smaller version of a king crab, um, but it's very uh localized to that area, and we were able to try that crab, which was was super cool.

Uh I think John will probably have a little bit more on that as well.

But I'm happy to talk to not only members of the public um but then uh individuals as well uh in of the assembly if if you have questions on that trip, because you know it was three days in uh Nemiro and a day and a half in Tokyo to kind of get uh get your bearings, but uh very fast paced, I'll learned a lot.

Um and yeah, I'm thankful for everybody we got to go in, and so is our sister city.

I quasi invited them for the 60th anniversary to come to Sitka, uh knowing that I wouldn't have to take care of that.

So apologies uh in 10 years to whoever uh holds this role and and city roles because uh you might have a job to do.

But uh yeah.

John Thanks, Mayor.

I've been out for uh quite some time, so I've got a few things to catch up on.

Uh Southeast conference was last month.

I haven't been here since that.

Um I think there's already been a report made on that, but I I did sit on a a tourism panel.

It wasn't your typical tourism panel that we've seen in the past where it's it's highly focused on cruise tourism.

This was about um keeping your your local flair to the to the visitor experience and and incorporating um the culture cultural aspects of your community and and trying to um uh keep your place special and keep the visitors here.

So um good discussion there.

Uh, we we talked a whole lot about baseball because I guess the state um historic preservation uh individual with the 250th anniversary of the United States.

There was some roots in baseball in Alaska, so that was going to be the theme this year, but it seemed a little odd that we talked a lot about baseball up there.

Um just building off of the Nemiro trip.

Uh the mayor has hit most of everything.

I I can't say enough how amazing of an experience this was, and uh as the mayor said, uh how welcoming the folks in Nemro were and how important this was to them.

Um we really need to roll out the red carpet when they come see us.

Um funny story when we did Covenant City Hall that day, and all the city staff were there clapping for us.

Um the mayor actually said, and the mayor and the chair said they needed to run off because they had an assembly meeting, and they were actually approving the appropriation to to fund the stuff that they were uh doing for us while we were there.

So I thought that was um pretty interesting.

Um I was really it was passed.

There will be no bill coming back to us.

I was intrigued by their government structure, you know, local governments have different types of structures, and um their assembly chambers were set up very different, right?

You had um staff and the mayor that sat on one side, but then the chair of the assembly sat above all those staff, and then on the other side of the room were uh, you know, imagine these chairs here, they're different podiums, and that's where the rest of the assembly sits, so it's almost like a battle royale between the the staff and the uh assembly members, but yet the assembly chair sits on the other side.

Their mayor is elected, um, and they call him the mayor, but that mayor manages all the staff.

Um so I think the mayor, what they call a mayor is more like a city manager, and the chair of the assembly is more like what we consider a mayor.

And they didn't uh correct me if I'm wrong, mayor.

I don't think they had opportunities for the public to engage on on the items that they discussed there.

They had an area where the public could sit and watch the meetings, but I don't think they had uh public comment or engagement.

Yeah, I think it was sitting and listen.

Um so it was it was just interesting to see the different forms of government.

Um so we we talked a lot about that.

Um and I really liked having the schools involved with this.

The best part of the trip for me was when we had Sitka High on a Zoom call with the two students that were here in 2023, and we got to sit in the room and watch those students try to communicate with our students, and they just asked teenager questions back and forth.

And it was it was great to see that and and try to work through that language barrier.

And we also were invited into the high schools and we got to step into a few of the classes.

But he called out one brave student in the room who stood up and uh carried on a conversation with us, uh, you know, asked us all our names and what we do.

He told us he likes baseball and who his favorite player was.

Um, but I think this is an opportunity for our schools to get much more involved in this program.

I I think it'd be great if there's an opportunity to send folks over there in some sort of an exchange program and really um improve and foster this relationship a little further.

It was a it was an amazing time, and um as the mayor said, I I learned a ton while we were there and and how important this is to them.

Uh the last thing I have is I am not in Tampa, Florida right now, which is where I was supposed to be for the national ICMA conference.

Um I left for that uh Thursday morning as planned.

Uh a little IT outage happened on that trip.

Uh I tried getting rebooked a few times, got uh uh delayed a few times, and uh it was getting to the point where it was gonna cost a whole lot of money on different airlines to try to get there two days late.

So I said I'm just gonna turn around and go back home.

So I'm lucky enough to not have to miss three assembly meetings in a row because I'm not at the ICMA conference, but I'll be caught up on uh what happens at that conference when the folks get back, and we'll be incorporating some of the um points that were heard there into the um annual AML conference coming up in December.

That's all I have.

Rachel.

Uh nothing to report from legal.

We're keeping the workflow flowing.

Um that's all.

Thank you.

Liaison representatives.

Tim please and fire tomorrow night.

They're gonna talk about body cameras.

Great.

Myself and John soaked up all the time.

Um, and we didn't even need the rest for liaison representatives.

Sarah, you got five minutes.

It will be quick.

Uh we have a number of vacancies on boards and commissions.

If folks are curious, we have ads in the newspaper on our website, social media.

Umcoming November meetings, um, the November 11th meeting is moved to November 10th, which is the Monday.

Um, on Thursday, November 13th at 6.

That's the government to government dinner meeting.

It'll be here at Hair again.

Um Saturday, November 22nd.

Um, the assembly and um some staff have the next strategic plan update.

Um Alissa Lunis is coordinating that, so um, you'll be um needing to watch for more information on that.

And then the second meeting in November is the 25th, and then our two December meetings have been rescheduled.

Um, those are the 16th and the 30th.

Thank you.

Any other reports this evening?

Great.

We don't have to automatically adjourn.

So I will uh we will move on to adjournment.

Is there a motion?

All those in favor say aye.

All right, any opposed?

Thank you.

Assembly, we are adjourned.