The Sitka Assembly has an eighth member, and he’s ready to hit the ground running — which shouldn’t be a problem, since he’s close to the ground already.
Nugget, a one-year-old pembroke welsh corgi, was appointed to a newly-created seat on the assembly in a special meeting last Thursday.
SITKA, ALASKA – by Katherine Rose and Robert Woolsey.
Nugget is already a well-known figure in downtown Sitka, almost guaranteeing a unanimous vote when his name was put forward for the new assembly seat.
A breed beloved by British royalty — especially Queen Elizabeth herself — this corgi remains true to his working-class roots, helping manage a retail store in downtown Sitka, with his boss, Steven Eisenbeisz.
“Nugget is a good boy,” Eisenbeisz says. “He’s one of the hardest-working dogs downtown. He comes into work every day, and he’s always up for either bringing people in, or playing ball, or tiring out the children if they want to come in and play chase with him, or fetch with him. So he does have a very strong work ethic.”
And a strong work ethic is exactly what’s called for in Sitka’s municipal government. For the first time last month the assembly failed to muster a quorum for a regular meeting. That’s when members — including Eisenbeisz himself — decided to create an additional seat and fill it with someone 100-percent committed to keeping the herd moving in the right direction.
“At times we’ve had some very contentious issues on the assembly and he intends to bring everyone down a notch,” Eisenbeisz says, and Nugget yips in agreement.
When Nugget’s name was advance for the new assembly seat there were some who barked — or balked, rather — at the idea of placing civic responsibilities in the paws of a corgi. Nevertheless, after performing the usual due diligence in his office in city hall, municipal attorney Brian Hanson gave Nugget the go-ahead.
“I’ve done a thorough review of the charter and code of the City and Borough of Sitka and I feel there is no impediment to having the corgi sit in that position.”
Hanson says that the city will have to accomodate Nugget, of course, with a raised seat at the table, biscuits, and a cedar bed for naps during long meetings.
Nugget also will be expected to cast his vote verbally, like other assembly members
Hanson – We would prefer a bark. A nice, firm bark.
KCAW – A bark for yea?
Hanson – And two barks for nay.
And what ordinances will Nugget chase down now that he’s got a seat at the table instead of under it? Eisenbeisz says the corgi supports the leash law — applied reasonably — but not, say, when a good dog is merely trotting from his vehicle to his work establishment and sniffing a mailbox or fireplug along the way.
And Nugget isn’t taking any s**t from anyone.
“He is a very strong believer in ‘If you poop it, you scoop it.’” Eisenbeisz says. “We don’t leave anything downtown, and hopes that other dogs will follow his lead.”
Surprisingly, assembly deliberation over Nugget’s appointment was minimal. Only Mayor Gary Paxton expressed any concern at all, saying “Troops, we better hope this decision doesn’t bite us in the backside.”
