UPDATE 3:20 p.m.: The regular meeting of the Sitka Assembly has been rescheduled due to lack of quorum. The meeting, with the same agenda, has been moved to Thursday, April 11.
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When the Sitka Assembly meets Thursday (4/11/19) it may take further action on a outside investigation of the Sitka Police Department, and could choose a third party investigator from a list of names put forth by an assembly subcommittee last month.
With high turnover and three pending lawsuits involving department staff, the Sitka Assembly last month voted on first reading to earmark $35,000 dollars to hire an independent investigator. But further action was postponed after city administrator Keith Brady hired an interim police chief to replace retiring police chief Jeff Ankerfelt. Some assembly members felt they should hold off on a final decision on the investigation until they’d heard interim chief Robert Baty’s plan for the department.
Assembly members could also go behind closed doors to discuss terms of the city’s loan to the Baranof Island Brewing Company. BIBCO received its first loan from the Sitka Economic Development Fund in 2011. After BIBCO struggled to make payments in 2016, the Sitka Assembly renegotiated, and allowed the brewery to pay interest only through April of last year. BIBCO’s liquor license is now up for renewal, and after discussing in open session, they could move to executive session to consider BIBCO’s application.
In other business, the assembly will also consider renewing the liquor license for Halibut Point Crab and Brew, which caters to customers at the Old Sitka Dock. It will also consider a hire offer for Bruce Wall as the new Planning Director. And the assembly will present service awards to Allison Massey, of the parks and recreation committee, and Dan Jones of the Gary Paxton Industrial Park board of directors.
The Sitka Assembly meets Thursday (4/11/19) at Harrigan Centennial Hall. Raven Radio will broadcast the meeting live, at 6 p.m. following Alaska News Nightly.
