The Sitka Assembly will meet behind closed doors this evening (8/27/19) to discuss a whistleblower lawsuit brought by former Sitka Police detective Ryan Silva.
Silva sued the city last year alleging that the department broke the law when it bought automatic rifles for the police force without following state procurement rules. The city denies this.
It was the first of three suits brought by former SPD employees against the department. Earlier this month, Silva’s attorney’s indicated that the case is going before a mediator next month and could be settled out of court.
In other news, the assembly may convene a closed door session to flush out contract terms for the sale of the Gary Paxton Industrial Park’s utility dock to Hanson Maritime Company. The dock was condemned earlier this year, and the assembly later overturned its condemnation, paving the way for the park to sell the dock to the Sitka-based marine salvage company.
The assembly will also consider approving the receipt of an $800,000 grant from the Federal Aviation Administration to complete an environmental assessment for a new seaplane base on Japonski Island. The existing seaplane base is over 50 years old. The assembly budgeted $50,000 for initial engineering for the new base last year.
In other business, the assembly will review five commission and board appointments- among those they’ll consider appointing Stacy Mudry to a three year term on the Planning Commission and Al Stevens and Mike Johnson to terms on the GPIP board of directors. The group will also consider reappointing Joshua Thomas and Charles Woodcock to three year terms on the Library Commission and the Health Needs and Human Services Commission, respectively.
And the body will present service awards to Sitka Community Hospital Board members and Library Commission member Alice Johnstone.
The Sitka Assembly meets tonight at Harrigan Centennial Hall. Raven News will broadcast the meeting at 6 p.m. following Alaska News Nightly.
