Sitka assembly members aren’t happy that Mayor Gary Paxton included an unauthorized letter in a packet to Alaska’s congressional delegation last year, but they see no need to censure him for what he admits was a mistake.

Last November, the assembly passed a resolution in support of “No action” to the Forest Service’s proposed reversal of the Roadless Rule. Mayor Gary Paxton was the sole dissenter. Before transmitting the resolution to congress, the mayor attached a letter from the Sitka Conservation Society (SCS) that had not received formal assembly approval.

Paxton’s emails were obtained by local conservationist Larry Edwards through a public records request. Edwards then brought a complaint to the assembly, saying that Paxton had attempted to blur the assembly’s position on Roadless.

When the Sitka Assembly met on Tuesday (2-26-20), it considered going behind closed doors to discuss the mayor’s actions. Paxton said he’d made a mistake by including the letter with the resolution sent to Senator Lisa Murkowski’s office. And he said he wanted any conversation about it to happen in public.

“I had no intent to diminish that resolution. I told that to the paper and the radio station, so if you want to fuss with me you get to do it in public,” he said.

Assembly member Thor Christianson said he thought Paxton’s emails and letter attachment was pretty innocuous. And member Richard Wein said he was satisfied with the Mayor’s response. 

I think you have adequately addressed it at this table, and I have no reason to continue into executive session,” he said. “But I just felt it appropriate to give a citizen’s point of view, appropriate venue. And I shouldn’t have to read things in the newspaper, per se.”

Member Steven Eisenbeisz said after receiving Edwards’ complaint, he looked into the assembly’s options: There are only a few things the assembly can do, short of a recall. Eisenbeisz said the resolution should have been sent on its own without commentary as the assembly’s official position, but he took action to remedy that. 

“Fortunately Lisa Murkowski and some staffers were going to be in town the following week, which gave me a unique opportunity to meet with Lisa and hand her a fresh copy of our resolution on its own,” he said.  

He said that Edwards was still concerned about the packet with the SCS letter being sent to the city’s DC lobbyist. Paxton directed the city clerk to send a fresh copy, without the letter, to the lobbyist the following day.

The assembly took no further action on the matter.

In other business, the Sitka Assembly…

  • Voted down a resolution that would declare a “climate emergency” in Sitka, on a 3-4 vote with Mayor Gary Paxton and members Kevin Mosher, Richard Wein and Valorie Nelson opposed
  • Renewed a contract with Halibut Point Marine to subsidize their transport cruise ship passengers to town on a 6-1 vote, with member Richard Wein opposed. 
  • Passed new tiny house code rules on first reading, 6-1 with member Valorie Nelson opposed. 
  • Approved an increase in cruise ship tender fees, cruise ship security fees, and float plane tenant rates (7-0). 
  • Authorized the city administrator to apply for a $3 million loan from USDA to fund improvements to the Green Lake hydroelectric plant (7-0). 
  • Approved reallocating $1.5 million to supplement phase 1 of the Green Lake hydroelectric plant overhaul (7-0). 
  • Appointed Justin Mullenix and Joel Hanson to three-year terms on the Local Emergency Planning Commission (7-0)
  • And, approved a liquor license renewal for Dove Island Lodge