Sitka has joined other Southeast communities in declaring an economic disaster due to COVID-19 and poor salmon returns across the region.
City administrator John Leach brought the resolution to the assembly table at its regular meeting on Tuesday (9-22-20).
“Four communities have done this already and we’re just joining forces with them to send a message loud and clear up through the state that our fishing industry has been hurt substantially, not only by COVID, but by poor returns this year,” he said. “I don’t think I need to give any detail on the loss of tourism here.”
Leach said the resolution, which calls for the state and federal government to draft similar declarations, was a first step in signaling the need for assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and other government organizations. The assembly approved the resolution unanimously.
The assembly also filled several vacant commission seats. Wendy Alderson was appointed to the Planning and Zoning Commission. Vaughn Morrison was re-appointed to the Gary Paxton Industrial Park Board of Directors.
And two weeks after denying one Sitkan’s application to the Police and Fire Commission, there was a rush on the position. The assembly reviewed three candidates’ applications for the slot: Gary Oines, Samuel Pointer Jr. and Wayne Young. Young received six of the seven votes, with Member Richard Wein voting for Oines.
Young is a life-long Sitkan. He’s a current volunteer at the Sitka Fire Department and has exhibited an interest in policing.
“I actually got the luxury of going on a ride-along for my first time less than a month ago. I thought that was pretty cool. I got to learn about the police side of things, where they would lock me up if I ever got in trouble,” he said. “I thought that was pretty interesting, and I learned a lot.”
Municipal attorney Brian Hanson said that his fire department volunteer position wouldn’t conflict should the assembly appoint him. There was no opposition to Young’s appointment, but member Valorie Nelson disclosed that Young was her nephew. She voted for him nevertheless, noting that she expected some “angry emails.”
In other business the assembly approved a hire offer for Craig Warren as the new leader of the Sitka Fire Department. A longtime fire department employee, Warren was serving as a senior engineer, and will replace longtime fire chief Dave Miller, who is retiring. And it continued its discussion of the city seal redesign project. The assembly is set to vote on the final design next month.
