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Corrao: More than a personality conflict
One councilor has decided to break the silence surrounding City Manager Rich Underkofler’s dismissal. Lee Corrao said that while he couldn’t discuss “the straw that broke the camel’s back,” he wanted to share his point of view with the public. He was one of four councilors that voted to end Underkofler’s tenure with the city last Monday, despite ample testimony from the public imploring him to reconsider. Since then, he has become the subject of one of two recall bids that would unseat the two junior members of the council, himself and Sara Stoner, both of whom have only served on the council for nine months. That would effectively break up a perceived council majority that often votes together in order to enact their own policies, despite dissent from fellow councilors and city staff.
The dichotomy is a welcome thing for Corrao, who said he was eager to consider differing opinions. According to him, the real controversies came when Underkofler attempted to oppose the majority will of the council.
“This is not about something as silly as a personality conflict. This is really about Rich’s determination to take the city into a particular direction that is not in cooperation with what the majority sees. He ha
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Councilors face recall petition
The two junior members of the city council now face the threat of a recall following last week’s city council meeting. Elected eight months ago, both Lee Corrao and Sara Stoner supported the termination of City Manager Rich Underkofler’s contract, despite a large amount of public testimony opposing the move. They were joined by their more senior counterparts, Melinda Hofstad and Bob Nilsen, in creating the majority needed to see Underkofler out of office.
The reasoning behind seeking Underkofler’s termination has not been made public. Alaska law grants both the council and Underkofler the right to hold personnel hearings in private. At last Monday’s meeting, Underkofler said he opted for a private meeting under the advice of his attorney.
His dismissal prompted 16 members of the public, led by Fran Jones and Barry Bracken, to file an application for a recall petition.
Swan Lake update leads to fresh debate
Representatives from the private company Cascade Creek, LLC met in Petersburg last week to go over design modifications for a proposed hydroelectric project in Swan Lake. The project has been controversial in the past as many local residents have raised their voices to preserve much of the pristine wilderness surrounding Thomas Bay.
The meeting had political connotations as well. The City of Petersburg is currently competing with the private company for a federal permit to study Ruth Lake for its hydroelectric potential.
The meeting did reveal that Cascade Creek, LLC had considered local concerns when it came to designing the project. It now features designs for an extended tunnel in order to better hide the powerhouse. Chris Spens, a representative of the company, said they had also nixed plans for a dam.