Sorted by date Results 51 - 75 of 115
WRANGELL - Former Wrangell Sentinel owner Larry Persily has agreed to buy the weekly newspaper from Petersburg couple Ron and Anne Loesch, who have owned it for 17 years. Depending on the schedule for the closing agreement and transition details, Persily will take over Jan. 1 or Feb. 1. "My wife and I started in Alaska journalism with the Sentinel in 1976, and it just feels right to buy the paper at this time and help build on its 118-year history," Persily said. Sentinel staffers Caleb...
The borough assembly approved a letter of agreement with the Petersburg Municipal Employees Association at their assembly meeting on Monday that includes a two percent raise that will go into effect on July 1, 2020. The letter of agreement extends the term of the 2017-2020 collective bargaining agreement, which was set to expire on June 30, 2020. Negotiations between the two parties to discuss a new three-year contract were to begin in April, but were postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The...
The borough assembly met with Matt Weatherly of Public Sector Personnel Consultants on Tuesday afternoon to review the preliminary findings of a recent compensation survey of borough staff for the 2020 fiscal year. According to survey documents, the borough's current entry pay ranges are more than five percent behind market averages for 52 percent of the borough staff survey sample, resulting in 48 percent of entry wages for borough positions being competitive. Less competitive were the maximum...
The borough assembly failed to pass a letter to Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities Commissioner John MacKinnon requesting DOT revise their plans for the Kake Access Road project to end the road directly across from Petersburg on Kupreanof Island instead of at Twelvemile Creek. Mayor Mark Jensen, who requested the letter be put on the agenda, said ending the road at Twelvemile Creek was not a good plan and it should end closer to Petersburg in the Wrangell Narrows. "I...
The borough assembly supported sending a letter to the National Marine Fisheries Service regarding issues the borough has with the proposed rule to designate critical habitat for Mexico, Central America and Western North Pacific distinct population segments of humpback whales at an assembly meeting Tuesday evening. The letter's main concern is with the critical habitat for the Mexican district population of humpback whales. A large portion of the proposed critical habitat area is in Southeast...
A resolution supporting alternative one of the draft environmental impact statement for the exemption of the Roadless Rule in the Tongass National Forest will go before the borough assembly at their first meeting in December after the assembly pushed the vote back by two weeks at their meeting on Monday. The United State Forest Service released the findings of its draft environmental impact statement earlier this month that showed the United States Department of Agriculture supported...
Mayoral candidates Jeff Meucci General Information Age: 64 Experience: I served on the Petersburg Park & Recreation advisory board, the Petersburg City council and served two terms as the Petersburg mayor from 1995 thru 1999. I was appointed to my current Borough Assembly seat and was elected to my Assembly seat two years ago. During my time as the Petersburg Mayor I traveled extensively as the number one advocate for the City of Petersburg. Why do you seek public office? I am seeking public...
The Alaska Chamber of Commerce touts itself as "the voice of Alaska business" but seafood industry and coastal community members are largely left out of the conversation. The Chamber isn't entirely at fault; it appears that most of those members are not speaking up. Three cases in point. In February the Chamber was one of the first to "applaud Governor Dunleavy for proposing a spending plan that matches current revenues." In April the Chamber testified in support of the Pebble Mine draft...
Who benefits? To the Editor: How can it be that we are knee-deep in tourist effluent and Medicaid is being cut? Why isn't the State Treasury fat with income from the tourist industry? Southeast Alaska is being exploited by tour ships. We need to, A: set a limit on the number and size of tour ships allowed in state waters; B: issue permits with contractual obligations; C: get compensated for their use of the state resources, including monitoring costs. Is anyone in the state taking any action...
The borough assembly approved ordinance #2019-02 in its first reading on Monday that would update the borough's sales tax code to include language regarding internet sales of goods and services. Although the current tax code doesn't mention internet sales tax, it doesn't forbid it, according to finance director Judy Tow. The ordinance would just broaden the language in the sales tax code to internet vendors not located in Petersburg or Alaska. According to Tow, until the state has a unified...
The Petersburg Borough will send out a request for proposals for a new baler, after the assembly approved the decision on Monday. In January, the borough assembly passed Ordinance 2018-21, which allocates $600,000 towards the replacement of the borough’s baler. The request for proposals, or RFP, has a deadline of April 4, and gives a description of what is needed from the baler and the bidder. At Monday’s assembly meeting, assembly member Bob Lynn was concerned with how similar in scope the potential new baler, as laid out in the RFP, is to...
January The borough assembly received a proposed update to its zoning code that would introduce a new form of affordable housing, an expansion of the historical and industrial districts and the end of a requirement for businesses to include parking downtown. The borough assembly held a work session to discuss a plan to impose restrictions on the senior tax exemption. A possible annual fee to sales tax exemption card holders was agreed upon ranging between $50 and $60. Police Chief Kelly Swihart...
MVFS misconception To the Editor: I want to address a small point in Glo Wollen’s letter this last issue. Thanking Glo for her fine support of Proposition 1, which I agree, she referred to a popular misconception as she described our quality of life in Petersburg. Many citizens use the term “Meals on Wheels” when they refer to Petersburg’s Senior dining program. The Mt. View Food Service is not an affiliate of Meals on Wheels. We are an organization in Petersburg which is dedicated to a senior group dining experience. If eligible consume...
Bill Tremblay General Information Name: Bill Tremblay Age: 64 Experience: My past experience includes 9 years on the Petersburg City Council (1999-2007), and 2 1/2 years on the City Council for Craig, Alaska (1985-1988). In addition to my 36 year work experience with the Forest Service, I have been a part of several groups or organizations that provide a benefit to the Petersburg community. At this time I am the President of the Board of Directors for KFSK Public Radio, a board member for the...
The borough assembly voted in favor of nominating assembly member Jeff Meucci for the Southeast Conference board of directors on Monday. "Jeff has entered into his role of the assembly with such a vigor," said assembly member Eric Castro. "I can see [him] carrying that with [him] to the Southeast conference board." Meucci and Mayor Mark Jensen submitted letters of interest to the assembly, which had the option to nominate both Meucci and Jensen. A motion was made to only nominate Meucci. After...
Members of the Petersburg Municipal Employees Association will receive a 1% raise each year of their 3-year agreement under the terms of the tentative settlement reached during negotiations with the Petersburg Borough. According to Joe Bertagnoli, a member of the negotiating team, the terms of the agreement are retroactive to July 1, 2017. The increases are applied to the Step C wages paid to employees with 1 year of service with the Borough. Previously the workers had rejected the Borough offer of a 1%-1%-0% wage hike over the three-year...
Employees of the Petersburg Municipal Employee’s Association complained of “bullying,” and a, “big lack of professionalism,” taking place at the negotiating table, according to comments made at Monday’s special assembly meeting on Monday. Joe Bertagnoli, who has led the PMEA negotiations in the past said, “It’s not pretty.” It’s like when we negotiated with former city manager Scott Hahn. When items are placed on the table, negotiator John Hoag says, “Hell no.” “We’re not asking for the moon,” Bertagnoli added. Blake Buotte continued by say...
An April tentative agreement for a three year contract between the Borough and the IBEW was rejected following a vote of the 10 employees, according to manager Steve Giesbrecht. IBEW represents the employees of Petersburg Municipal Power and Light Department. Both sides thought they had a deal, according to Giesbrecht, “but it didn’t happen that way.” “We’re going back to the table with them,” the manager explained. There is one issue with one employee. The framework of the contract was solid, said Giesbrecht. He did not know the break-out o...
The remodel of the Petersburg Municipal Power and Light building is complete and on Wednesday employees and Billikin Transfer were moving furniture and equipment into the building. The sweeping remodel of the building was completed on schedule. Rainforest Contracting Inc. executed the remodel contract. Karl Hagerman, the utility director, said Wednesday that he hopes the move will be completed by the end of the week. He added that the utility remains open for business during the move. The...
WRANGELL — The city is inching toward a planned purge of the island’s abandoned vehicles and assorted clutter. The unsightly problem has been a longstanding issue in public parking spaces such as at Shoemaker Bay Harbor, with unroadworthy vehicles left there to the elements. But under municipal code junk vehicles on private property are also not allowed, and the rule extends to other collections on display deemed to be a “nuisance” by authorities. This means disused vehicles like cars and boats, rusting piles of scrap or broken equipme...
The union that represents most borough employees voted Tuesday to reject a three-year contract with the borough, upending the agreement and scrambling both negotiating sides to decide what to do next. After the assembly ratified the three-year bargaining agreement in early March, it was up to the Petersburg Municipal Employees Association to decide whether to do the same. The association majority rejected it Tuesday evening. Some association members still feel a distaste for the last contract agreement, said Justin Haley, president of the...
The Petersburg assembly last week ratified a collective bargaining agreement with a union that represents most borough employees. The assembly approved a three year deal with the Petersburg Municipal Employees Association last week. The deal has to be voted on by the association as well, which occurs March 20. Among the changes in the agreement, according to the borough, is a 2 percent wage increase to the Step C salary classification. Those receiving the increase have had to be represented by...
The former Petersburg Municipal Power and Light superintendent addressed the assembly on Monday to offer an experienced perspective on the borough’s plan to reorganize the electric utility and public works department, and why he opposes it. Joe Nelson, who was the electrical superintendent in Petersburg for about 14 years until he retired last summer, said he wanted to clarify a few things after a special meeting on Friday. The meeting was to discuss the borough manager’s plan to reorganize the electrical departments -- a plan that has gai...
Eight current Petersburg Municipal Power and Light employees are in opposition of the borough’s plan to reorganize the public works and electric utility departments, according to a letter given to the Pilot. In a letter addressed to members of the borough assembly, dated January 27, eight power and light employees ask that the borough continues to search for an electric superintendent that has experience in the industry. Advertising for the position was canceled after the assembly recently voted in favor of the borough manager’s plan to reo...
The police chief and deputy clerk in Petersburg announced they plan to retire in July, a decision the married couple made together after a year of pondering. The police chief, Kelly Swihart, and his wife, Melinda, the deputy borough clerk, said they plan to retire after the chief’s contract expires on June 30, he said. “We have been debating for the past year on whether or not we wanted to renew my contract in Petersburg,” said Mr. Swihart, who says his leaving is not a resignation. “Or look in other law enforcement opportunities in Alaska,...
