The Skagway News - Feb. 10, 2023

THE SKAGWAY NEWS.

Landslide mitigation tests anticipated by April

By Melinda Munson

Skagway Mayor Andrew Cremata is looking forward to a bustling tourist season, pleased with the mitigation efforts on Railroad Dock meant to curb the landslides occurring with increased frequency since last summer.

“Anyone who knows me will tell you, I am not much of an optimist, but I am a realist,” he said. “I firmly believe that we will host a record number of cruise passengers in 2023. If not, we will be close.”

If Cremata is correct, this is good news for the mayor who sells tours during the summer, and the town of Skagway which suffered through two years of COVID-19 and a partial season recovery cut short when Railroad Dock was deemed unsafe for full use.

Following the release of the municipality funded “Railroad Dock Landslide Initial Site Trip Visit Report” (July 2022) by geological firm Shannon & Wilson, the forward berth was shut down.

Regarding the North Slide area, the report states: “It is our opinion that the slide mass will eventually fail and the consequences of such failure will be catastrophic in nature with significant risks to life and property. The timing of such a failure is difficult to predict but accelerating movement rates suggest that the failure event is approaching.”

Long-term mitigation of the mountain that looms over Railroad Dock is estimated at $40 million. The municipality applied for a Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities

(see page 3-Landslide)

Draft resolution seeks to transfer half of RV park to STC

By Melinda Munson Assemblymember Reba

Hylton presented a draft resolution to the Civic Affairs Committee Feb. 8 proposing that 12 of the 24 lots at Garden City RV Park, formally known as Blocks 95 and 102, be repatriated to Skagway Traditional Council.

The lots, purchased by the municipality from the Juneau Archdiocese in 2013 for $1.7 million, was the site of the St. Pius X Mission Residential Boarding School for Native Children (19321960).

According to Sara Kinjo-Hischer, tribal administrator for Skagway Traditional Council (STC), a sovereign tribal government, the school was used “for the purpose of exterminating Native culture, language and arts.”

“Not only were mission and boarding schools in the 1900s used to assimilate Native children to make them ‘civil’ by taking away cul-

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ture and language of the Indigenous people, the Church also introduced sex offenders into the school system,” Kinjo-Hischer added. “The children who stayed at the school were miles away from the protection of parents and relatives.”

Whether the Catholic Church had a clear title to the land they built their mission on is uncertain. Hylton stated she believed “the municipality purchased it [Pius X] without a clear title.”

Mayor Andrew Cremata expressed the same sentiments.

“I got a message from somebody recently asking who owned the title before, or who owned the property before the Catholic Church,” he said. And I don’t know the answer to that. And, I especially don’t know, because the Catholic Church never had a title. So, I don’t know that the Catholic Church ever owned it. I don’t know

who owned it immediately before the Catholic Church, if indeed someone did have a title to it. I do know that for approximately 11,000 years it was the property of the Chilkat Tlingit people.”

To further complicate the title issue, federal law outlines that Native boarding schools which received

federal land or funds be returned to the tribe, in some instances.

According to federal code 25 USC 280, …“when no longer used for mission or school purposes said lands shall revert to the Indian owners.”

The tribal government has (see page 3 - STC)

Public correspondence no longer posted to MOS site

By Gretchen Wehmhoff

For decades, correspondence submitted to the Skagway mayor and assembly has been included in the online meeting packets posted on the municipal website. In October 2022 that process stopped.

In an Oct. 19 memo addressed to the mayor and the assembly, the borough clerk stated that citizen correspondence would no longer be placed on the borough website. This policy change had

not been discussed in any public meeting.

The memo stated that correspondence was “typically addressed to the Mayor and Assembly and it is not necessarily intended to be provided to the internet populace.”

Other concerns noted were that recent correspondence was not deemed fit for inclusion and required attorney review, citizens who did not intend to have their letter made public had asked their

Photo by Melinda Munson

Team members from the Bureau of Applied Research in Anthropology, University of Arizona, sift soil in October 2022 at the Garden City RV Park, formally the site of Pius X Mission Residential Boarding School for Native Children. The results from the archeological assessment have not yet been released.

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Vol. XLVI, No 2 (941) Feb. 10, 2023

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Letters and Opinion

Raised sales tax will burden Skagway businesses,

Dear Editor:

In the late summer of 2019, a large number of business owners from Skagway formed a group to represent the interests of the business community. As witnessed by Skagway’s huge outmigration during COVID, without cruise ships, Skagway cannot survive as a year-round community. The existence and success of Skagway is necessarily related to, and dependent upon, commerce.

Existing service businesses, tour businesses, retail businesses and local full time residents should have a unified, communicative and vested interest in working together to make Skagway a great destination. We need to provide a preferred port of call that entices cruise ships and visitors to insist on Skagway as a destination. It is for this reason that we have put together the following response to the sales tax increase:

We as a business group are against any sales tax increase, especially at the present time. We are already facing record inflation in virtually every area of consumption. We are still reeling from two straight years of severely reduced or zero income, and a 2022

year of compromised income (due to the landslide on Railroad Dock). Now, we are facing a 2023 season that looks to be compromised again by having no real solution for the dock disaster. The city’s response to this is: “Raise the sales tax.” It couldn’t happen at a worse time. Buildings are vacant; businesses are closing, leaving town or playing musical chairs; properties are devalued; and interest rates, gas and freight prices are skyrocketing again. Juneau will get the lion’s share of traffic in 2023, and likely in 2024.

If we are to provide a more positive visitor experience, our hook should be a remaining 5% tax that can be used as a sales point, encouraging bigger and better sales. Ketchikan may have a higher tax rate, but it is still capped at $2,000 sales. Oftentimes, a customer will try to negotiate with the salesperson to pay the sales tax. Just to make the sale, this is sometimes done. Adding the credit card fee to this expense erodes our margins and provides a discouraging picture to lenders who require annual reporting.

Skagway will take over its waterfront in March. Didn’t the Alaska Bond

Bank presentation identify that we will receive $13 M in revenue for the Broadway Dock, Ore Dock and upland leases? The projected costs of the bond, operations, reserves and debt services still should leave us a very hefty bit of change. Where is that money going to go? A complete financial projection needs to be done so that voters can see exactly what’s going on with the projected new revenues before any increases are voted on.

Raising sales tax before we are re-established as a “must see port” adds additional burden onto Skagway’s business and property owners. Increasing taxes because “the other towns are doing it” (and then figuring out how the funds will be spent) is simply not prudent or responsible at this time. We ask that the community consider leaving sales tax at 5% and focus on bringing full-scale tourism back to Skagway.

Sincerely, Skagway Business Association

P.O. Box 708 Skagway, AK 99840

The math is easy; the politics are hard

By Larry Persily Publisher Wrangell Sentinel

Getting caught between a rock and a hard place is easier. At least you can rent a backhoe and move the rock. Getting politically caught between more money for public schools and even more money for the Permanent Fund dividend will be the hardest place for legislators this year.

The vote will come down to which is more important for Alaska: A long-needed, substantial increase in state funding for public schools, or the governor’s proposed supersized Happy Meal of a nearly $4,000 Permanent Fund dividend?

But putting the dividend first and school funding second is exactly what Gov. Mike Dunleavy proposes in his budget. He would spend almost $2.5 billion for this fall’s dividends — a record amount that would make any candidate proud — and popular.

The same budget includes less than half that amount for state funding of public schools. Dunleavy says he is open to considering an increase but has shown no interest or inclination in naming a number. That’s like a

student telling the teacher, yes, I am interested in turning in the homework assignment, but I’d rather not say when.

The annual fight over the size of the dividend has consumed state politics the past half-dozen years. What makes it more crucial this year is that the state funding formula for public schools has not changed over those same half-dozen years, and there is a growing consensus across Alaska that a sizable increase in state money for classrooms is needed to avoid school closures and classroom cutbacks.

That’s the hard place for legislators. The state checking account cannot afford both the governor’s record-amount PFD and more money for schools.

“We can’t have everything,” Ketchikan-Wrangell Rep. Dan Ortiz told a meeting of Southeast Alaska officials last week, precisely summing up Alaska’s fiscal dilemma in four astute words.

Money to pay for both the governor’s dividend — which would cost almost $400 million more than last year’s check — and the $250 million school funding boost

sought by advocates would exceed the fiscally responsible limit set in state law for annual withdrawals of Permanent Fund earnings.

Overdrawing the state’s long-term savings account means coming up even shorter with revenues to pay for public services in the years ahead. It’s selfish and it’s shortsighted. It’s like overfishing a salmon run because you want extra money this year, regardless that it ruins the run for future years.

That’s something every Alaskan should understand.

Lawmakers know the end-of-session budget battle will come down to compromises on the amount of the dividend and an increase in school funding. “That’s where everybody is going to have to show their cards,” said Ortiz.

It will be an important decision, said Sitka Sen. Bert Stedman, co-chair of the Senate Finance Committee. “We’re going to have to make a choice. Do we want to teach our kids to cash checks? Or do we want to teach them to read and write and do arithmetic? And that’ll be fundamentals of the debate, because something has to give.”

What gives is rising costs at school districts statewide. Districts are paying more for insurance and to heat school buildings, for wages and student services, and they are doing it without any help from the state beyond a 6-year-old funding formula.

Alaskans should demand of their elected officials that they answer school funding needs first, and then figure out how much of a dividend Alaska can afford. Not the other way around.

Speaking to the same Southeast group last week as Ortiz, Kodiak Rep. Louise Stutes cynically commented that politics get in the way “of doing the right thing.”

She’s right. But maybe this year elected officials will get it right. If not, they are failing at their job and our schools will fail too.

Civic Affairs discusses transfer of Garden City land to STC

(Continued from front page)

been researching if 25 USC 280 applies to Pius X.

STC President Jaime Bricker, whose grandfather was brought to Pius X at age four, made the argument to the Skagway Assembly in 2013 that STC may have rights to the mission land.

“Skagway Traditional Council, at the time that the municipality was looking at purchasing the property from the Catholic Church, approached the municipality and asked them not to move forward,” Bricker said. “And it was my understanding at that time, that there was no clear title to the property. I know that because the title agency was asking Skagway Traditional Council to sign a release to claim, and to my knowledge, that was never done. STC never signed a release to claim.”

Bricker explained why it is so difficult for STC to produce documentation to prove STC could have a legal claim to Garden City.

“Skagway Traditional Council still does not have enrollment records for the

30 years that that school operated, which means that we have no idea how many individuals ended up at the steps of that school, and how many left it, when and how,” she said. “And if that’s not terrifying to folks in Skagway, I feel like it should be. So knowing that STC has worked all this time to find enrollment records and have not been successful, it’s really no surprise that we’ve struggled to this day to find complete information about the property ownership and how it was secured, how it was funded.”

Bricker visited Washington D.C. in November to meet with the U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S. Department of the Interior, which are helping to secure records for Native boarding schools.

Assemblymembers Dan Henry and Deb Potter expressed support for the resolution, which “directs the borough manager to negotiate with the Tribe and to arrange for the transfer to the Tribe of 12 of the 24 lots that constitute the Property.” The

proposal, now sponsored by the entire Civic Affairs Committee, has not yet been added to the assembly agenda.

Assemblymember Sam Bass, in attendance as a private citizen, voiced his disapproval for the resolution.

“Consider this, at the turn of the 20th Century, the Bureau of Indian Affairs supported 350 boarding schools across the United States, churches, with the support of the federal government, supported hundreds more,” he said. “Should each of these sites be gifted? I don’t think so. Now, if there were, if these were burial sites, if burial sites were found, then that changes the obligation in my mind. But in our situation, there is not a burial site. With that, I do not think we have an obligation to give this land and I think that we should move forward with the original plan of using this property to address our critical housing shortage.”

Hylton said when it comes to Garden City, she wants to take the word “gifting” out of her language. “...we are

Landslide mitigation work continues

(Continued from front page)

grant through the Federal Emergency Management Agency last December to help fund the costly project. In the meantime, the municipality engaged Shannon & Wilson in October 2022 at approximately $3 million to scale the mountain side and add attenuators (fencing that slows and redirects falling rocks), among other safety measures, in the hopes of getting the dock up to highway safety standards.

“The plan for the Railroad Dock in 2023 is to dock larger ships (Oasis and Breakaway class ships) on Railroad Aft, and then use buses to safely transport passengers off the dock, and to tender passengers from Railroad Forward,” Cremata said. “To achieve this, the rockslide area must meet highway rockfall safety standard. Because the scaling is going so well, engineers believe this standard will be achieved.”

“As buses transport passengers beneath the slide area, spotters will vigilantly

monitor the slope,” Cremata continued. “Any sign of rockfall activity can be instantaneously reported so that the area can be cleared. This is an extra safety protocol to ensure that passengers and dock workers aren’t at risk.”

According to Borough Manager Brad Ryan, “the work should be complete and tested by April.” Shannon & Wilson hired Rock Supremacy to carry out scaling.

The 2023 Cruise Line Agency of Alaska (CLAA) schedule lists the Norwegian Bliss as the first ship to make port in Skagway on April 18. It is assigned to Railroad Aft.

Rocky Outcalt, owner of Klondike Doughboy, said he and his wife Lillian enjoyed an “exceptional year last season for such a small number of people on ships.” With train expeditions to Canada shortened, more tourists were in town to consume the Outcalt’s famous fried dough.

Outcalt said he was optimistic about this year’s tour-

not gifting anything” she said. “In my eyes, we are returning it to the rightful owners.”

Hylton hopes the decision over the land can be a “non-contentious” process. “We are in a place in history where we get to decide this again, this is a historic decision,” she said.

ist numbers.

“I’ve hired full staff. The ship schedule looks good. I’m sure ships will be full.”

When an article popped up on cruisehive.com on Tuesday announcing that Holland America’s Nieuw Amsterdam would skip its May 16 visit to Skagway for “operational reasons,” the news made Outcalt “nervous.”

Prior to the cancellation, the May 16 CLAA schedule had five ships booked. Assuming the Railroad mitigation work is successful, a total of four ships will be able to make port in Skagway at one time, one large vessel less than 2019.

If Railroad Dock does not meet highway safety standards and only Ore and Broadway docks can berth ships for a total of two, none of them larger vessels, Skagway would have another difficult season.

“It would be hard for the town,” Outcalt said. He remains positive.

By Gretchen Wehmhoff

For over two decades I advised an award-winning high school student newspaper in the state’s largest school district. During that time I pretty much gained a permanent seat in the principal’s office, was part of two legal briefs prepared for the district administration (both favoring the student newspaper’s rights), had multiple interviews by local media and one run-in with the U.S. Secret Service.

I’m pretty proud of that record. Not because I survived, but because my students prevailed. They prevailed because they followed good journalism practices, understood their rights within the district and followed a written appeals process each time to stand for their voice – something they ended up defending more often once we started distributing 5,000 papers of each issue around the community.

The young reporters won first place in reporting a story for which I sat on the hot seat. They created relationships with local media to back them up if they were silenced. Sometimes the issues brought against the kids were unrealistic – such as removing drawings of drugs found in a “don’t do drugs” pamphlet handed out at a local clinic. Some were a bit pathetic, such as censoring their informative Halloween spread – they couldn’t mention anything to do with

Fear of backlash encourages censorship

witches or Wiccan practices.

The student editor at the time, ready to go to publication, removed each “offense” then replaced it with some kind of cartoon question mark and inserted a statement noting that the drug pictures had been removed by order of the administration.

After that, when the kids were censored, the administration instructed them not to place such a statement. They wanted to censor without being called out on it.

The next time involved a streaker. We had a photo, from the back, of a streaker who ran through the homecoming halftime show. The photo (before digital photography) showed the streaker to take up less space than a fingernail on the print. Nope. Can’t publish that.

So the kids sent the photo to the Anchorage Daily News who published it in their section designed and written by young reporters. Back page section A. This, of course, brought the broadcast media to the school, where accompanied by a very uncomfortable assistant principal, they interviewed kids and took a shot of the streaker photo to air on the evening news.

One day I walked into the office and two of my colleagues had just removed all of the newspapers destined for students, out of homeroom teacher boxes. They were upset over an editorial criticizing cheer leading as a sport. The district superintendent stepped in and ordered the papers to be returned to the boxes. One of the teachers left me a note admonishing me for allowing such “vomit” to be written.

In most cases the school administration was frustrated

with me – believing I should censor the kids for them. I stood my ground, informed the leadership where to find the district policies protecting student publications and assisted my students as they journeyed through the process.

The only battle we truly lost was in the early 2000s when we tried to develop an online presence for the paper. Eventually, the topic of our intentions showed up at a secondary principal’s meeting where they “voted” to not allow online student newspapers. Too much risk. So much for encouraging innovation. Now, nearly all student newspapers have an online presence.

Other students started to reach out to me when they felt threatened by censorship and free speech threats. One girl had been taken to the disciplinary office for pinning a condom (in the unopened package) to her shirt in an attempt to see birth control distributed in the nurse’s office. When the principal stepped out, she grabbed the desk phone and called my classroom. We quickly scanned her rights and decided that she had a right to wear a badge. She was suspended, but the local media somehow heard her story and she was in the paper as a young woman taking a stand.

First Amendment rights don’t have an age requirement. Yet it is not uncommon for kids to believe they “can’t” do something because they have been penalized for questioning authority.

For over 20 years, I was privileged to listen and observe as my students discussed stories, made sure their reporting was accurate

and had the best interest of the readership in their plans. No principal ever observed those amazing moments of mature thought process.

One of the most memorable was the discussion of their job as the student newspaper to place facts in front of their readership. That the student newspaper, handed out to each student, was the one place all students could get their news. It was a place to dispel rumors – especially when an assistant principal at the school was charged with running a gambling entity with multiple school computers on the premises.

The kids interviewed the police, the troopers, the attorneys and, when it was necessary, practiced the skill of offering a right to respond.

It took three weeks to get the paper approved by the admin. The kids took their story to an appeals board, the editor made her case, and the appeals board approved the story. Yet a mad dash in the last ten minutes before press time had the unit principal driving to the school while the administrator from HR called to ask again that I stop the story.

The printer, supportive of the kids, was holding the press for us. It had already been in the local news. Why was this such an issue? Their reason, of course, was risk management. How would it impact the district if the defendant pleaded that the school was publishing information. How would the district be liable?

I told him I understood, but if this didn’t run in the school newspaper, the kids had already spoken to the local publisher and would provide the story as well as their challenges for publication.

The paper went to press,

no one was sued and the student body of around 2,000 students saw a factual accounting of something that happened in their school. Rumors stopped and the kids won another first place award for reporting.

Multiple attempts were made to slow us down over the years. Our computers were removed, so I started to collect surplus equipment. The curriculum principal moved the class to the first period (after 20 years scheduled during the last period of the day) making it difficult for reporters to make calls – it was 7:30 a.m. – or extend their time after school. And finally, the class was canceled by the same curriculum principal who didn’t like our story about the gambling principal. However, having been very involved in contract negotiations, I was able to point out that the contract required I be notified the spring before an extra-curricular position was ended – so pay me to run a lunchtime newspaper or just pay me.

Eventually, the paper came back the following semester after some frank discussion and with the assistance of the union and the local press.

At a certain point, after the district sought a legal opinion from their lawyers, the censorship slowed a bit. Accurate news comes from good journalism. Facts come from good reporting. Good reporters are cultivated when young journalists are provided real experiences and encouragement. Who are we protecting when we try to shade the eyes of those who seek information, such as young reporters and their readership? We aren’t protecting them.

Naloxone overdose kits (name brand NARCAN) have been placed around town to assist in an opioid emergency. They can be found at the following locations:

● AMHS Ferry Terminal

● Eagles F.O.E. Aerie #25

● Elks Lodge #431

● Grizzly’s General

● Skagway Recreation Center

● The Station

● U.S. Post Office

● Wells Fargo Bank

● Two kits are at the school

Skagway School Special Education Department honored with state inclusion award

By Melinda Munson

The special education department at Skagway School wears a lot of hats. This is embodied by a collection of paper hats in Special Education Director Cody Burnham’s office. A kindergartener who receives services decided he had enough alphabet headgear, so everyday he makes the trek to Burnham’s office to drop off the newest offering. Of particular note on the burgeoning shelf is the “U” is for underwear and “E” is for elephant paper cap.

Amy MacPherson, special education teacher, described a typical work day.

“I always say I get to do a little bit of everything,” she said. “I work with elementary students all the way through high school and I help students depending on their individual needs. So, sometimes that looks like I get to support with science, other ones I’m teaching to read. Other ones, we’re doing physical therapy or occupational therapy to meet a physical need they might have. So, my day changes. Every 30 minutes or so, I have a new job ahead of me.”

Along with paperwork, and Burnham said there is a lot of paperwork, the two might help drive the bus route, something unheard of in a larger district.

Burnham and MacPherson currently have 22 students on their caseload. They are assisted by six special education paraprofessionals, three part-time and three full-time. Services for children can range from a self-contained classroom where a student spends a majority of their day working on individual goals, to a student that occasionally gets pulled out of their general education classroom for online sessions with a speech therapist.

This year, Burnham and MacPherson have stressed inclusion by educating staff and peers, and offering opportunities for those with special needs to be leaders. The educators’ efforts were recognized by the Governor’s Council on Disabilities and Special Education who named the entire special education department at Skagway School the team recipient of the Special Education Inclusive Practices Award

for 2022.

“The award is based on having inclusive practices and making an effort to not only train staff in how to integrate students into their classroom but make sure that they can participate,” Burnham said. “So, we did trainings on things like de-escalation this year, and how do we calm kids down? We’ve done a lot of things on kids who are overstimulated, and how can we make the environment more inclusive for them, so they can stay in the classroom.”

Some of the inclusion strategies encompassed teaching disability history to highschoolers, inviting a student who is blind to regularly read braille books to kindergarteners, incorporating students with special needs on Battle of the Book teams and teaching lessons to elementary and middle schoolers about disabilities, and allowing them to ask questions.

MacPherson stressed the importance of asking appropriate questions.

“...if you haven’t worked around people who have varying disabilities, sometimes you don’t know how to respond. And it’s more that you’re afraid to respond the wrong way, so you don’t do anything at all. So, I’ve had students [with disabilities] going into … kindergarten, one, two and now third grade, to really incorporate students with varying disabilities. And having students know that it’s okay to ask questions, that they’re not going to get in trouble for trying to understand why somebody is different. But that different is okay…”

Burnham described himself as “the resource” at the school for parents who have concerns about their child’s development or academic journey.

The school hosts Child Find each year, which screens children, generally ages 3-5 for speech, pre-academic skills, gross and fine motor skills, vision, hearing and social emotional development. If a caregiver suspects a developmental issue at any age, Burnham can help direct guardians.

Burnhams said he doesn’t ever want families to feel

discouraged from seeking help.

“When I first talk to parents, there are usually a lot of misconceptions about what we do – that if their kid receives support from us that they’re going to be labeled for the rest of their lives, that other kids are going to pick on them, that there’s always going to be kind of this spotlight on them in the classroom, which is one of the reasons why it’s so important that we use inclusion as our model because then there’s not a spotlight on them. I like to think we’re very discreet when we’re in the classroom, and the kids don’t really focus on it that much.”

According to Burnham, 80% of children who receive special education services meet their goals and exit the program.

“I was in special education as a child,” Burnham said. “I was in it for two years, and I was exited. It wasn’t anything that ever impacted my ability to become a principal later in my life. It’s not something that stopped me from being able to go to college. There was a gap in my understanding, and they filled it and that’s what happens for

the most for the majority of students.”

For students who will not exit, Burnham and his team provide employment and life skills support.

Burnham and MacPherson accepted the award on behalf of their department at the Alaska State Special Education Conference on

Feb. 7. According to Burnham, Skagway School is one of two districts in the entire state with a fully staffed special education program. Special education paraprofessionals include Peggy Hoff, Victoria Jacobson, Andrew Nadon, Peyton Rodig, Haley Whiteman and Benjamin Woolard.

Photo provided by Cody Burnham

Amy MacPherson and Cody Burnham hold the Special Education Inclusive Practices Award for 2022 recognizing the Skagway School Special Education Department.

Persistence pays off for Skagway senior named delegate to D.C

By Melinda Munson

For Skagway Senior Callia Fielding, two times is the charm. After her second year applying, Fielding was chosen as one of two Alaska highschoolers to participate in the The United States Senate Youth Program (USSYP) in Washington D.C. this March.

Fielding will join Senators Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan for a week-long study of the federal government as part of the 61st annual Washington Week.

The application process was rigorous and included a Public Affairs Exam, followed by an interview. Fielding said the exam is where she needed to improve last year, and spent an entire year preparing for this year’s test.

“I was really proud of Callia for her persistence,” said Fielding’s father, Kent Fielding. “She was a finalist last year and when she

didn’t win, became more determined to be selected this year. She sets big goals for herself and works hard.”

Fielding currently serves as the Skagway School student body president, is the captain of the Drama, Debate and Forensics team (DDF) and is active in the Alaska Association of Student Governments and the Youth Advocacy Institute.

She is passionate about advocacy, specifically race relations, feminism and climate justice.

The USSYP appointment comes with a $10,000 college scholarship Fielding plans to use to study architecture. Fielding hopes to specialize in urban design, with an emphasis on sustainability.

She says she is looking forward to meeting the other Alaska delegate, Jasmine Trotter of Eagle River, and the other 102 participants

who Fielding describes as “an astounding group of people.”

According to USSYP, the “overall mission of the program is to help instill within each class of USSYP student delegates more profound knowledge of the American

political process and a lifelong commitment to public service.”

Fielding, who visited D.C. last summer for DDF and experienced the metropolis as a tourist, is excited to see the city with civil servants and experience “behind the

Scenes from Skagway School

scenes of how they do their jobs.” She hopes to meet Rep. Mary Peltola.

USSYP Washington Week is held March 4 to 11. Visit https://ussenateyouth.org for more information.

Photo provided by Callia Fielding

Callia Fielding poses with a friend for her senior picture.

Photo provided by Michael Yee

Mina Yee won the Feb. 1 Skagway School Poetry Outloud competition. Her entry will be forwarded to the state competition.

Rueben Cash of Skagway Traditional Council helps Zander Coughran clean the fish tank for Salmon in the Classroom.

Photo by Melinda Munson

Izabell Lawrence stands by her robotics board on Jan. 31.

Photo by Melinda Munson

Aleeyah Topasna operates her robotics board prior to a demonstration for the school board.

Photo by Melinda Munson

Skagway basketball mid-season update

Skagway vs. Angoon Jan. 22-23: Panther teams split their home stand with the Angoon Eagles. After sweeping Yakutat on the road last week (52-42, 66-44), the SHS boys had an off night in their home opener against Angoon Sunday night, falling 45-38, but they bounced back big-time Monday morning with a 69-34 win. In their opener, the Lady Panthers came from behind in the final quarter to overtake the Eagles 37-34 for their first conference win, but the Eagles withstood Skagway in the finale, prevailing 59-40.

Skagway vs. Gustavus boys Jan. 29: The Panthers overwhelmed the Foxes 54-12 on Sunday night. (The second game on Monday was cancelled due to a visiting player testing positive; the game may be made up prior to region tourney in early March.)

Skagway vs. Kake Feb. 3-4: Kake took three of the four games in the series. The T-Bird boys stretched their lead over Skagway in the second half of the opener 56-33, but the Panthers were much stronger Saturday in an overtime thriller won by Kake 53-51. In the girls’ games, Kake also won easily Friday 59-34, but Skagway took charge on Saturday and held on for a 42-35 victory. This was Skagway’s final home stand, and senior boys Austin Bricker, Josh Cochran and Paul Cooper were honored during Senior Night. There are no seniors on the girl’s team this year.

The teams travel to Prince of Wales island this weekend for games against Klawock, Hydaburg and Craig.

Using those ukuleles

The Skagway High School basketball teams are past the midpoint of the regular season. The boys have a 6-3 conference record, while the girls are 2-4.

Clockwise from top left: Lennon Jennings (with ball) and Kaitlyn Tronrud dive on the floor for a loose ball against Angoon; Josh Cochran defends against Gustavus; Ava Myers shoots from the baseline. She led Skagway with 22 points in the Lady Panthers’ win over Kake; Royce Borst scores in traffic during a game against Kake. The freshman led Skagway with 20 points in the overtime thriller.

Photos and update by Jeff Brady

Photo by Melinda Munson

Rose Purdue, Finnley Verhaeghe and Matyas Schindler practice with Andrew Nadon at ukulele club.

Alan Lynn Anderson

May 14, 1964 – January 27, 2023

Obituary

mother Margaret A. Anderson, and stepmother Joyce B. Anderson. He is survived by his brother Edward L. “Larry” (Debbie) Anderson, sisters Linda S. (Lenny) Coker and JoAnn (Sam) Goodrich, stepsister Danalee “Sissi” (Danny) Easterling and stepbrother Danny Lambrecht, aunts Judy (Jerry) Whitehead and Mary Nell Leitko, along with numerous cousins, nieces and nephews and many close friends whom he considered as family.

adventures via hikes, horseback or airplane – ensuring that his customers had, quite literally, some of the most memorable times of their lives. During cooler months is when Alan traveled abroad, met friends, created friends and absorbed the cultures around him. Many winters found Alan with his dear friends in Guatemala.

Alan Lynn Anderson was born May 14, 1964, in San Antonio, Texas, and passed away suddenly of natural causes on Jan. 27, 2023, in San Pedro La Laguna, near Lake Atitlán, Guatemala. He was predeceased by his niece Jennifer Mary Anderson, stepsister Danielle Sue Green, father Edward L. Anderson, M.D.,

Alan embodied the very definition of “free spirit” and traveled many parts of the world, especially Alaska, Southeast Asia and Central America. He settled in Skagway, Alaska, during the warmer months of the year, opened up the One Stop Tour Shop, and guided tourists through the marvels of Alaska with

Alan was a long-time member of the Fraternal Order of the Eagles Aerie #25 in Skagway. If desired, donations can be made to the FOE Aerie #25, PO Box 181, Skagway, Alaska, or the charity of your choice. A celebration of Alan’s special life will be held at a

later date. Share a memory at https:// www.legacy.com/.

Travel on, Alan. We’ll meet up and have a cup of coffee and a good laugh with you and your angels on the other side!

Alaska SeaLife Center admits first fur seal patient in six years

Seward, Alaska — The Alaska SeaLife Center (ASLC) admitted a northern fur seal pup to the Wildlife Response Program on Jan. 31, 2023. Fur seals are relatively uncommon wildlife response patients, and have not been cared for at the ASLC since 2017.

The female pup, estimated to be around six months old, was seen swimming erratically near the shore in Sitka, Alaska. Her abnormal behavior worried local residents, who reported the pup to the ASLC 24-hour stranding hotline (1888-774-7325). Sitka is an unusual location to see northern fur seals this time of year, which raised concerns for her survival by ASLC staff. After receiving approval from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the animal was transported to the Center for treatment.

The main concerns found by the ASLC veterinary team upon the initial admit exam were dehydration, malnourishment and signs of an unknown infection found in her bloodwork. Despite these concerns, she was observed to be active and alert when handled. The team found no evidence of severe physical trauma; however, noted that the pup seems smaller than average for her age. Staff are currently providing initial treatments and examining the patient further to understand more details about her condition.

The Alaska SeaLife Center’s Wildlife Response Program can only provide care for stranded and injured marine animals with help from federal grants, corporate sponsors and individual donors. Those interested are encouraged to contribute to the care of rehabilitating marine animals here: www.alaskasealife.org/donate. The Center acknowledges the ongoing generous support of its Wildlife Response Program from companies like ConocoPhillips, Marathon Petroleum Corporation, Matson, PetZoo, GCI and a number of individual donors, funds and foundations such as The Stanley J. Williams Fund, Mesara Family Foundation and The NC Giving Fund.

Call first! Before approaching an injured or stranded marine animal in Alaska, call the 24-hour Stranded Marine Animal Hotline at 1-888-774-SEAL(7325).

ASLC Opened in 1998, the Alaska SeaLife Center operates as a 501(c)(3) non-profit research institution and public aquarium in Seward, Alaska. The Center generates and shares scientific knowledge to promote understanding and stewardship of Alaska’s marine ecosystems. The ASLC is an accredited member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. To learn more, visit www.alaskasealife.org.

Young Alan, Circa 1966

Guest Contributor

Photos provided by the Alaska Sealife Center

Jan. 13

-Dispatch received a report of a lost wallet.

-Dispatch assisted with getting a nurse hotline in touch with the Angoon Police Department.

-Police and EMS responded to a medical emergency.

Jan. 14

-Police and EMS responded to a medical emergency.

Jan. 17

-EMS responded to a medical emergency.

-Police conducted a welfare check.

-Dispatch contacted the on duty provider.

Jan. 18

-EMS assisted with a public service call.

-Dispatch received a report of a possible abandoned vehicle.

Jan. 20

-Klondike Highway closed due to an avalanche near the Yukon/B.C. border.

-Klondike Highway reopened.

-Klondike Highway closed due to heavy accumulating snow.

Jan. 21

-Dispatch contacted the on duty provider.

Police & Fire Blotter

Submitted by Skagway Police Department

-Dispatch contacted the on duty provider.

-Klondike Highway reopened.

-Dispatch received a report of a rockslide near the Pet Cemetery trail.

Jan. 22

-Dispatch attempted to track down a motorist whose vehicle keys were left with the person they dropped off at the ferry terminal. The search was unsuccessful.

-Police responded to a noise complaint in a residential area. The noise makers were contacted and agreed to quiet down.

Jan. 25

-Klondike Highway closed.

-Dispatch contacted DOT to remove large rocks on the Dyea Road near Mile 5.

Jan. 26

-Klondike Highway reopened.

-Dispatch received a report of a dog at large on the airport runway.

-Fire personnel responded to an automated fire alarm – it was determined to be false since maintenance personnel were working on the system.

Jan. 28

-Dispatch assisted with contacting the on duty provider.

-EMS responded to a medical emergency.

Jan. 30

-Police conducted a welfare check.

Feb. 2

-Fire personnel responded to an automated fire alarm at a downtown location.

-Police responded to a report of a vehicle striking the exterior wall near the entrance of a downtown business.

-Fire personnel responded to an automated fire alarm at a downtown location.

Feb. 3

-Fire personnel responded to a report of an audible alarm at a downtown location.

Feb. 4

-EMS responded to a medical emergency.

-Dispatch assisted with contacting the on duty provider.

Feb. 5

-Police conducted a welfare check.

-Fire personnel responded to a report of an audible alarm at a downtown location.

-Fire personnel responded to an automated EWS alarm at a downtown location.

SKAGWAY WORSHIP DIRECTORY

Assembly of God Church

8th & State • 907-983-2350

Sun. Worship....................11 a.m.

Wed. Bible Devotions & Prayer 7 p.m. Email skagwayag@outlook.com

First Presbyterian Church 5th & Main • 983-2260

Sunday Worship 11 a.m. Sunday School 9:45 a.m.

Women’s Prayer 10 a.m Tues. Bible Study time varies. Please inquire.

Online access available to all events.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints 11th & State • 983-2518

Sun. Sacrament Meeting...10 a.m.

Sun. School/Primary ...11:10 a.m. Relief Society/Priesthood..12 p.m.

St. Therese Catholic Church 9th & State • 983-2271

Sun. Mass.......................5 p.m.

Mass Mon. & Tues.....12:10 p.m. (when a priest is available)

RECREATION CTR SCHED

Skagway Recreation Center • 12th & Main • 983-2679

Weather Watch

Sun. 907-983-2255 For after-hours emergencies, dial 911.

Border stations: 7 a.m. - 11 p.m. Call each station for specifics. Ferry Terminal Hours M-F 7:30 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Family Fun Page - print and share

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CLASSIFIEDS

News Classified Ads cost 40 cents per word, $4 minimum.

SERVICES

FOOD BANK DONATIONS

WELCOME. Donations may be sent to the Food Bank, PO Box 200, Skagway, AK 99840. The local Food Bank helps those in need with groceries. If you need assistance, or know anyone who needs assistance, at any time of year, call any pastor or 907-612-0313

JOBS

“Skagway Child Care Council is happy to announce they will be opening the Little Dippers Learning Center February 21st. The Center still needs full time teachers for the summer, Housing is available. Little Dippers is a non profit learning center dedicated to serving children and families. For more information on how to apply please visit www. skagwaylittledippers.com “

OFFICE SPACE

OFFICE SPACE FOR

RENT: Upstairs portion of Boas Building (above Skaguay News Depot).

Approximately 600 SF. Available April 1, 2023. Sublease subject to approval by National Park Service. Serious inquiries only. Contact Jeff Brady for more information: email skagbooksak@icloud.com or text 907-973-2354.

REAL ESTATE

Lot For Sale by Owner Lot 9 Block 74, $115,000. Call or text 907.723.2030

LEGAL ADS

The Municipality of Skagway is accepting bids to construct the Solid Waste Transfer Facility.

The WORK covered in the Contract Documents generally includes: Site preparation and the installation of a preengineered metal building and provision of solid waste balers, crushers, and vehicle scales, and other miscellaneous related WORK. All work must conform to the requirements provided in the bid documents.

BASE BID

Work includes site preparation, pre-engineered metal building, exterior and interior components, concrete ramps and landings, provision of solid waste baler and conveyor, crushers, and two vehicle scales, relocation of an existing solid waste baler, and miscellaneous related work on a 15 acre site owned by the Municipality of Skagway and located on the east side of the Dyea Road and Klondike Highway

intersection.

Bids shall include all labor, equipment, transportation, and materials to complete the specified work.

Bids shall also include mobilization and demobilization to and from the Project site.

Alaska Labor Standards, reporting and prevailing wage rate determination is made part of this bid package. If this project is over $25,000, a notice of award will be sent to the Alaska Department of Labor - Wage and Hour Section.

The State will require that certified payroll forms are completed, and the State has the right to randomly audit the successful bidders company to ensure Davis Bacon Wages are being paid for this project.

A full copy of the Request for Bids can be obtained by calling Skagway Municipal Offices at 907-983-2297, or by e-mailing a.lawson@ skagway.org.

Technical questions regarding this project must be directed in writing to the Borough Manager at manager@ skagway.org and contracts@ skagway.org.

Project completion schedule for the Base Bid is as follows:

PROJECT COMPLETION

DATE FOR THIS WORK

SHALL BE DECEMBER 29, 2023.

Bidders are expected to be familiar with the potential extreme and challenging weather conditions in Skagway, Alaska and the Municipality will assume all bidders have considered weather in preparing their bids and rely on all bidders having considered Skagway weather in submitting their bids. Extraordinary weather delays may be considered and addressed through contract modification in the sole discretion of the Municipality. Liquidated damages shall be a part of the final contract.

Bidders are encouraged to familiarize themselves with this project through contact with the Borough Manager and by visiting the site of the project.

The Municipality of Skagway shall not be responsible for any costs incurred in the preparation of bids. The Municipality reserves the right to reject any or all bids.

Bids must be sealed and clearly labeled with the following information:

1. “Solid Waste Transfer Facility”

2. Date and Time of Bid Due Date (February 21, 2023, 2:00PM)

PO Box 415 Skagway, AK or delivered directly to Municipal Offices on 700 Spring Street. All bidders are expected to consider weather in determining how to deliver their bids timely and there shall be no exceptions for a late received bid on account of weather.

Faxed and e-mailed bids will not be accepted. Bids will be opened in the Assembly Chambers at 2:00 p.m. on Date of Closing.

The Municipality of Skagway is an equal opportunity employer.

Inspection of Installed Fire Suppression & Alarm Systems, Extinguishers, Backflow Preventors for Municipal Facilities

Bid/RFP Status: Open - accepting bids and proposals

Bid/RFP Due Date: Friday, February 24, 2023 - 2:00pm

The Municipality of Skagway is accepting bids for the annual inspection of all municipal fire suppression/ sprinkler systems, fire alarm systems, municipal fire extinguishers, and backflow preventers. Bids shall include a full system flush and internal pipe inspection done the first and fifth year of the contract, at Municipal Facilities as listed under the Project Description. Inspections shall be completed in accordance with NFPA 25 and NFPA 72, manufacturer instructions, and all state and federal regulations. Bid shall include a bid alternate for a per-unit fee for testing and inspection of fire extinguishers and non-fire system related municipal backflow preventors.

Inspections services will be provided to the Municipality for the following years: 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026 and 2027, with a fixed annual price. Bids shall include all labor, travel costs, including food, hotel, and transportation, including any mobilization or demobilization of equipment. Contractor’s bid shall represent the total annual cost of the fire suppression and alarm system inspections with perunit rates for extinguishers and non-fire system backflow preventors. Contractor must provide the necessary equipment to perform a proper inspection. The annual inspection cycle for fire systems shall be performed between the time period of February 15th and April 15th of each year. All fire system inspections will be completed and submitted to City Hall by April 30th of each year. Suppression

LEGAL ADS

Inspection services shall be coordinated with the Alarm System Inspection Contractor so that both inspections are done concurrently. Scheduling, with no less than 10 (ten) days’ notice of technician arrival, shall be coordinated with the Public Works Director or designee Bids shall include all labor, equipment, transportation, and materials to complete the specified work.

Bids shall also include mobilization and demobilization to and from the Project site. Alaska Labor Standards, reporting and prevailing wage rate determination is made part of this bid package. If this project is over $25,000, a notice of award will be sent to the Alaska Department of LaborWage and Hour Section. The State will require that certified payroll forms are completed, and the State has the right to randomly audit the successful bidder’s company to ensure Davis Bacon Wages are being paid for this project.

A full copy of the Request for Bids can be obtained by calling Skagway Municipal Offices at 907-983-2297, or by e-mailing a.lawson@skagway.org, or on the municipal website at https://www.skagway.org/rfps.

Public Restroom Janitorial Services

Bid/RFP Status: Openaccepting bids and proposals

Bid/RFP Due Date: Tuesday, March 7, 20232:00pm

The Municipality of Skagway is accepting bids to provide janitorial services for Skagway Public Restrooms located at Shoreline Park, Small Boat Harbor, Sea Walk, Pullen Pond, Mollie Walsh Park, and Seven Pastures/Ballfield. The total area being cleaned is approximately 5,722 sq. ft.

A full copy of the Request for Bids can be obtained by calling Skagway Municipal Offices at 907-983-2297, or by e-mailing a.lawson@skagway.org, or on the municipal website at https://www. skagway.org/ rfps. Technical questions regarding this project must be directed in writing to the Borough Manager at manager@ skagway.org and contracts@ skagway.org by 2:00 p.m. on February 28, 2023.

Citizen correspondence submission may see new procedures

letters be pulled and the concern that posting some correspondence and not others could create First Amendment issues.

Kelly Healy saw the memo from Borough Clerk Steve Burnham on his way to the Oct. 20 assembly meeting. “I would urge you to reconsider that,” Healy said. “And I know that there’s obviously some legal considerations there, but maybe instead of removing it entirely, I think, putting a little more guidelines or disclosures on that, I think would be my suggestion.”

Healy noted that when researching a meeting on the Haines website, he saw that citizen correspondence was included. He said that as a resident who travels during the winter months, having access to the packet with correspondence helped him understand what the assembly is dealing with.

“I think it’s irksome that they are not included in the packet and it feels the opposite of transparent. I don’t understand how this came to pass,” said Elizabeth Lavoie at a Nov. 11 assembly meeting.

The absence of correspondence continued into 2023.

“I am really concerned that we still do not have access to correspondence,” Jaime Bricker said two months later at a Jan. 19 assembly meeting.

“I’ve already heard a couple of people in the audience suggest that the assembly has seen a letter or an email, or this or that,” Bricker said. “I don’t even know what’s in front of you. The borough clerk said tonight that correspondence is in your packet. The general public doesn’t even have a bulleted list of what that correspondence is. I don’t know if you’ve reviewed 10 letters from the public or if you’ve got none.”

“I’ve been up here since 97’ and we’ve always published the letters,” said Assemblymember Dan Henry at the Feb. 2 meeting.

Henry suggested there must have been something that initiated the decision to stop publishing correspondence.

“Without getting into any

details, there was a letter that raised those issues” responded Borough Attorney Bob Blasco. “And I pointed that out, that it could have been that nothing like that had ever come up before.

…I have not seen letters that raised concern to me before. There’s a difference between things that maybe, let’s say [are] inaccurate, people don’t agree with as opposed to something that’s directly violative of somebody’s personal rights. And that’s [why] I raised that question,” Blasco said.

Charity Pomeroy wanted to make sure a letter that had been submitted to the assembly was shared with the public. She read it into the record during the Feb. 2 assembly meeting.

Prepared by Sara Kinjo-Hischer and signed by members of the community, Pomeroy read: “Dear mayor and assembly, today our small town faces many challenges. No matter what the issue, shared information and opinions are essential to building consensus and moving forward as a community. Including public correspondence in the assembly packet has been a privilege we have enjoyed for many years. In the past, Skagway city clerks have successfully navigated the challenges of what is appropriate to be included in the packet. In October, without the opportunity for a public hearing or even debate at the table among assembly members, this privilege was unilaterally taken away. As a result, it has become apparent that Skagway needs to have a comprehensive municipal policy that encourages robust public participation. Risk management is

“Some of that correspondence had HIPAA violations, perhaps some of the correspondence had gossip. I received death threats.”

not the highest function of local government. We are encouraged to see that a civic affairs meeting has been scheduled for this issue, and look forward to a productive work session.”

After three months, the issue of public correspondence made it to a Feb. 8 Civic Affairs meeting agenda.

Mayor Andrew Cremata addressed the committee, expressing concern that the letter from community members, read at the January meeting, was not fair to the clerk’s office and that since the pandemic, there has been a lot more public participation to process.

“I know that because I would look at the Skagway News feed and see that there were 250 people watching the meeting. We also started to receive a lot of problematic correspondence. Some of that correspondence had HIPAA violations, perhaps some of the correspondence had gossip. I received death threats. I know that at least one other assembly person received death threats. So there was correspondence that became problematic, and Steve, in his diligence and doing his job, did everything that he was supposed to do. He talked to the attorney, he withheld correspondence that was problematic and then tried to find a holistic solution to that problem,” Cremata said.

Cremata expressed that he didn’t believe that the general public understands how much the assembly, clerk’s office and administration have done to resolve the issue and that the letter was correct in labeling access to citizen letters as a privilege.

He closed by addressing risk.

“The attorney has outlined liability issues. Risk management is not the highest function of local government. That’s true. But it’s an unfortunate side effect of running a government. We do a lot of things for risk management. So I do think we can find a compromise here. And I’m encouraged by what I saw Assemblymember Potter prepare,” Cremata said.

Assemblymember Deb Potter introduced a draft proposal to amend the Assembly Rules of Procedure to provide for written public comments. The proposal suggested a specific process to submit letters via the municipal website, along with check boxes verifying that

the submitting party understands specific decorum requirements and that they choose to have the correspondence published on the website.

Potter said she met with Burnham and researched the history of publishing letters.

“What I’ve also learned, thinking about this and researching it, is that the municipality has never had a policy for publishing written correspondence,” Potter said. “Obviously, it hasn’t always been digital. So at one point, it went from being very analog to now we have a website, and from the

be privy to it if all those boxes are checked.”

“There’s a lot of comments that I don’t think of, there’s other people in the community that have in the past made comments that I’m like, wow, that’s a good point,” said Sarah Kinjo-Hischer.

“This is a subject that is clearly important to a lot of people,” said Jennifer Thuss. “I think that this is an important venue, specifically, because it’s not Facebook and it’s not gossip at the store.”

“I just want to go to one thing that really bugs me, and it’s when I hear people talk about risk,” said Jan Wrentmore. “ And when I hear attorneys talk about risk, they don’t talk about the benefit, because every single thing that happens in this municipality has to be weighed, risk versus benefit.”

best I can tell, it just kind of became automatic that correspondence to the mayor or assembly just started to get posted on the website. And the municipality never had an issue with it until last year, when three or four different incidents just happened to happen within a few months of each other.”

All correspondence submitted to the mayor and assembly immediately becomes part of public record. The clerk’s Oct. 19 memo clarified that the letters are public record under the Alaska Public Records Act and that they may not be available without a formal request.

Assemblymember and committee chair Reba Hylton agreed with Potter’s draft.

“I think it’s important that the community is privy to correspondence from fellow citizens other than social media,” she said.

“Doing research for the resolution I wrote, I relied on correspondence,” Hylton said. “I relied on going back and seeing what people submitted when Garden City came up, you know, in 2013. I wanted to know, and that doesn’t mean that just assembly members should be privy to that information. I think there are valid reasons for all of our community to

“I think what the attorney said was if you put a waiver on it, or a disclaimer. It won’t protect you from 100% of the risk. He couldn’t guarantee no one would ever sue us. But I mean, we’re a community that’s remediating a rock slide over a cruise ship dock. So ask the attorney that question. I mean, it’s not fair to put this issue to a certain standard of protection that exceeds other issues,” Wrentmore said.

The committee approved a motion to have Potter edit the draft based on the information gathered at the meeting and present it either to the Feb. 16 assembly meeting or the next Civic Affairs meeting.

Editor’s note: The Skagway News submitted various public records requests over the past year. Some were answered within a week, some longer, depending on the request. It is unlikely that a request made directly after an assembly meeting could be met in time to accommodate our edition deadline.

The Skagway News encourages residents to copy Skagway News (editor@ skagwaynews.com) when submitting letters to the mayor or assembly and we will attempt to publish what we can.

“I think it’s important that the community is privy to correspondence from fellow citizens other than social media.”