Municipal special election sceduled for April 18

(Continued from front page) Association voiced their disapproval of the measure in a Feb. 10 letter to the editor.

“It couldn’t happen at a worse time.” they wrote. “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.”

The next two questions on the special ballot pertain to the Dahl Memorial Clinic, embroiled for the past several years over management, staffing and financial issues. The municipality is in the midst of negotiations with Southeast Alaska Regional Health Consortium (SEARHC) for the possible longterm lease of the building and sale of the clinic business. Concurrently, the clinic board is working to improve the clinic, with many of the members hoping to keep it in local hands.

A petition with 149 valid signatures sent the following question to the April ballot:

“The E.A. & Jenny Rasmuson Community Health Center building and the Dahl Memorial Clinic business shall not be leased or sold without ratification by public vote.”

The question on the ballot will be stated exactly as it was presented on the initiative petition.

“I realize the question is difficult to understand because it’s posed as a negative, which means voters against any sale or lease of the Dahl

Memorial Clinic will have to vote yes, and voters who are in favor of the sale or lease of the clinic will need to vote no,” Mayor Andrew Cremata said. “However, I maintain that Skagway voters will have no issue understanding this question and vote accordingly.”

The final question, Resolution 23-06R, is designed to gauge voter sentiment regarding the municipality’s current negotiations with SEARHC.

“Shall the Municipality of Skagway lease the E.A Jenny Rasmuson Community Health Center building and land along with a lease or sale of the Dahl Memorial Clinic business and assets to SEARHC?”

“...I think by having both