Daily Sitka Sentinel

Assembly Panel Lists 3 Positions to be Filled

By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
    The Assembly Position Review Subcommittee on Monday recommended hiring employees for three positions on the city payroll, as requested by city staff, members of the subcommittee told the Sentinel.
    The positions recommended for Assembly approval are:
    – a full-time assistant landfill and scrapyard operator, to fill a position that came open when a worker resigned, effective June 17. The position is in the Public Works Department.
    – a temporary accountant under the finance department, to handle post-merger financial and administrative work related to the affiliation between Sitka Community Hospital and SEARHC. The position will be filled by a finance staff member from Sitka Community, and will last from Aug. 1 through Dec. 31, the meeting packet said. Wages will be provided by the SCH Dedicated Fund (formerly the Tobacco Tax fund).
    – a full-time, temporary staff member – possibly a retired police officer – in the Sitka Police Department to review more than 60 cases left open when two police officers went on administrative leave. The position is not to exceed 90 days.
    “I would like the temp to triage the cases, review each case that is open, and make recommendations on case closure and investigations needed,” Police Chief Robert Baty wrote to interim City Administrator Dave Miller in his request for the position. “I would like to get this position started as soon as possible as these cases have been ignored for almost a year and I do not feel comfortable with the lack of service or justice that has occurred.”
    The subcommittee voted 3-0 vote in favor of all three proposals, members reported. The recommendations will be taken up at the next Assembly meeting July 23.
    The subcommittee’s meetings are open to the public. The first two were held at Harrigan Centennial Hall, but in the future they likely will take place in the third floor conference room at city hall, Chairman Steven Eisenbeisz said. 
    “We just wanted to alleviate the burden on Centennial Hall staff while there are large numbers of visitors in town, and to facilitate our meetings more easily,” Eisenbeisz said today. Richard Wein and Valorie Nelson are the other members of the subcommittee.
    Also at the meeting, the subcommittee agreed their meetings would take place eight days before regular Assembly meetings, as needed, in order to meet the deadline for placing items for the Assembly meeting the packet.
    The subcommittee was formed following Assembly approval of a hiring freeze in April. The role of the group is to review open positions at city hall on whether they should be filled or not, and pass the recommendations to the Assembly for a final decision.