City and Borough Assembly - Regular Meeting

All right. Welcome, everybody. We will call to order the special meeting of Tuesday, 04/21/2026. Please join me for a flag salute. I pledge allegiance to the flag of The United States Of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

The assembly of the city and borough of Sitka would like to respectfully acknowledge the traditional first people of Chitka. With gratitude, we proceed on Tlingitani. Sarah, roll call,

Mayor Eisenbeis? Present. Mister Pike? Here. Miss Carlson? Here. Miss Riley? Here. Mister Christensen? Here. Mister Mosier?

Here.

And mister Saline?

Yes.

Here. I can hear that all of our voices were excited to be starting four nights of meetings tonight, aren't we? Thank you. So tonight we're gathered to do our annual evaluations for our two employees, our municipal administrator and our municipal attorney. This evening, John Leach has requested his evaluation be in public, and then our attorney, Rachel Jones, has requested that her evaluation be held in executive session.

Any questions from the assembly before we go forward in this process? We'll be starting with John Leach this evening. Great. So we will move into the annual evaluation for a municipal administrator. This one, although I think we do need to give a good recap of the previous year for our administrator.

Obviously, he's on his way out, and he's hoping we get him a little bit quicker on his way out. So, yeah, I would go through the the same process as normal assembly on this. If you have any feedback from the previous year and kinda what you're looking forward to in the next next little bit. Kevin, you mind starting us out? We'll just go around the room.

Sure. No problem. Mister mayor. Thank you. John, I'll just make my comments brief. It's interesting because, originally, when put you in your notice, you were going to be ending your time next month. So and then the assembly did ask you to extend until December, which you agreed to. So it seems kind of superfluous, I don't know if that's right word, to do this, but we are doing it because it's the process. And the fact that we did ask you to stay longer, I think, says a lot. I have great confidence in your leadership.

You started here, I think, just before COVID hit, and you hit the ground running and helped us through, really a very, very difficult time, without much training. You know, think Hugh Bevan was, the interim administrator at that point, and he helped kinda give you some pointers, but he could tell right away. Remember, he said to several of us that he knew you you kinda had it already at that point. You've helped us with a lot of projects, a lot of change, substantial change, not just from COVID, but through many, many ups and downs with the city. And I think you've learned and grown.

We've given you some things to think about during your evaluations as everyone has ace for growth. And I just appreciate your service over these years and very grateful that you've given us these years. I know that you put your heart and soul into this job. And, you've always been open, if I needed to talk or have communication with you. And you've you've always made your time available.

I know you, take great pains at supporting your staff, supporting the assembly, and supporting the public. And I've seen that and we've all seen that. Grateful for your time and I'm grateful for you agreeing to stay until December to give us a little more leeway, little more time to try to find a good fit. And, and you will be missed. Thank you.

John, you're a top hand. I just really need to know what's it gonna take for the haul out to start hauling out uninsured boats. Is it just gonna take, like, four assembly votes to get that? And then we can just get that yard open for guys that are freaking out. You know, there's so many people that are trapped here, and it really appears that we are making the town unaffordable for people that are just gonna catch the last fish and ride out the diminishing salmon returns and have an old wood boat that they have basically rebuilt and been hauled out in other towns.

And people are really on me, like, really ragging on me about what we look like and how can Wrangle and Huna be doing it and what's it gonna take so that that risk does not and, apparently, I've been told we have the same carrier, and I've really been tasked with trying to get an answer to that right now. And then somebody just told me that the lady, Roxy, is hauled out, and I they were saying that that wasn't insured. And I was just trying to find somebody that knew what was up with that. And then the other thing I'd like to visit with you on right here is, like, with you leaving, and I'm just getting to know how things roll. And I did get my full time employee in for refrigeration skills, but now that's kind of been been hamstrung a little bit because the water department has a better package for long term employees.

And I'm wondering how would you recommend that I get the next administrator that comes? How would we be able to focus that so that the money that I see us slipping through our fingers, not only just the $30,000 thermostat at the animal shelter but a lot of stuff at Blatchley how how could that go forward so that there's more opportunity so we'd have a wider range of skill sets that would be demographically where a guy that would be in service for, like, ten years wants to get out of the twenty four seven aspect and then come to work at the building department. But now they can't because the water department is a better deal for working at the city.

John, if you just want to compile those thoughts and potentially respond at the end or you and Scotty can link up online on some of his concerns going forward. Thanks. Thank

you. John, there is a lot of things that happened in Sitka since you started in October 2019. To now, it's seven years. I've been around for about half of that through this process, and the growth and expertise and, you know, calm clarity that you bring to this job is just admirable. There's such a range of of skills that we requested in this job description that I reviewed over the weekend in advance of this, and it's really remarkable how you just embody all of it.

And that that understanding, you know, communicative and caring of caring forward an expression you have for for this town is really something that will be missed and your abilities to prioritize and be effective and efficient with your workloads. There is a bit of time there when there was many vacancies within the city and department heads and regular staff, and you took on that above your standard works and just kept things rolling through a pandemic, through, you know, a huge flux of our economy into tourism, and through major major projects like an airport and a haul out at once that overlapped. The through hiring of four department heads, maybe even more, more more than four department heads, four during my time, that is massive. And any one of those things could become too much for an individual and and you did it all back to back, side to side, top to bottom and while restructuring, getting us a strategic plan to guide us, restructuring the pay structure, and just restructuring the departments. And that's so much that takes vision as a leadership trait, but then also management as a day to day trait.

And to be doing all of that from the big down to the details for a community like this is just a huge feat that you executed with clarity, calm, and grace. So I appreciate what you've done. This review is only the scripted as the last year, but it's kind of a, you know, all encompassing during my tenure, and what I noticed from before I joined the assembly as well. And and then when you're, you know, not on duty as administrator, your activities within the community are also exceptional. Your participation with just this as a neighbor and and as a friend and as a community member is is really quite remarkable and I'm I bring joy to my imagination of what I see you know you doing next with with your professional career and just your life.

So so thank you for taking on the the task of being administrator for this municipality. It is not a role that is met with smiles and joy and hugs and handshakes at every turn and and you managed to navigate that very well And I appreciate all of what you've given professionally and personally to to this town and this municipality. So thank you.

You know, you didn't ask for this and you don't have to do anything with this unless you want to, but you know I thought writing it down for for everybody to see and for me to see and for you to see what I see of what you have done as an administrator. So I wrote in the form of a recommendation just so that you could see kind of the thinking behind it and where it goes. And, you know, as I look through all of the things that you do for us as a community and the job description that is embodied in it, you know, think this is this lays out for me anyway, the how well you have exceeded those expectations. So I mean, I think you embody the ideal of a city administrator and I hope that you will be able to find an opportunity to mentor others because I think there's an opportunity for you to reach a much bigger audience in terms of helping other city administrators and other cities have that benefit. Again, I'm not you didn't ask for it, I'm not do it as will, but I wanted to make sure that you saw kind of what I think about that.

But anytime I do an evaluation, also want to give people a little feedback in terms of things that I from my experience and for my observation, things that are really important for them to consider. But again, it's just what I see and what I think. I think there's really two categories that I see might be some areas you might want to think about. One, obviously, is self care, right? So long ago, somebody told me stress is a choice, right?

And I thought, what a crazy thing to say, right? Is stress a choice? And I thought the most unhelpful statement I've ever heard. And as I've lived with that for over time though, I've come to realize it's not the statement is about how you approach it and what you recognize in it. And the willingness to take on stress and realize that it's a choice to do that, think changes a little bit about how you feel about it.

So I think stress is something that comes with this job and many others. And I think some of it's very helpful. There's chance points where stress is good, it helps us focus our minds. But self care is going to be a really important part. And I'm sure that's not news to you that self care is something that you might want to think a little bit more about particularly because it has impacts on your life and your relationships.

And the other one has to do with a kind of a it's a sort of a I don't know if loyalty is the right word, but I know that the coast guard stresses loyalty and when you're in a helicopter with a crew, everybody has to work together and loyalty that camaraderie is a very important thing. But it's also important to make sure that the people that you work with have a clear sense of how they're doing. And sometimes being a little too loyal to someone can be an issue for being honest with them in terms of where they're at. So I think as you look forward in your career, that's something for you to think about. I know that's a difficult thing.

You're a very kind person and those are difficult conversation sometimes but I think that's just as a growth item, think about sometimes where your loyalty ends up going in terms of whether it's with a person or with the group of people that are being represented in the case like a city, where does that lie? So something to think about. But I have nothing I mean, you're an exceptional leader. Thank you for doing that for us.

I did not type up a nice sheet like that. Wish I had. So John came in just a few months after I came back to the assembly. So I have to say that when you announced you were leaving, was like, darn it. I was kind of hoping to wrap it up at the same time.

And so it's kind of funny doing an evaluation a month before you're leaving. So I don't really consider this an evaluation so much as talking about your time here. And I just wrote some notes. So I had heard the term asset management, but I didn't really understand until I worked with you. That's been a real revelation in my mind on how we one of the changes you've made that we are much less surprised than we used to be.

And don't know I assume that I know you brought that in from your time in the Coast Guard. But if there's anything that's going to hold over twenty years from now, I think it might be that. Is the fact that we have asset management in place? And think you've set up the groundwork for that. So it's going to continue long after they say John who.

I think it also talking about the strategic plan that you push that you manage to drive through to get complete to where we actually use it. And again, I will be freely admit that I have been through that process a number of times, whether we call the strategic plan or whatever. And I wasn't real excited about it because generally, those kinds of things get done. And they can put it on a shelf, you really never hear about them again. And that hasn't been the case.

And so again, I've been I was very pleasantly surprised to see the way that not only did you push through and get us the process to get a strategic plan, but it's like every time we have something come up, it's where is it in the strategic plan, which is new for us. Thank you. The way you have developed a staff is night and day from what it used to be. I think you've put together a very professional staff that, you know, we everybody always wants to do a good job, but I I really see a real higher level professionalism and things getting done. And I and I really appreciate that.

I kind of I think there's a a good example of that is, you know, we I think we all come in and talk to you in your office. And I love your whiteboards, where you've got all everything that's going on and things that are in process and where they are and what they need to be and things you have to work on. And you can walk into your office and see the state of the city just by looking around at those whiteboards. And that's that's shows an organized mind much much better than mine. But I love that I could do that.

I could you know, I'm talking and looking around going, what's going on there? And you would tell me. From a personal standpoint, our time together on the EOC during COVID, I felt that you ran that well in a trying time. And you got thrown into the fire. And I know we vented to each other a little bit from time to time. And I really appreciate it. And I enjoyed that time when they're with you. I guess, I say, I don't really see a whole lot of for the next month that you need to improve on. Although I am very glad to hear that you're going to be spending some time for yourself and your family. I'm jealous of going to Italy.

But I think that as much as we hate to have you leaving and I know I do I'm glad that you're going to get to spend some time with your family. And so to echo everybody, thank you for the last little over years. And so I look forward to seeing what's next for me here. I know you'll still be in town.

Well, I've gotten to work with you probably the least out of everyone. So I had a little bit of difficulty putting my thoughts together here because generally, I think they're very positive. And I and the rest of the city get a benefit from all of the growth that you've experienced over the trajectory of your career here. One of the things that I just wanted to express a lot of appreciation for was your action orientation. I think going through the strategic plan process, the update, and the budget process here and seeing some of the systems that you've put in place and how they lead to action and results is going to have a lasting impact on our community.

And so I'm really grateful for you coming in and recognizing those needs and creating something that is organization wide and systems wide and lives within the departments and more of the culture of the city now rather rather than, you know, being held by a specific person. I think that's gonna help with longevity and continue to to benefit the public for years to come. One of the other things that I noted that I really appreciate in a manager is that I I think that your staff for the most part feel really supported by you and that is really critical. I think as we look for you know the next person that's gonna take this role on at the city you have a highly capable, highly professional staff. Right?

And I think that they feel supported by you, heard, like they have access to mentorship opportunities and the resources they need to do their jobs. And that is the thing that is going to translate into outcomes for people on the ground. And that's a lot of the, you know, kind of, like, quieter leadership behind the scenes. So I'm very appreciative of that and definitely something that I'm looking for as we look to to move on. Also wanna say thank you for the the positive movement on child care.

I'm excited to see you know, I know that there was a lot of assembly members working on that and just a lot of dialogue over that and coming in and saying, okay, like what are what are some systems that we can put in place here, some action steps that we can take to achieve the intended outcome. I think that way that you bring that perspective, which Tim wrote about very, very well in his letter, is really exemplary and something that I hope to keep seeing. I'm not sure that we will be getting rid of you next month. So maybe, but, yeah, there there is the the possibility that you might be here for the rest of the year. And I in that event, would look forward to continuing to work with you, especially on some housing stuff.

I think that we could make some excellent progress there and put another check on your strategic plan, which should feel good. And then also, yeah, just in terms of something, you know, this isn't just on you, obviously. This is something that we need to do as a team as an assembly and the city as a whole. But really, like, how can we better communicate the impacts of where city dollars are going, you know, especially as people are feeling strapped and we face deficits and, you know, tough conversations about that. Really figuring out how we're communicating, what kind of improvements are happening with increased sales tax and things like that from tourism, especially because so many of the systems that you put in place with like asset management and the strategic plan and risk management and how we categorize where to do infrastructure.

So much of that is it makes government boring, right, which is is the point. It's a positive thing in terms of we just are continuously moving forward. But also, it can become harder to really identify, like, what are the changes that are happening. And so, you know, how can can you work with your team and then us together to support you to really communicate out what we're able to do as a community? I know that every pothole you fix in the roundabout and beyond is some of those really visible things. But, yeah, just generally very much appreciate the work that you've done here. The integrity you bring and and the service attitude is really remarkable. So thank you.

See, that was strategic for me. So everybody do that. Then And And

then

then able to to you're And do I think that's that's a quarter 19. Second of quarter And And And to do not only a governmental that. Team that's moving forward well, but then the assembly as well. Without you in the position, it can change the composition of the assembly. If the administrator isn't doing good, there's gonna be a lot of people that need to get on the assembly to help fix what the administrator isn't working on.

So a a calm, collected assembly for the last long enough that I don't remember when we weren't is a reflection of you and the leadership as well. And it's hard to it's hard to believe that six years is a long tenure in this position. It kinda seems like we're just getting started. It kinda seems like we're, you know, you and me when we when we travel somewhere, it seems like we're just getting good at and we're just rolling really well now. But six years is a is a long tenure in this job, which is is pretty unfortunate really.

I think the staff gets adapted at And that. We'll do to system. In And the next couple few years. Months. And I do expect a a little more break in there as well.

Go catch a king salmon or two. And just continue to work to have a seamless transfer with whoever the assembly chooses next, making sure that you're setting up your employees to win as well. I'm sure administrator changeover creates a bunch of angst amongst your staff, and anything you can do to put them in a better position is going to be most beneficial to business.

To

then we'll do do that. That's one thing that we have said. And I think that's probably the only thing that we've constantly criticized at these evaluations is that we need a little bit of rest from you as well. Right? You can't go 20 fourseven for six years without it breaking.

So, you know, make sure that we're balancing output with rest. And that that's organization wide as well. As monies start to disappear, we don't have a lot of free grants anymore and stuff is starting to wrap up. Let's let's give our people a little bit of a break as we can and make sure that they are recharged for whatever comes next because we have had an incredibly busy last five years. And it's I'm I'm sure it's it's weighing on people as well.

So, John, thank you for your your service to the city. As much as I wish we could get another six years, I also don't wanna put that on you. That would be cruel and and unusual punishment, but we appreciate it. And I I don't think I disagreed with anything that any other assembly member has said as well. With that, I would turn the floor over to you to give you an opportunity for comments.

Well, don't have a lot to say without it sounding like a goodbye speech, and it's not that goodbye speech yet. But I do thank everybody for the kind comments and the feedback as well. I mean there's always areas for growth, even if it's in whatever future endeavor I decide to take on. So those are helpful points. I think you've heard from me and you understand that it is a job that creates a lot of stress.

I don't know if I agree with you choose to take on stress either. But that comes from a position of care. I took the job literally to serve a community that I love. Everybody knows this story already. When I got orders out of here in the Coast Guard, left my family here while I closed that chapter with all the intentions of coming back here.

And when this opportunity came available, I thought it was a good opportunity to serve a community I so very much wanted to come back to. So my plan is to continue to be here and serve in some aspect somehow. We'll see what that looks like in the future. It's been a pleasure. There have been tough times as well.

I mean, I try really, really, really hard to stay off of social media, but it'll grab you every once in a while. And it's unfortunate to read some of the things on there, but I also have to understand that I'm not going to make everybody happy all the time. And that's what makes this job for anybody that sits in it, especially in a small community. It can be hard to live in the same place that you have to make tough decisions for, knowing that some of those tough decisions are not going to sit well with some people. But as long as everybody understands that I'm trying to make the best decisions I can with the information I have at the time and keeping the long term interest of the city in mind.

So I want to thank the assembly for your support in achieving some of the things that we've set out in the strategic plan together and hopefully made Sitka a little better over the past six plus years. Appreciate it.

Thank you, John. At this point now, the assembly has typically gone forward with a a rating of our employees. I believe we had in the past, and I get hung up on this every single time. We should put in code or something, Sarah. That would probably help me. I think we talked about this last time too and just kept charging. But in in the past, we've had exemplary satisfactory and the we're other one,

able to

make Typically as well, a pay increase at this point is discussed. In years past, it has been right around CPI, and that's how code is written now for a a CPI U pay increase, which should be about 2%. I don't wanna take that from John. I know that the pay has not been the reason for this, and there was a a boost up here recently as well. But also not getting your said step increase can feel like a little bit of a blow as well. So couple things for the assembly to consider. John?

I don't know if it's appropriate or not. Can I just say, please don't do that?

You can request.

Mr. Mayor, thank you. And John, I'm really glad you said that because I think just well, first of all, from my part, exemplary, it's easy to say by far. No questions asked, hand down. But given that we did just give you that bump up, I think that's appropriate to not do it at this time just because you're only here for a few more months. But that, in my opinion, is no way zero reflection upon your your job. I think you're doing an I done. I think that's why

we're very

places right now. Not because of that, but because of your service attitude and all the other things that we said. Thank you.

Would echo that. Except the fact that he's quitting, maybe that means below But no, I can decide. I think Kevin hit the nail on the head there. And unqualified exemplary. And I appreciate again, I think I agree with you, Kevin, with the bump for your especially for your interim work, it's probably appropriate. It's probably more than 2%, more than that, 2% anyway. But I appreciate you being willing to do that. And honestly, think this will make your final time easier if we don't do that.

JJ? Exemplary.

Yeah. It sounds, from the assembly comments and, what we've just said now that we would be issuing an exemplary review. Does anyone have any troubles with that? K. And then due to the employee's request and a previous a recent previous pay bump, I would honor the the 0%, increase, as requested, mainly in honor of the request.

Anybody have any issues with either of those? Okay. John, thank you for your time in this evaluation process. This assembly will give you an exemplary review for this previous year and forego an annual pay increase in lieu of the one that has been received here recently for your interim status. So we thank you for your service. Anything else for this body before we wrap up? Great. Thank you. I appreciate it. I know it's only been, like, forty minutes, but before we move on to our municipal attorney review and executive session, if somebody could take a a recess, please be seated when you're ready to continue.

Alright. So we'll be moving on to item b tonight on our agenda, which is our annual evaluation for our municipal attorney, Rachel Jones. She has requested this be held in executive session. So in compliance with those wishes, there is a motion that the assembly could present.

I move to go into executive session under the statutory categories of discussing subjects that, one, may tend to prejudice the reputation and character of an individual, and, two, may have an adverse effect on the finances of the city and borough of Sitka, and invite in, when ready, municipal attorney Rachel Jones. In addition, pursuant to customary practice, I move to exclude the municipal administrator and municipal clerk.

Second.

It's been moved and seconded to go into executive session. Is there any public comment on entering executive session?

Sarah?

All right. The motion to go into executive session. Mayor Eisenbeis?

Yes.

Mr. Christensen? Yes. Ms. Reilly? Yes. Mr. Mosier?

Yes.

Mr. Saline? Yes. Ms. Carlson? Yes. And Mr. Pike?

Yes.

The motion passes seven zero. And you'll be meeting in Room 4.

Motion to reconvene.

So second.

All those in favor say aye.

Aye. Any

opposed? Thank you. We are reconvened as the assembly in regular session. We met in executive session to give our municipal attorney her annual evaluation. Results of that, we will be offering an exemplary review. We were able to discuss some topics with our attorney, a little bit of back and forth, which was was great. And we will offer well, for pay and benefits, I will be reaching out to negotiate. We'll talk with you about some options that we have for your future pay and benefit package. Questions, comments from yourself?

No. Thank you. Appreciate your time tonight.

Anything else from the assembly on our reviews this evening? Great, thank you all. It'll bring us to persons to be heard. This is public participation for any item on or off tonight's agenda, not to exceed three minutes for any individual. Seeing none, that would bring us to adjournment.

The motion to adjourn. All

those in favor, say aye.

Aye. Any opposed?

Thank you, everybody. We are adjourned.