Chair Report

December 16, 2025

​View the recording​ of the remarks.

​Laid on the Table Items
We generally have a policy to be pretty restrictive of laid on the table items, but at this point, we've asked the Administration to do as much as possible to get critical, time-sensitive items to us tonight because we don't want to have to exercise the worst option which is meeting next Tuesday at noon for a special meeting if, in fact, any time critical items arise that have to be passed before the end of the year. We don't have any items on that list and we would hope to keep no items on that list so we don't have to convene one more time before the end of the year. Hopefully this is it.

Solstic​e this Weekend
I will note that the Solstice is almost upon us, and I'm grateful that the light will start to come back. I'll join the Mayor in recommending folks come out and celebrate the Parks Department's annual Winter Solstice festival at Cuddy Park this Friday, December 19th 5PM to 8PM, free with activities like ice skating in a photo booth with Santa's reindeer as well as cocoa by the fire. I encourage everyone to get out and enjoy our uniquely Alaskan solstice experience.

Looking to the Calendar
As this is the final meeting of the year due to the way the counter falls, our next meeting won't be for 4 weeks, as the mayor noted. I can't remember a time when we had 4 weeks between meeting so please take your time and enjoy it. You've earned it.

Thanks to the hard work of the Municipal Manager, the department heads, Clerk's Office, and everyone else to get our year-end materials all squared away early, hopefully we don't need that special meeting.

​Year End Reflections
Finally, happy New Year! As the New Year approaches. I want to reflect a bit on where we've comments community over the past year. We have had challenges. We have turned those challenges into opportunities.

I think upon our friends from Western Alaska who joined our community from the tropical storm, Halong, and then our school district. How the city has taken on the challenge of having year-round shelter in supporting people. How we as a city supported furloughed workers providing as many opportunities and benefits for them to have continuity in their life. And also, of course, the kindness that just exists in our community. That happens every day and every small way.

This Assembly has taken on some pretty complex questions. The question about camping in public and the laws around that. Dealing with challenges of homelessness and improving our response. Public safety challenges in our town.

Of course, wrestling with the question of how we address our financial situation as costs increase but revenues do not. As we've learned over the past year, nobody is coming to save us. Our future will be determined by those who love this community and its people.

And it's challenging. Over the 9 years I've been on this body, we have been forced to find efficiencies and kind of engage in the process of picking up the slack where others have lost their ability to fund or their willingness to fund their responsibilities in our town. And we have done it but the challenges increase. We've had to work to support each other. And we continue to do so.

So, I encourage you to join one of the many holiday festivities being offered around town and take time to connect with your neighbors and celebrate the what it means to be part of this really special community at this really special time of year.

And to my colleagues, I am glad and look forward to us getting through our agenda tonight because once we're done, hopefully it's holiday season for the rest of the year.