A Sitka man will appeal the city’s decision to deny his public records request before the assembly tonight (8-25-26).
Earlier this summer, Austin Cranford submitted a records request to the city clerk’s office, asking for information on changes to the city’s public records request system, which is now offered both on paper and through a new online portal. Cranford wants the city to provide legal justification for a couple of additions, including a function in the portal that provides suggestions for narrowing a records request, and a box on the form that asks a requestor to certify whether the records they’re seeking are part of active litigation they’re involved in with the city.
In Cranford’s appeal, he says the city refused to search for, or respond to, his request for a “legal framework” for the additions, but did not confirm that the records don’t exist, so he’s fighting the decision. A brief from Municipal Attorney Rachel Jones says this portion of Cranford’s request did not ask for a public record– it was asking for legal analysis. A “legal framework” Jones says, is beyond the scope of a public records request.
Tonight, the assembly will hear arguments from both Cranford and city staff. Acting as a quasi-judicial body, the group may grant or deny the appeal.
Cranford is a former Sitka Assembly candidate, and this the latest of several records appeals he has made before the assembly since 2024. He also sued the city in 2025, alleging censorship on the Sitka Police Department’s Facebook page. He’s the son of former police sergeant Gary Cranford, who sued the city several years ago, alleging he was unfairly demoted from sergeant to officer in breach of his union contract. The case was settled out of court for over $300,000.
In other business, at tonight’s meeting the assembly will review an updated sub lease with Alaska Airlines. And it will consider the municipal administrator’s recommendation to hire the city’s interim fire chief, Brian McLaughlin, into the full-time, permanent position.
The Sitka Assembly meets at 6 p.m. tonight. Raven News will broadcast the meeting live, following Alaska News Nightly.
