Katherine Rose, Author at KCAW

School Board reports funding miscommunication to Assembly

The draft of the city’s budget for next year is finally out, but a lot could change between now and when the budget is finalized later this spring. And this week, the Assembly was thrown another budget curveball, with a miscommunication over school funding.

New superintendent negotiates three-year contract

The Sitka School District has locked its new superintendent into a three-year contract. In late February, the Sitka School Board met with Frank Hauser to negotiate behind closed doors. According to a district press release, they finalized the contract with a $140,000 starting salary.

Assembly funds schools ‘to the cap’ in FY22

After extensive discussions on school funding, the Sitka Assembly has voted to fund the Sitka School District to the cap next fiscal year, increasing the city’s contribution to schools by just under $400,000.

Sitka reports first COVID death

The city’s COVID dashboard was recently updated on Friday, Feb. 26, to reflect the casualty, Sitka’s first since the pandemic began last spring.

Sitka teens some of the first in the nation to receive coronavirus vaccine

In a state that’s doing well with vaccinations, the community of Sitka is doing very well: More than half of the eligible population has been vaccinated against COVID-19, and that now includes teenagers 16 and over -- making Sitka one of the first places in the nation where this has been possible.

Assembly calls for Congress to find cruise ban workaround

The Sitka Assembly has called on the federal government to waive a law that could prevent big cruise ships from docking in Alaska this summer.

Assembly reviews enterprise fund budgets, considers rate increases

When the Sitka Assembly met last week (Thursday), they heard a presentation from city staff on the state of each enterprise fund: electric, water, wastewater, solid waste and harbors.

February 23, 2021: What’s happening at tonight’s assembly meeting?

Earlier this month, Canada announced an extension of its cruise ship ban, a major hit to Southeast Alaska’s economy. When the Sitka Assembly meets on Tuesday (2-23-21), it will consider a resolution urging the Feds to issue a temporary waiver to the Passenger Vessel Services Act. The waiver could circumvent Canada and boost Alaska’s economy this summer.

Sitka stays at low COVID risk level, reports climbing vaccination numbers

When the Sitka Unified Command met on Wednesday (2-19-21), there was still uncertainty around the recent expiration of the state’s COVID-19 disaster declaration.

City reports big CO2 reductions over last two decades

Just over a decade ago, Sitka created a task force to take on the emerging problem of climate change. Although the task force was short-lived, its recommendations had a surprising impact on reducing carbon emissions. Now the Sitka Assembly would like to double-down on that success, and secure federal assistance to develop a renewable energy strategy for the long-term.