The Ketchikan Gateway Borough Assembly meets on Monday, and will discuss various topics, including whether to establish a school reserve fund, and whether to temporarily change the term of office for borough mayor from three years to one.
The proposed school reserve fund would help pay for unanticipated shortfalls in revenue for local education. The ordinance establishing the fund was introduced at the Assembly’s April 21st meeting. Monday’s vote is the second reading of the motion, and if it passes, it will be adopted.
The proposed change in the mayor’s term of office is an attempt to more evenly distribute the number of vacant borough seats up for election each year. This year, for example, the position of mayor plus three Assembly seats will be open, making a total of four. While next year, only two Assembly seats will be up for election.
Borough Clerk Kacie Paxton proposed the change in the mayoral term, but for just a single year, so that in the future, there aren’t four elected positions open all at once. After that has been accomplished, the mayor’s term of office could return to the regular three-year rotation.
Paxton provided several other options, including changing the term of office for one of the open Assembly seats, instead.
The Assembly meeting starts at 5:30 p.m. Monday in Borough Assembly chambers at the White Cliff building. Public comment will be heard at the start of the meeting.
