Sorted by date Results 251 - 275 of 280
Petersburg Public Works Department continues to replace planks on the Rasmus Enge Bridge, [Sing Lee Alley Bridge], Petersburg City Manager Steve Giesbrecht reported during his Managers Report during the regular meeting of the Petersburg City Council Monday evening. “We are replacing planks as they wear out on the bridge,” Giesbrecht said. “But we are hoping to find funding to explore options for this bridge.” Giesbrecht and Petersburg Indian Association Roads Director Will Ware discussed the pos...
The Petersburg Indian Association conference room was filled on Tuesday, Dec. 11 with tribal members to continue an ongoing debate with the board in regards to business, hiring practices and statements made at the last meeting of November 20. The meeting opened with the question of whether the press would be allowed to attend. “I believe there were a lot of incorrect statements made at the last meeting,” tribal member and PIA Roads Director, Will Ware stated. “This is a business meeting and I don't believe we have had a business meeting in a... Full story
Don’t stomp on the process Letter to the Editor: Ahhh, Mr. Will Ware…ever the silver tongued speaker. My comments are in regards to last week’s letter to the Pilot. You’re certainly a born preacher…. but, someone I feel is qualified to give me lectures on dignity, integrity, honor and respect? …not so much. Your self-appointed role as moral compass for the tribe, is really the true “foolishness”, here. My grandmother, Amy Hallingstad, was instrumental in forming the Petersburg Indian Association as well as in writing the original by-law...
The Petersburg Indian Association has been the object of controversy in the past year due to the recent termination of the tribal administrator, the hiring practices of the board and the tribal members want to know why. A letter from a tribal member was read into the record during the PIA regular board meeting Tuesday, Nov. 20. “I received this letter and want to have it read into the record,” newly appointed board member Jeannette Ness stated. The letter stated that there was a job opening for a PIA roads director and an applicant was cho... Full story
A skull found near the mouth of the Stikine River in October may require radiocarbon date testing to determine if it came from a Native Alaskan. The skull, which was discovered by Wrangellite Vena Stough while hunting near Government Slough on Oct. 5, was first turned over to the Wrangell Police Department, who then handed it over to the Tongass National Forest supervisor’s office in Petersburg. According to Forest Service anthropologist Jane L. Smith, the office of the Alaska State Medical Exam...
At the Oct. 23 meeting of the Petersburg Indian Association Board, Jeanette Ness was appointed to the vacant seat on the board. Ronelle Beardsly, who stepped down from the board seven months ago due to health reasons, formerly held the position. According to PIA board mandate, the open slot should have been filled at the meeting following Beardsly’s departure. “I received the next highest number of votes at the last election,” Ness said. “I should have been appointed seven months ago.” N... Full story
It’s no wonder borough formation efforts have taken more than 10 years to culminate in a determining vote in December. Initial council discussions over borough formation began about 2002 as the body debated whether to annex land into the city’s corporate limits or to establish borough boundaries. This week a letter writer charges that this newspaper and the city failed to correct information that was printed, challenged and corrected over two years ago. There is certainly enough information in the city’s borough petition that provides fodde...
More borough government To the Editor: Is now the time for more government? It sounds like the City of Petersburg is having trouble rounding up candidates for the proposed borough Assembly. Who would be foolish enough to sit on an Assembly that is dead set on more purchases and more spending? That person would be eaten alive if he or she tried to stop the spending. Why extend this kind of government to a huge borough area that will require more government? Extra staff will be needed for such a large area. That will only be the beginning; there...
After only 2-1/2 months on the job, Bruce Jones, Petersburg Indian Association Tribal Administrator was fired by a 4-2 vote of the tribal council on Tuesday night. Jones was hired on August 1 of this year. Jones did not give a reason for his firing and referred questions to his attorney John Hoag. Tribal member Ronelle Beardslee told the Pilot she and other tribal members will be seeking legal council to determine their next move. “I’m very disappointed the board didn’t support their triba... Full story
Mayor Al Dwyer read the Petersburg City Managers report into the record during the Petersburg City Council regular meeting Monday evening. The City has issued a request for proposals for Radio Narrow Band Conversion. According to City Manager Stephen Giesbrecht, the Fire, Police, Electric and Public Works Departments formulated the RFP. These proposals are due to the City by 5 p.m. Sept. 21 and the conversion must be completed by Jan. 1, 2013. Council member Mark Jensen questioned the deadline. “We will absolutely have problems meeting the d...
North Nordic Petersburg Indian Association will be conducting sidewalk improvement work along North Nordic Drive starting at the First Street entrance heading north to Fourteenth Street along Sandy Beach Road. Expect the northbound lane to be closed for traffic 7 am through 5 pm Monday thru Friday and Saturday if needed. The southbound lane will remain open for traffic and will be controlled by flaggers. Traffic may be delayed up to 10 minutes. Call Connie Bisson at Petersburg Indian Association at 772-3636 with questions. Greens Camp...
The Petersburg Indian Association, PIA, has hired former Petersburg City Manager, Bruce Jones, as their new Administrator and he began working Wednesday. “I am looking forward to getting to work with a group of talented people,” Jones said. Jones served 28 years with the City of Petersburg with his last six as City Manager. He retired from the City in 2007 and went to work for the Inter-island Ferry Authority. PIA is a federally recognized tribe that works with money from grants through the Bur... Full story
Several road projects are happening this summer around Petersburg. Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities has budgeted a total of $13 million for road repair, as well as other road reconstruction projects. According to Chuck Correa, regional preconstruction engineer for DOT&PF, the state maintenance chip seal crew will be stabilizing the existing road surface and chip sealing from mile point 27.8 to 30.0 near the end of Mitkof Highway. “The crews will also be doing ditch work and brush cutting in the same area. The chip s...
Seats of the Petersburg High School gym filled with family and friends last Wednesday to say goodbye to another school year and another class of graduates. The 2012 graduating class of PHS proceeded into the room with the band playing in the background and to begin the event Elinor Robinson sang the “Star Spangled Banner”. PHS Principal Rick Dormer welcomed the graduates and reflected on the past year. “I want to thank each of you seniors,” Dormer said. “You have brought color and delight t...
Let your inner-Norwegian out. The Little Norway Festival begins today. The annual event celebrates Syttende Mai, or May 17, the signing of Norway's Constitution in 1814. Petersburg has been formally celebrating the occasion since 1958. The celebration includes live music, food, traditional dance, art receptions, softball and the return of the Viking/Valkyrie jail. Activities run from Thursday to Sunday. “We are bringing back the classics,” said Little Norway Chair Holli Flint. “The Style Show,...
Tribal Administrator Will Ware handed in a letter of resignation this weekend after two years of service at the Petersburg Indian Association. The 38-year-old father of four boys, was unavailable for comment, but he did offer an explanation to the Pilot via email. “After ten years of work within the Tribe, in a variety of different capacities, I have decided to move on to a new chapter in my life. In Tribal governments, as there is in any government, there is the element of politics that must b...
PIA changes To the Editor: Out of respect to the many relationships that the Petersburg Indian Association (PIA) provides to the Petersburg School District, City of Petersburg, Roads Programs, and businesses in the community, the PIA Board of Directors would like to reassure the community of the strength and stability of our organization. PIA has undergone many organizational changes within the last year with the addition of new board members and changes in leadership. Change is always a challenge however be reassured that PIA is moving...
Tlingit Drum Design - Friday, April 13, 6 - 9 and Saturday, April 14, 10 – 1 pm. Council Chambers, call the library at 772-3349 to register. Open to adult & teens 6th grade and up - Free Get ready for Celebration 2012. Design a Tlingit motif for a hand-drum with Ross Nannauck III. You must bring your own undecorated drum. This project is made possible by a grant from the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services and is presented in cooperation with the Petersburg Indian Association. Invasion of the Afterschoolers - Light Switch Covers, T...
Free Books for Kids/Stuffed Animal Sleep Over - Friday March 30, 10 am – 4 pm. Choose a free book and drop off your favorite stuffed animal for a wild night at the library. What trouble will your critter get in when the library locks its doors? The library's Teen Advisory Group (TAG) will leave tons of fun and exciting books for them to read and stacks of movies for them to watch. They will have the time of their lives enjoying their all-animal library sleepover. Bring one of your favorite stuffed animals to the library by closing time on F...
Last week, residents with a landline received an automated phone call asking them about their interest in bio fuels — an alternative form of energy that could be used to heat homes. The Feb. 23 phone survey was conducted by the Southeast Alaska Conservation Council (SEACC) and asked both Wrangell and Petersburg residents two things: what their primary source of heating is, and if they would consider using a locally manufactured bio fuel product to heat their home. According to the survey results, Wrangell was more open to bio fuel use than P...
The Petersburg Indian Association (PIA) held elections on Friday for a board of director chair position and four open board seats. According to election results, Ronelle Beardslee will serve as the new chairman. This is a one-year term. Beardslee ran uncontested. Christina Sokamoto, who also ran uncontested, took the one available one-year term as board member. Mary Ann Rainey and Chris Lopez nabbed two of the available two-year terms. Derek Lopez, who was a write-in candidate, took the last available two-year term. Serving one-year terms on...
A claim for unemployment insurance benefits made pages of Petersburg Indian Association emails and financial statements public last week, and reveals reasons why two employees and four board of director members resigned last October. Susan Harai was the director of the Indian Reservation Roads (IRR) program for the PIA and claimed there was a $300,000 to $360,000 deficit and discrepancy involving the IRR grant monies, according to the report of the State Employment Security Division’s f... Full story
A concerned tribal member To the Editor: It is with troubled emotions that I write this letter concerning the outcome of the unemployment hearing of Susan Harai and Petersburg Indian Association. Tribal members have not been able to get clear information of what is the financial condition of the tribe. Profit and Loss statements have only been let out to board members for review then required to return them before the meeting closes. The exhibits listed on the unemployment hearing site are alarming especially when the hearing officer states in...
Two Petersburg Indian Association tribal council members presented testimony at the unemployment benefit hearing on Feb. 9 for employee Susan Harai showing their determination to resolve the financial crisis reported to them by Roads Director Susan Harai and bookkeeper Nicole Dean. Ultimately, distrust of tribal leadership along with failure to secure a new, outside auditor to look at the tribal books resulted in their resignations from the tribal council. Jeanette Ness, former council...
