In an effort to combat the housing shortage in Skagway, the assembly is looking at creating a subdivision on land owned by the Alaska Mental Health Trust. There’s also a party in the works for the president of Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines and a liquor license application for a hotel that currently houses seasonal employees. KHNS’ Mike Swasey spoke with Mayor Andrew Cremata for a preview of this week’s borough assembly meeting.

Swasey – Lots on the agenda this week, let’s start with the AB mountain subdivision.

Cremata – When we were at AML conference in Anchorage, we met with the representative from the Mental Health land trust. Back in, I think it was maybe the early 2000s, there was some effort put forward in (to), you know, developing an AB subdivision so that we could have more property to sell to members of the public. So they said that this land is still available, and so I think it was Assemblymember Burnham, who has been moving forward to put together a feasibility study to update that and see if it is indeed something that is feasible.

Swasey – So what is on the agenda this week?

Cremata – It’s a resolution to conduct a feasibility study.

Swasey – Okay, and so this is the first step toward first seeing if this is viable?

Cremata – Indeed, first step.

Swasey –  Okay, Bites on Broadway has applied for a liquor license at their hotel, on Broadway Street in Skagway, and this is coming up before the assembly for the second time. At the last meeting, it got postponed to this meeting. It seems like they have, in the past, had employee housing offered at that building, are they changing it to a hotel sort of establishment?

Cremata – Well, I would certainly assume so because that is a requirement of the liquor license. To me, in my opinion, the alcohol control board, you know, they bear responsibility to ensure that their requirements are met. The assembly can choose to protest or not protest based on a wide set of criteria. So that’s the question before the assembly table. A). Are you going to protest? And B). If you are going to protest, then what is the reasoning for that protest? 

If it then goes to the alcohol control board without a protest, the alcohol control board may still deny the permit. The assembly could protest and the alcohol control board could say “that does not have merit.”  So the assembly would need to make sure that they have sound reasoning for denying or objecting to the permit application.

Swasey – Okay, and to be clear, this is a full liquor license. The state allows a full liquor license if you have 10 hotel rooms or more in the building that you have your bar in, right?

Cremata – That is correct. Yes. 

Swasey – And then let’s end this on a high note. There’s a president’s cruise coming to Skagway. Tell me about the President’s cruise, or is it coming?

Cremata – Oh, it’s coming. So the President’s Cruise is a very special cruise that the President of Royal Caribbean is going to be on because he has never been to Alaska. And they wanted the highlight of the President’s cruise to be a special event in a community and they chose Skagway for that community. 

So we put together a resolution coming to the assembly table so that it gives an opportunity for business owners that may be concerned about how things are going to shake out to come and speak. It’s happening a little bit before the Fourth of July. So it’s almost like having a second Fourth of July this year. And who wouldn’t want something like that? Some festivities this summer after the last couple of years, I think will be warmly welcomed by the friendliest community in Alaska.

Swasey – Hey, Mr. Mayor, thank you so much for taking the time to help preview the upcoming assembly meeting, I appreciate it. 

Cremata – Hey, well, I appreciate you, and have a marvelous day.

The meeting can be streamed live at khns.org starting at 7 p.m. Thursday.