KHNS is introducing a new weekly segment with Skagway reporter Melinda Munson. Here to bring us this fresh batch of Skagway news is Melinda Munson in conversation with Program Director Marley Horner.
Marley Horner 00:00
Joining the KHNS news as a freelance reporter in Skagway MM is here to bring us a Friday news wrap up. How’s it going Melinda?
Melinda Munson 00:07
Hi, thanks for having me on KHNS
MH 00:09
It’s a pleasure. So it sounds like Skagway has had some increased bear activity. We’re well acquainted with the bears on this side of fjord. So what’s happening in Skagway with the bears?
MM 00:24
It’s getting colder. The bears have not gone to bed yet. They are foraging now through the commercial dumpsters, the big brown dumpsters. Most of those dumpsters do have bear proof lids that there’s a mama bear with some cubs and she is teaching them to flip that dumpster to try and access the contents inside. Residents are changing the dumpsters. They’re lashing the dumpsters and residents are putting chains into the ground, you know lashing the chains to their concrete and Mama Bear is still continuing to do what she can to get into those receptacles. City is trying to figure out what to do about that sometimes you’ll wake up in the morning and there will be a big dumpster in the middle of the alley, which can be a safety problem for emergency vehicles. There are bear proof smaller trash cans available through the city. But still with those bare truth proof trash cans. You cannot put them out until the day of your trash pickup so that the bear proof protocol remains the same not to put your trash out until the day of trash pickup.
MH 01:34
Yeah, the bears can be very persistent with the bear proof containers.
MM 01:41
The concern is that now the Cubs have been taught to be garbage bears. We’re going to have this problem going into spring. So it’s time to figure out how the town’s can handle it and to be a cleaner better bear proof city going into the future.
MH 02:00
Yeah, just wait until they start learning how to open up the car doors.
MM 02:05
They’ve already done that. We’ve got some we’ve got some damaged bear cars and Dyea to prove that. They just get smarter and smarter every year.
MH 02:12
Yeah, yes they do. Well, we can all relate to unique bear issues in the Upper Lynn Canal and we also both have new mayor’s What can you tell us about the new makeup of the assembly in Skagway?
MM 02:23
Sam Bass has had his first month of Assembly meetings he’s made some new assignments that have been approved by the Assembly. Deb Potter is now Skagway Vice Mayor, Dan Henry is liaison to the historic district commission. Alex Weddell is liaison to the clinic board of directors for doll and Kate Kolodi is assigned to the Franklin School District. William Lockette, who came in third in the mayor’s race, was appointed to the Historic District Commission and nominated to the clinic board as an alternate. Clinic Board President Jeremy Simmons and Vice-President Lisa Mandeville, who submitted letters of interest, were not nominated. The Assembly voted to continue the Clinic Board nomination discussion at the next Assembly Meeting. Bass has made some changes also just citizens present. And that includes a standing podium. He says that he wants to make sure that citizens voices are heard, and that they receive the center stage they deserve. So now the new protocol is that people who’d like to speak at Citizens present will sign in on a sign in sheet up to 30 minutes before the meeting. They’ll have a five minute limit and address the assembly.
MH 03:24
So I understand an important issue within the assembly and the borough as a whole is the ore loader on the dock. Any news on that front?
MM 03:35
There is Skagway skyline looks dramatically different this week. Last week our or loader was removed. We’ve got construction workers in town so if you’re heading into glacial coffeehouse, we’ll see about a dozen people who have unfamiliar faces maybe to you. According to borough manager Brad Ryan, the temporary fuel header is installed and operational and has received its first fuel barge offload on October 28. Mayor Cremata is no longer mayor, former mayor Cremata is now a mammal marine observer. He says it’s strange to him because he’s never sat so long next to the water without a fishing pole. The town is hoping the or dock project is completed on schedule by spring 2024 to welcome the new passengers. The Segway Visitor Center said that there were 497 port calls the season with a record breaking 1,192,662 passengers.
MH 04:31
Wow. Well that sounds like just about wraps it up for our Skagway updates. Melinda. It’s a pleasure to have you with us this week and look forward to talking to you next week as well.
MM 04:44
Thank you everyone. Please remember to attend Tuesday’s school board meeting and we’ve always got our Assembly meetings happening. Have a great day.
MH 04:53
Excellent. You too.
MM 04:55
Thanks so much.
MH 04:56
Thanks again to MM in Skagway for her reporting. For KHNS local news I’m MH
