Skagway’s medical clinic’s governing board is in talks to hire an interim executive director, garbage rates may go up and the school may soon get a full-time nurse on the state’s dime. KHNS’ Mike Swasey talked with Skagway’s Vice Mayor Orion Hanson on Tuesday about what to expect from this week’s borough assembly meeting.

Swasey – Vice Mayor Orion Hanson, you think that it’s going to be a pretty long meeting, huh?

Hanson – I do. Usually, I can read the tea leaves and guess if it’s going to be quick or it’s not going to be quick. And I think this will be a long meeting.

Swasey – Executive sessions can play a role in that. Want to tell us what’s happening in the executive session?

Hanson – We will be discussing the new district that was drawn and approved by the redistricting board.

Swasey – Okay, well, let’s talk on some of the things that are going to be happening where everybody can pay attention. One of the big developments is that the executive director at the Dahl Memorial Clinic is no longer in that position. Is there a new interim, at least, executive director ready to take over the reins?

Hanson – My understanding is the clinic board is in final negotiations with a new executive director. And if they come to terms, we’ll be able to vote on that on Thursday, and hopefully, it goes smoothly. 

Swasey – On Thursday, you’re going to be deciding on an interim executive director or a full-time Executive Director?

Hanson – My understanding of it is that I believe it’s an interim executive director. But you know, that’s better than no one.

Swasey – We’ll move on to the solid waste utility rates, are they going up a little bit?

Hanson – They’re going up a little bit. There was about a 15 year period where the rates didn’t change at all. And it was kind of out of whack to where the municipality was more than just subsidizing some of the rates. So we had a study done on that and decided that we should incrementally increase the rates. And we didn’t do it during the pandemic. But they’re pretty small increases so that we’re not looking at another assembly in 15 or 20 years and having to double the rates or something that becomes quite a shock to the payers. So it’s small, incremental increases to solid waste rates.

Swasey – Will you tell us a little bit about the grant to fund a school nurse?

Hanson – The state of Alaska has a grant that they awarded to the municipality of Skagway to have a school nurse, it’s for about $110,000. And that, I think, is related to added COVID testing. So I think that adds to the security and safety of the school teachers and students and hopefully allows more sense of normalcy within the walls of the school on a day to day basis that we have a nurse on site who can not only tend to bumps and bruises but any kind of level of COVID questions. 

And, they are then not having to go to the clinic or to the traditional council. It’s a term that ends on June 30 of 2023. So I think it’s pretty exciting that that’s happening and we’re grateful to the state for having this program and seeing Skagway worthy of needing a nurse.

Swasey – Yeah, I know that they’re going to test every kid twice a week. And then if the kids test negative at a certain age range, they won’t have to mask anymore. So that’s a pretty exciting development in a move toward normalcy, and boy, wouldn’t that be nice to see. Vice Mayor Orion Hanson, thanks so much for joining us, and have yourself a wonderful day.

Hanson – You too. Stay warm out there.

This week’s Skagway borough assembly meeting starts at 7 p.m. on Thursday night and can be streamed live at khns.org.