Council holds off on authorizing hire of interim city manager

The Nome Common Council wanted to see a negotiated employment agreement before voting on a resolution to install former retired city attorney Brooks Chandler as the interim city manager. Outgoing City Manager Glenn Steckman is set to depart Nome on Sept. 1. Before the council was a resolution to approve entering into a contract with Chandler for a minimum of 90 days as interim city manager, but no agreement was attached to the resolution. Mayor John Handeland, taken aback by the council’s reluctance to pass the resolution without having a contract agreement before them, said the council had discussed this in executive session. The process was to find an interim city manager while the city is hiring a professional headhunting firm to seek a permanent city manager, while also advertising for the position. With the imminent departure of Steckman, it seemed pressing to install an interim. For the lack of a suitable temporary replacement the city hoped to find on an Alaska Municipal League’s list, Handeland said, it occurred to him in the middle of the night, that Brooks Chandler, a retired attorney who’s been the city’s legal counsel for more than 30 years and who has a connection to Nome, would be a good prospect. Chandler signaled interest and Handeland has entered into negotiations of terms of employment, but those negotiations have yet to be put into a formalized agreement. “Typically, we see a proposed agreement and the employment rate,” Councilmember Scot Henderson said. He said it seemed premature to sign off on the resolution without any of that information presented. Councilmembers Mark Johnson, Adam Martinson and Cameron Piscoya agreed, saying they want to see a contract prior to approving the resolution.
The resolution was not further considered and will be presented in a future regular or special meeting.
The council then signed off on a resolution that designates City Clerk Dan Grimmer to serve as acting city manager from Sept. 2 until an interim city manager is found and employed.

Property tax waivers
In other business, the council voted to waive penalties and interest on taxes owed in a complicated real estate situation involving the old pharmacy building at 100 Lanes Way. The owner of the building, Gladys West, approached the council with a letter, saying that she wishes to sell the property to Sitnasuak Native Corporation, which will take then responsibility to demolish, remediate and dispose of the dilapidated building.
West had sold the building before, to Windrow and the late Mark Sackett, but the Sacketts did not pay off the promissory note, and fell behind on city taxes, IRS obligations and NJUS bills. Rather than foreclosing the property, former city manager Tom Moran prepared a quitclaim deed and the property reverted to West. According to West, she had been paying taxes on time, but they were counted toward taxes that the Sacketts owed the City, with the result that there is an outstanding amount of more than $16,000 for which she sought forgiveness so that the real estate deal with Sitnasuak can proceed. In the interest of the City and the community to move forward, the council voted to waive the interest and penalties and to write off the $16,083.74.  The vote did not include Councilmember Scot Henderson, whose employment is with Sitnasuak and he declared a conflict of interest.
In another action the council also voted on a resolution to remove two buildings and one land lot off the property tax rolls. The buildings are dilapidated structures, owned by now deceased people, and sitting on land owned by a different person. The lot is not located inside city limits and should’ve never been taxed.

As the meeting was the last council gathering prior to Steckman’s departure, he took the opportunity to thank his staff and express appreciation for their hard work. Steckman also summarized major milestones that were accomplished despite setbacks like COVID and Merbok under his administration.  “I want to acknowledge the accomplishments of the city employees over the last five years,” he said. “They managed the COVID crisis where, for 15 months, City staff stood at the airport greeting passengers coming into Nome through snow, freezing rain, freezing temperatures. At least two employees greeted passengers to encourage them to get tested and they were not always met with smiles and positive greetings.”
Counter to a letter to the editor complaining about the Rec Center, Steckman clarified that the Rec Center’s kitchen was replaced with a commercial kitchen, 40 tables, 320 chairs and a motorized floor sweeper was purchased with grant money, secured by Marguerite LaRiviere. One boiler was replaced, another bought. But more needs to be done. “I’m estimating we have $4.5 million in necessary repairs to be done on this building [Rec Center]. At least $1.4 million is related to the saunas and to the locker room.”
He went on list in detail improvements, long overdue renovations and upgrades to city facilities, including City Hall, Old St. Joe’s, the Mini Convention Center, the Visitor Center and playgrounds.
After Merbok, city staff has worked with FEMA to recover over $12 million in damages. He credited finance director Nikki Crowe and her staff with this.
City Hall is currently in the process of having the heating and ventilation system and its failed fire alarm system replaced.
Around Belmont Cemetery natural fencing had been installed to keep the musk oxen out and there are less than 150 more feet to install.
The antiquated radio system has been replaced. “And to give you a piece of information that even I didn’t know until recently, we can actually broadcast over the fire alarm system, and so that when we do a test, we can turn around and acknowledge a test is going on,” Steckman said.
The NPD is close to accreditation. When Steckman took over from the previous administration, there were 460 sexual assaults unresolved, which were then investigated and resolved. New bulletproof vests and body cams have been purchased, two cameras have been installed in police cars, all car radio systems have been updated. NPD has been able to hire two victim advocates. The 911 center was upgraded with the new Eventide system, and as part of the upgrade with the radio system.
The ice skating rink was moved to the Rec Center.
In a prolonged saga, the Nome swimming pool was converted from a salt water pool to the original chlorine pool and a commercial based mechanical system was installed replacing the recreational style model, making the pool compliant with state regulation.
Public Works, he said, moved the most snow in its history last winter.
“This is all done by the staff, which I had the pleasure leading for five years,” Steckman said. “And I say that I leave with bittersweet feelings.”
Councilmember Meghan Sigvanna Topkok is not seeking reelection, and she expressed frustration that her goal to formalize relationships between the city and the tribes has not come to fruition. Despite having worked on an ordinance over time, nothing has been brought before the council.  “It’s just been rather disappointing that this ordinance has been drafted for, I think, a couple years now, but hasn’t had any movement,” Topkok said. “The tribes and I work together to put this together based on what Anchorage has in their ordinances, and I guess I just don’t want to delay it more than necessary.”
The council recessed and Mayor Handeland called for an executive session to discuss the interim city manager negotiations and reviewing parts of Steckman’s contract.