Wrangell Sentinel -

Despite uncertainty over the continued existence of the Thomas Bay Power Authority, commissioners voted 5-1 Dec. 19 to renew the commission’s

travel and liability insurance for another year.

The uncertainty stems from the possibility the TBPA in its present form may be placed on idle status as a result of negotiations between the Southeast Alaska Power Agency, and representatives for the Petersburg and Wrangell borough assemblies, set to begin after both assemblies authorized negotiation.

Commissioners initially asked whether a six-month renewal was

possible, prompting a phone call to the company providing the insurance and a temporary recess. When TBPA Commission secretary Rhonda Christian told commissioners the policy couldn’t be renewed for a term shorter than one year, but that the early cancellation of the policy would allow the commission to recoup any money for an unused

period, commissioners, with the exception of Petersburg’s Joe Nelson, voted to renew the policy for the full term.

Uncertainty over the way forward

surrounded conversation earlier in the meeting, when commissioners discussed the upshot of a potential move to SEAPA operations at Tyee.

“What I’m asking is, has SEAPA sent formal notice that they want to do

something to the borough of Wrangell?” asked James Stough, newly minted

commissioner and Wrangell assembly member and energy committee chair. “I haven’t seen anything formally presented to the borough. Is that coming?”

“That’s coming after the two boroughs put their heads together,” responded president John Jensen.

Negotiations would involve Wrangell mayor David Jack, Petersburg mayor Mark Jensen, Wrangell borough manager Jeff Jabusch, and Petersburg borough manager Steve Giesbrecht, though a

definite date hasn’t yet been set, Jensen told the commission.

“I’ve been involved in some of this stuff,” Stough said. “It seems like I don’t get the information that’s out there sometimes.”

No formal offer existed, Jensen said.

“Right now I don’t think there’s any information developed other than the initial borough resolutions,” he said. “We’re trying to work on it and meet both boroughs’ wishes and complete it as the borough wishes.”

Unofficially, Petersburg officials were amenable to helping fund the non net-billable portion of the costs, Jensen told the commission. The Wrangell borough has single-handedly funded non net-billable expenses for the commission since the Petersburg assembly voted to

withhold their portion of those funds in September, and part of the Wrangell resolution named Petersburg funding as a possible issue for negotiation.

“I don’t want to speak out of turn, or say something that’s not right, but I’m sure in the end, Petersburg – this is just from me, though, this is not from the borough or the mayor – Petersburg may be able to help out with the costs from whenever until we get an end date on the project,” he said.

The commission also heard from attorney Michael Nash, who represents former TBPA interim general manager Paul Southland. An out-of-court

settlement over Southland’s claims of severance pay is possible, given two conditions, Nash told commissioners. The first is a possible letter of

clarification to the Sentinel over Southland’s removal from his TBPA position, particularly regarding the use of the word “terminated” to describe the end of his tenure in a Sentinel headline, though the actual headline read “Southland fired, Nicholls hired by TBPA,” and the story makes reference to Southland “being relieved of duties.” The second involved disparaging

comments made about Southland to his child over the situation, which could be solved with an appropriate apology, Nash said.

The commission set a tentative date for the next meeting of Jan. 27 in Petersburg.