The mayor and two sitting city council members began their fresh terms following this month's municipal election. That means there are no changes to the makeup of the council this year.
Darin Nicholson and Daneen Looby will serve three-year terms in their respective council seats. And Unalaska Mayor Vince Tutiakoff Sr. will serve a second term as mayor — also for 3 years.
The council also voted to reappoint Dennis Robinson as vice mayor. They vote each year to elect a member of the council to serve in the leadership role for the coming year.
Robinson challenged Tutiakoff for mayor. That was the second time the two faced off for the head legislative role. The first time was 2019, when Tutiakoff was first elected.
This is the municipal government’s same makeup as last year — a bit of consistency in a city where administration has been marked with high turnover and vacant job positions.
Unalaska is still searching for a city manager. The council chose not to renew former City Manager Erin Reinders’ contract, which expired at the end of May. They’ve interviewed two candidates, but are still actively recruiting for the role.
The council has a significant term ahead: Balancing the budget amidst crab fishery closures; addressing skyrocketing airfare rates; and navigating the development of Unalaska as an arctic port are just some of the issues the council is expected to tackle in the coming year.