CITY COUNCIL

The city of Unalaska agreed to pay $765,000 to settle four separate lawsuits against its police department, all brought by former Unalaska Department of Public Safety employees who say they were either wrongfully fired or forced to quit due to harassment and bullying within the department, which the city and the accused officers deny.

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.

The final results for Unalaska’s Municipal Election are in and they confirm Darin Nicholson as City Council seat C winner. It was the only race in this year’s election that was undecided based on preliminary election results. City officials canvassed 37 absentee and questioned ballots Friday morning. 32 of those were tallied by the canvas committee, while 5 were deemed unqualified and were not counted.

The polls are closed and the preliminary results for Unalaska’s 2022 Municipal Election are in.With 37 absentee and questioned ballots still uncounted, just one of Unalaska's races is too close to call.

The filing period to declare candidacy in the 2022 Unalaska Municipal Election has closed. In all, eight people signed up to run in the Oct. 4 election.

The City of Unalaska will hold a Local General Election on Oct. 4. On the ballot this year is Mayor (presently Vince Tutiakoff), two City Council Members (seats held by Darin Nicholson and Daneen Looby), and two School Board Members (seats held by Bob Cummings and Nicole Bice). Deadline to declare candidacy is Monday, Aug. 22, 2022

The Unalaska City Council approved the contract for an interim city manager during a Special Council Meeting on Thursday. The city is actively recruiting to replace current manager Erin Reinders, whose contract expires at the end of the month. In the meantime, Chris Hladick will stand at the helm. He served as Unalaska's city manager from 2001 until he resigned in 2015.

A city proposal to allow all-purpose vehicles on Unalaska’s streets failed to move forward Tuesday. The Unalaska City Council voted against allowing the ordinance to proceed to its next meeting. Unalaska currently prohibits the use of all-purpose vehicles — like four-wheelers and all-terrain vehicles — on city streets. But a state law that went into effect this year opens the door to allow these modes of transport on public roads in places not prohibited by local law or ordinance.

Unalaska’s city manager will leave her post in less than three months, when her three-year contract with the city comes to an end on May 31. City Manager Erin Reinders sent an email Wednesday afternoon to city staff announcing her departure. Reinders said she was notified Tuesday morning that the Unalaska City Council would not be renewing her contract for another term.