The Dillingham City Council adopted a budget for the upcoming fiscal year at Thursday night’s city council meeting. That came after extensive debate about the legality of how the budget was introduced.
During a special meeting last week, the council introduced the proposed budget by using a rescission process. That move voided a previous failed vote and allowed the council to reconsider the budget ordinance. The unusual step drew criticism from several council members.
At last week’s meeting, when the motion to introduce the ordinance resulted in a 3-3 split, Mayor Alice Ruby broke the tie, allowing the council to proceed. On Thursday, Council members Kaleb Westfall, Kevin McCambly and Micheal Bennett objected to that process. They said the rescission was not conducted in accordance with city code or Robert's Rules of Order, so the budget ordinance should not be considered.
With the June 30 deadline to adopt a budget approaching — after which the proposed budget would automatically take effect — Council member Curt Armstrong urged his colleagues to move forward. He redirected the council back to the budget itself.
“I have not heard, other than a plain ‘no’ vote, anything about why I'm not supporting this motion that's going along,” said Armstrong. "I'm not sure what the heart burn is. We have to have a budget.”
The budget ultimately passed on another 3-3 split, again decided by a tie-breaking vote from the mayor. Council members Armstrong, Steven Carriere and Bertram Luckhurst voted in favor, while Westfall, McCambly and Bennett voted against. The new budget cycle begins July 1.
The council also approved a resolution to sole-source hire PND Engineers Inc. for the Port of Dillingham Improvement Project, bypassing the competitive bidding process.
Members also voted to increase city employees’ personal leave by two days per quarter.
The council adopted one resolution to honor local law enforcement following National Police Week, and another to commend the Dillingham City School District bus driver, Brian Sifsof, for his service transporting students safely.
