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The Wrangell Medical Center Board of Directors met last Wednesday.

Board chair Woody Wilson was present via teleconference. Vice chair Bernie Massin chaired the meeting instead.

Marla Sanger, the interim CEO of Wrangell Medical Center, briefly discussed plans for the new hospital. She says she sees the project moving in a good direction, although it can be a slow process at times.

Board member Judy Allen brought up a topic she says she’d like to see discussed in future meetings–delivering babies.

She said that while the initial decision may have been made because of the high cost of liability insurance, there are many more issues that should be taken into consideration.

She talked about the financial cost to families to travel to either Ketchikan or Juneau to deliver. She also mentioned the stress on a family to have to make that decision. Finally, she said there is a cultural and community component.

Allen said the Shakes rededication was a beautiful time for the community and it made her think babies could bring more of that feeling to this town.

Massin brought up a concern regarding the treatment of the Fire Department and its volunteer EMTs at the hospital.

Marla Sanger apologized on behalf of the hospital and said she would look into the complaints.

There was an executive session mid-meeting to discuss the case of Wrangell v. Rea, et al. There was no discussion of the session during the public meeting.

Courtesy of uscg.mil

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The Coast Guard is conducting free dockside examinations for all commercial fishing vessels in Wrangell May 20-23.

Any commercial fisherman interested in scheduling a dockside exam can call Jim Paul at 907-617-2523.

The website to get a prep checklist is fishsafe.info.

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Story by Matt Lichtenstein from KFSK.

A Petersburg Fisherman early this month recovered more than half of the hand-carved cedar paddles that had been lost by the One People Canoe Society late last month.

A local hunting guide located their missing canoe as well.Two of the group’s canoes broke loose while under tow during bad weather on their journey to the historic Shakes Tribal House Rededication in Wrangell.

Some of the lost paddles – Photo courtesy of Jeff Erickson and KFSK

They were thrilled to hear about the finds.

When Petersburg’s Jeff Erickson heard KSTK’s radio story about the lost canoe and cedar paddles, he thought he could help.

Erickson is a longtime commercial fisherman and has beachcombed in Seymour canal for 20 years so he was sure he knew exactly where the paddles would wash up. He headed to Seymour just before the herring fishery there early this month.

When Erickson returned to his boat, the rest of his crew wanted to help so they all went back out to the beach. He says they searched about 12 miles of beach over a three day period and found a total of 24 paddles and about the same number of life jackets as well as some seat cushions. The crew of the state research vessel Medea agreed to take the paddles and gear back to members of the One People Canoe Society in Juneau.

Erickson was happy with his crew for taking part in the search and he calls the experience of finding the paddles very spiritual.

Erickson says he feels very strongly that the paddles need to be returned and if anyone else finds more, they should do the right thing and return them to their owners.

Making the individualized paddles was part of the journey for the Canoers as well those who helped sponsor their trip. Alicia Chiton is one of the organizers of the one-people-canoe-society in Juneau.

The Yakutat and Juneau Crew’s paddles washed away when two of their canoes broke loose while under tow in rough weather near Seymour. Chilton thinks the group lost 42 paddles in all. They initially recovered both canoes, but one broke loose a second time and remained missing.

Chilton says the group received word last week that Petersburg hunting guide Scott Newman had found that missing canoe in Gambier Bay off Admiralty and moved it to a more protected spot.

One People Canoe Society crews from Juneau, Yakutat, Sitka and Kake joined others from Prince of Wales and Wrangell for the rededication of the shakes Tribal house in Wrangell early this month.

Anyone who finds more of the group’s paddles or other gear can contact Alicia Chilton at 907-209-5616.

Click here to view the story on KFSK’s website.

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The May 14, 2013 Borough Assembly meeting saw two appointments and the designation of a commemorative day.

Mayor David Jack proclaimed May 25^th National Missing Children’s Day. Wrangell is encouraged to think about the nationwide issue of missing children on that day.

Borough Clerk Kim Flores will be traveling to Tacoma, Washington in June for a professional development course.

The two open seats on the Planning and Zoning Commission were not filled. Those positions will continue to be advertised.

There was no appointment to the Economic Development Committee, either.

Assembly Member Pam McCloskey was appointed to the liaison alternate seat on the Wrangell Medical Center Board.

Assembly Member Christie Jamieson was appointed to the Code Review Committee.

There was no executive session following the meeting.

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Agenda –May 14, 2013
City and Borough of Wrangell
Borough Assembly Meeting
AGENDA
May 14, 2013 – 7:00 p.m. Location: Assembly Chambers, City Hall
1. CALL TO ORDER
a. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE led by Assembly Member James Stough
b. INVOCATION
c. CEREMONIAL MATTERS – Community Presentations, Proclamations, Certificates of Service, Guest Introductions
i. Certificate of Service; John Taylor, Planning & Zoning Commission
ii. Proclamation; Take 25 – National Center for Missing & Exploited Children
2. ROLL CALL
3. AMENDMENTS TO THE AGENDA
4. CONFLICT OF INTEREST
5. CONSENT AGENDA:
a. Items (*) 6a, 7a, 7b & 13b
6. APPROVAL OF MINUTES
*a. Minutes of the Regular Assembly meeting held April 23, 2013
7. COMMUNICATIONS
*a Dept. of the Army – Notification of a Permit Application Modification approval for Mr. Mike Lang – POA-2009-73-M1, Wrangell Narrows
*b Travel Summary Report for the month of April, 2013
*13b Final Plat approval of the Goodale Replat
8. BOROUGH MANAGER’S REPORT
9. BOROUGH CLERK’S FILE
10. MAYOR/ASSEMBLY REPORTS AND APPOINTMENTS
a. Reports by Assembly Members
b. Appointment to fill the vacancies on the Planning & Zoning Commission
c. Appointment to fill the vacancy on the Economic Development Committee
d. Appointment of the Wrangell Medical Center Board Liaison Alternate Seat
11. PERSONS TO BE HEARD
City and Borough of Wrangell
Agenda –May 14, 2013
12. UNFINISHED BUSINESS
13. NEW BUSINESS
a. Discussion and possible action relating to an Industrial Lot Trade between the City and Borough of Wrangell & Brett Woodbury
*b. Final Plat approval of the Goodale Replat
14. ATTORNEY’S FILE
15. EXECUTIVE SESSION
16. ADJOURNMENT

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…The salmon that is…

The 2013 Salmon Derby kicked off Saturday in Wrangell.

This is the 61^st annual derby in Wrangell. It runs now until 9pm on June 9^th.

The Wrangell derby was the fourth in Southeast Alaska when it started in 1953, following Sitka, Juneau and Ketchikan.

Fred Angerman Senior took home the prize that inaugural year.

The Chamber of Commerce began sponsoring the derby three years later and is the organizer today.

2013 Wrangell Salmon Derby fishing boundaries – Courtesy of the Chamber of Commerce

Looking back to last year, David Svendsen took first with a 46.5 pound king.

Shawn Curley came in second at 43.3 pounds.

Travis Bangs took third with his 42.4 pounder.

The number to beat is record-holder Doris Iverson’s whopping 74.4 pound king in 1955.

In the youth category, Hunter Wiederspohn took first last year with a 37.9 pound king.

Logan Ritchie came second with a 30.6 pounder.

And John Buness took third at 29.7 pounds.

The number to beat there is Breanna Miethe’s (Mee-thee) 44.8 pound king in 2003.

There is over $30,000 in prizes for this year’s derby. First place will take home $6000. Second place takes $4000. And third place brings in $2000.

People aged 65 and better can vie for the $250 Art Clark Pioneer prize. It’s named for the derby lover and former author of the newspaper column “Wrangellitis.”

There are four weigh stations around town.

Weekdays from 9am until 5pm Wrangell Oil and Delta Western will weigh salmon.

Weekdays from 5pm until 9pm, fish can be weighed at the Wrangell Chamber’s City Dock station.

Weekends from 9am until 9pm, salmon should be taken to the Harbormaster’s Office.

The Harbor department wants to remind everyone to please follow posted boat launch rules.

It requests that refuse be left in appropriate bins. There are separate receptacles for nets, used oil, and household-like garbage.

For more information, you can check out the 2013 Salmon Derby Booklet.