Greg Kim

Bethel City Council fired former City Manager Pete Williams weeks ago, but Williams' termination was still the topic of the biggest showdown at last night’s council meeting. Council member Leif Albertson introduced an action memorandum to consult an attorney about whether the firing was legal. It failed 3-3 with Vice-Mayor Raymond “Thor” Williams and council members Fritz Charles and Carole Jung-Jordan opposing. Albertson, Mitchell Forbes, and Perry Barr voted in favor of consulting an attorney. Mayor Fred Watson was absent.

Bethel has lost its opportunity to protest the marijuana retail license for ALASKAbuds. The last day to protest is June 3, but the council learned Tuesday night at a council meeting that they were required to provide seven days notice to the licensee. 

On Tuesday, the Bethel City Council chose an executive search firm to look for a new city manager. The name of the search firm remains confidential until the regular council meeting next week, when the contract could be approved. 

Once council and the firm sign a contract, the firm will advertise the job, collect applications, and narrow down the field to a handful of applicants. That should take two to three months. Then it will be up to the council to review those candidates.

People in Akiak woke up on Monday to find their smokehouses in the river. Massive erosion along the riverbank had eaten those structures earlier that morning.

The City of Bethel could be on the hook for a lot of money. Bethel’s insurance company told the city council on Tuesday that the city is on its own if former City Manager Pete Williams files a wrongful termination lawsuit. 

Barbara Thurston, the executive director of Alaska Public Entity Insurance, said the reason the city would not be covered can be seen in the insurance contract the city signed.

"It requires that members consult an attorney before terminating an employee and following the recommendations of the attorney," Thurston said.

Bethel is now only weeks away from its first marijuana store. The state Marijuana Control Board approved the license for ALASKAbuds "with delegation."  That means it’s approved with a condition, the condition being state fire marshal approval. 

Nick Miller owns ALASKAbuds with his wife. He also sits on the Marijuana Control Board, but he didn’t get to vote on his own application. Miller says that he is not worried about getting fire marshal approval.