Kodiak Island Borough Assembly weighs draft ordinance allowing remote participation; clerk to revise for April 3 introduction

The Kodiak Island Borough Assembly spent its March 13 work session discussing a draft ordinance, requested by Assembly members Steve Johnson, Ryan Sherritt and Beau Whiteside, that would permit assembly members to attend meetings electronically under defined conditions.

Supporters said the change would expand access for members with full-time jobs or who live in remote villages, while some raised concerns that remote attendance can limit public access and lead to de facto vote dilution when too few members attend in person.

Assembly member Beau Whiteside urged adding a requirement for video, saying video “would be more appropriate in my opinion.” Several members echoed that remote participants should be visible to the public and to other members. Multiple members also proposed tighter frequency limits on remote participation: the draft limits electronic attendance to a maximum of four regular meetings during a six‑month period; some members proposed changing that to four regular meetings per year and extending the measurement period to a full calendar year beginning after the election.

Members also discussed protections against vote dilution. The draft retains a requirement that at least four assembly members be physically present for certain actions. Several members said they wanted to keep that provision or similar safeguards to ensure core decisions are made with a sufficient in‑person quorum.

Clerk Nova advised the assembly about an internal policy that an ordinance requested by an assembly member must be introduced within 60 days; members acknowledged that further revision would likely extend past that 60‑day window and said they were comfortable holding another work session before formal introduction. The clerk said she could prepare a revised draft for introduction at the April 3 meeting, with the public hearing scheduled for April 17.

No formal motion to adopt the ordinance was taken at the work session. Instead the assembly gave staff direction to revise the draft language—suggestions included adding an operational webcam requirement, changing the allowable number and timing of remote regular meetings, and clarifying how special meetings and work sessions count toward any limit—and to return the revised draft for introduction on April 3, 2025.

Members who spoke on the item included both those who supported remote participation as a means to broaden representation from outlying villages and those who worried the practice could be abused or would reduce opportunities for the public to speak directly with members before or after meetings. Several members said they would prefer stricter caps on how often an individual member may participate remotely.