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Skagway Assembly adopts employee electronic-communications policy, clarifies it won’t apply to elected officials
Summary
The Skagway Assembly on Aug. 7 adopted Resolution 25-18R to add an electronic communications and devices policy to the personnel manual after a contractor risk assessment and an amendment to incorporate finance-committee recommendations; members also removed proposed mandatory biometric unlock language out of privacy concerns.
The Skagway Assembly on Aug. 7 approved Resolution 25-18R to adopt an electronic communications and devices policy by reference into the municipal personnel policy, saying the change responds to a consultant risk assessment that found vulnerabilities in device security and uncontrolled access to municipal data.
Manager Dietch told the Assembly the policy was drafted by a contractor after a risk assessment funded by a grant found “uncontrolled access to municipal data, inconsistent device security, and then lack of policy and clear guidelines for acceptable use.” Dietch said the resolution adopts a standard policy and that personnel rules apply to employees; elected and appointed officials are excluded from the personnel policy and the resolution was clarified to make that explicit.
An assembly member moved to amend the main motion to include the finance-committee’s recommended edits to the acceptable-use and mobile-device-management policies; the amendment passed on a roll-call vote. During discussion an assembly member urged removing mandatory biometric-unlock language, saying, “I personally have a lot of concerns with the idea of the government taking mandatory biometric information from employees.” The Assembly removed or clarified that requirement as part of the amendment.
Supporters said the policy reduces cybersecurity risk and avoids naming specific apps or contractors so it remains adaptable; finance committee members also recommended language clarifying applicability to elected officials. Dissenters framed the change as a balance between digital security and employee privacy; no public speaker addressed this item before the Assembly voted.
The motion to adopt Resolution 25-18R as amended passed on a roll-call vote, recorded as 6-0 in favor.
The personnel policy will be maintained by manager approval for future technical updates; the Assembly’s action adopts the current policy language by reference and instructs staff to implement the device-management practices and the clarified exclusions for elected and appointed officials.
