Kenai City Council enters executive session to review three staff evaluations

The Kenai City Council on April 8, 2026, approved its agenda by unanimous consent and entered an executive session to review evaluations of the city manager, the city attorney and the city clerk, citing AS 44.62.310.C.2 as the statutory basis for a closed personnel discussion.

The meeting opened when the presiding official called the special session to order and led the Pledge of Allegiance. The clerk then conducted a roll call that confirmed a quorum: Council members Sonark, Mayor Naxted, Daniel, Grimmy, Vice Mayor Askin and Cassena were present; Council member Petty was absent.

"I move that we approve the agenda as presented and ask for unanimous consent," Vice Mayor Askin said during the agenda-approval portion of the meeting. After an unnamed council member seconded the motion and no objections were raised, the agenda was approved.

The presiding official then announced the executive session topics: "to review and discuss the city manager's evaluation," "the city attorney's evaluation," and "the city clerk's evaluation," each described as matters that "may tend to prejudice the reputation or character" of the employees and cited AS 44.62.310.C.2. Vice Mayor Askin moved to enter executive session and asked for unanimous consent; the motion was seconded, no objections were recorded, and the body moved into executive session.

No substantive public debate or votes on municipal policy were recorded in the public portion of the transcript. The council’s formal actions recorded in the public session were approval of the agenda and the unanimous consent to enter executive session to conduct the personnel reviews. The transcript ends with the council in executive session; no public outcome on the evaluations is reported in the recorded portion.