Author: Joe Viechnicki, KFSK

The votes were not yet there Monday for a plan to resume in-person public participation at meetings in Petersburg with health precautions for COVID-19. Some on the assembly thought it was too early to make that move. Meeting timing, overtime pay and the sound system at the assembly chambers also entered into the decision.

Emergency officials in Petersburg say an employee of Petersburg Medical Center has tested positive for COVID-19.

A draft plan for the visitor industry in Petersburg recommends some public projects and additional planning for an expanded presence by summertime visitors. Candidates for borough assembly are hoping to address those recommendations before next year’s season.

Voters have a choice of four candidates for two seats on Petersburg’s borough assembly this fall. All four have experience in local elected office but they differ in how they’d like to see the local government’s respond to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Saturday’s electrical power outage in Wrangell and Petersburg was caused by a contractor training employees at the Tyee Lake hydroelectric plant.