By Marc Donadieu
Glacier City Gazette
No explanation was given when Whittier proposed a $2,000 per day rate for interim policing, an unexpected $307 per day increase over the negotiated long-term contract rate. Whittier also proposed extending the Nov. 30 interim contract until Dec. 31.
If agreed upon, a long-term contract would begin Jan. 1.
With Whittier City Manager Mark Lynch and Public Safety Director Dave Schofield on vacation, the Gazette spoke with Mayor Daniel Blair to understand the lengthy negotiation process and the reasoning behind the $23,946 interim rate increase.
Blair indicated that as a volunteer mayor he was not directly involved in the negotiations. He also said the interim contract was a last hour implementation before Lynch and Schofield went on vacation and expected negotiations to be completed at an earlier date.
“My first blush would be this,” said Blair. “When I do a contract, and I engage a contractor, they always charge me more for less. In other words, if I just have snow removal for one day, it costs me a lot more than if I do it by the season. There’s more risk involved because there’s no obligation for Anchorage or Girdwood to renew [the interim] contract, so it’s a separate contract.”
Without direct knowledge of the situation, Blair said there could be a number of reasons for the increase such as staffing issues or purchases. Blair also indicated the contract process has been difficult because none of the participants have been through it before.
“Part of the frustration on both sides is that we’re doing something new here,” Blair said. “The administration is trying to mitigate the risk to the community of Whittier and yet be responsive to the community of Girdwood and at the same time run a municipal government. We’re stretching ourselves a little bit. I hope it all works out.”
Blair said that during the contract process Whittier had expended resources for attorney fees, administrative work and sending Chief Schofield to a multitude of meetings. He also said the three-way negotiation between Whittier, the Municipality of Anchorage and the Girdwood Board of Supervisors adds additional complications and compromises.
“We’re trying to do a contract using the Municipality of Anchorage’s contract code, which is not ideal for what we’re trying to do. This isn’t a tree-trimming contract. This is a contract for providing peace officers. It’s engaging my resources, which I do for free, but they’re engaging our city attorney and our city administration with our chief of police.
Blair lamented that a long-term policing contract could not have been signed sooner.
“We’ve done all of this to be patient. If this had been a contract that was amendable to us and to Anchorage, we would have signed a contract. Had everything gone well, this [interim] contract wouldn’t exist. I don’t know the reason for the increase. I will say we would have been happy to sign the long-term contract.”