Gustavus’ city hall is only been open for minimal functions following the abrupt departure of key city employees.
The city lost both of its clerks on the same day, and no one is saying why.
Here’s what we know:
- Mayor Connie Edwards was elected by her fellow council members last month.
- Almost immediately she fired the city’s senior librarian, Kate Boesser, on June 12.
- Two days later, both city clerks – Lori Ewing and Tanya Wagner – quit, leaving it up to elected officials to keep the city hall open four days a week.
On Monday morning, Councilwoman Barb Miranda answered the phone at city hall. The reasoning behind the firing and subsequent resignations, she said, isn’t clear.
“I honestly have no idea,” she said. “None of the other council members other than the current mayor have any idea why the folks here at city hall resigned.”
Mayor Connie Edwards would not comment.
Seeking clues to the reasoning behind the clerks’ departure, KTOO filed a public records request on Friday seeking their letters of resignation. City Attorney Paul Grant responded Monday that the resignation letters are “confidential personnel documents that are exempt from disclosure.”
Meanwhile, Miranda, who along with Councilman Mike Taylor has been helping to staff city hall, said the city council would soon be meeting behind closed doors to try and get answers from the mayor. They added they hope to have new hires this week.
“We’re working on filling, approving positions this Thursday evening at a special meeting,” she said. “We’ll be continuing discussion of some of these events next week at our regular meeting.”
Fired librarian Kate Boesser declined comment Monday. The former clerk Lori Ewing and assistant clerk Tanya Wagner also did not respond to messages for comment. Ewing’s email bounced back last week saying she’s resigned and directed further inquiries to the mayor.
Gustavus is a second-class city serving a population of less than 500 people. The community is the principle gateway to Glacier Bay National Park.
