Several documents obtained through a public records request indicate a pair of settlements with now former Kenai Peninsula Borough employees and Borough Mayor Charlie Pierce. A pair of settlement agreements, between the Kenai Peninsula Borough and ‘Kim,’ whose last name is redacted as well as a Sandra ‘Stormy’ Brown, show payments in excess of $250,000.
The last name Saner was redacted in the document, but the following sentence stated he was employed as the Human Resources Director.
Record checks show that Kim Saner and Sandra Brown were both employed for the Kenai Peninsula Borough as its Human Resources Director. Saner, most recently, was the HR Director from November 2018 to December 2021. Prior to that, Brown was the Human Resources Director from November 2012 to September 2018.
The situation in question, regarding Saner involved a settlement of $117,000. The Confidential Settlement Agreement indicates that a complaint dated December 15, 2021 related to alleged ‘illegal acts’ by Kenai Peninsula Borough Mayor Charlie Pierce, adding that they were allegations relating to bullying.
The confidentiality clause of said confidential agreement states that the Kenai Peninsula Borough will keep the agreement confidential unless requested in executive session by the Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly or by a court of law and/or the material terms be released pursuant to public record request if the KPB determines that it is required to produce the terms of the agreement under applicable public records law.
It shows Saner signed the agreement on December 29, 2021.
The settlement with Brown is dated May 2019 for payments of $135,000 and $15,000. It was agreed upon after a wrongful termination.
KSRM reached out to Borough Mayor Pierce through text message for inquiry into these settlements. His response was:
“The settlement is between the Borough risk/legal departments and the HR Director. I have no comments on public records that you have (to) obtain through the request for information process.”
Following the primary election, Pierce resigned from his position as Kenai Peninsula Borough Mayor citing his intent to focus on his gubernatorial campaign. He finished in the top four vote getters in the primary, which automatically advance to the regular general election in November.
NOTE: This story was put together in coordination with KINY in Juneau.
