Following the news that came out regarding a pair of settlements with now former Kenai Peninsula Borough employees and Borough Mayor Charlie Pierce regarding a pair of settlements between two separate Human Resources Directors, the Kenai Peninsula Borough scheduled a last-minute Assembly meeting Sunday afternoon regarding Pierce’s resignation. One of the agenda items in question related to the disclosure of items discussed in an executive session held on August 23, 2022.
Assembly President Brent Johnson read into record that the Assembly went into executive session on that date to provide the Borough Attorney specific direction to participate in mediation and direction regarding mediation costs and settlement ranges:
“The Borough agreed to pay full mediation costs up to $10,000. The settlement ranges will not be disclosed because disclosure could negatively impact Borough finances and opportunity for early resolution of this matter. In an effort to avoid costs association with a threatened lawsuit, the confidential mediation will attempt to reach a resolution of the reported violation of the Borough’s Bullying, Harassment, Discrimination, and Retaliation Prevention Policy. As part of a potential mediated resolution, Mayor Pierce was asked to consider submitting his voluntary resignation because a voluntary resignation could provide greater opportunity for pre-suit resolution of this dispute in that it could provide a meaningful return to work opportunity for the complainant, which is the foremost focus of the internal process under Borough policy.”
Allegations of harassment by Borough Mayor Charlie Pierce were reported on July 11, 2022. No external complaint was filed in an administrative forum or court of law, and because of it, the report was investigated as an internal, confidential, personnel matter under the Borough’s Bullying, Harassment, Discrimination, and Retaliation Prevention Policy. The law firm Ashburn & Mason was hired to investigate the allegations, and, on July 26, they provided their confidential report to the Borough Attorney that corroborated the complainant’s report and found the claims credible.
Amidst this, Borough Mayor Pierce, told KSRM that he resigned so that he could focus on his gubernatorial campaign as he finished in the top four vote getters in the primary. It is unknown what Pierce will do regarding his gubernatorial race as KSRM reached out to him for comment, and he didn’t respond.
Absent from the Special Assembly Meeting was outgoing Borough Mayor Charlie Pierce and his Chief of Staff Aaron Rhoades.