Wasilla council plans executive session to discuss councilman who trashed Sitka hotel room

WASILLA — Wasilla City Council will meet in executive session Monday to discuss the behavior of Councilman Steve Menard, who left a Sitka hotel room needing $350 worth of cleaning and repair while on city business.

Menard was one of several city council members and staff attending the summer Alaska Municipal League meetings in Sitka last week. As a representative of the city, Menard had a room at the Westmark Sitka hotel for three nights, checking out Friday morning. Upon checking out, hotel staff found the room and its furnishings had been damaged. The city paid the $350, which Menard reimbursed on Tuesday.

According to a bill sent to the city from the Westmark, damage to Menard's room included two mattresses and a chair were urinated on, vomit on the carpet, removal of a screen from a window, a burned mattress, all bedding was ruined and there had been smoking in the room, which was prohibited. The room was out of service for three days while staff cleaned and made repairs.

In response, Deputy Mayor Doug Holler has called for an executive session at Monday's regular council meeting so the council can discuss the Sitka situation.

See Friday's Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman for more on this developing story.