The Kenai City Council will allow Kenai Fire Chief Tony Prior to participate in Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s “Sleeves Up for Summer” COVID-19 vaccination campaign while in uniform, under the condition that he says at some point in the video that he is not speaking on behalf of the City of Kenai.
That is following a vote in support of Prior participating by the council at their May 5 meeting, during which Kenai City Manager Paul Ostrander said Prior reached out to him about participating in the campaign, which Dunleavy announced at the end of April. The campaign is intended to boost COVID-19 vaccination rates prior to the summer tourism season and has already featured testimonials from people across the state, including Sen. Peter Micciche. Some of the other participants include DHSS Commissioner Adam Crum and Alaska Chief Medical Officer Dr. Anne Zink.
Council member Teea Winger was the first to voice her opposition to Prior participating in the campaign and has previously said that she does not support city employees offering testimonials about why they chose to get vaccinated against COVID-19.
“I wouldn’t support him doing anything in uniform or as a chief, but if he would like to do it as [an individual], that’s on him,” Winger said.
Council member Henry Knackstedt added that when he got vaccinated, there was a “whole room full” of people in uniform. The Kenai Fire Department has been working with the City of Kenai to administer COVID-19 vaccines on the central peninsula for months.
“I think that part of the chief’s identity is that he is part of the fire department of the City of Kenai,” Knackstedt said. “He’s doing it personally but that’s part of his identity in our city so it seems totally appropriate that he would be wearing the uniform that he wears daily.”
Kenai Mayor Brian Gabriel said that the city has already endorsed the COVID vaccine “at some level” through previous action. He specifically cited the city’s COVID vaccine transportation program, to which the city appropriated funds, that allowed people in the city to take a free cab ride to a vaccine clinic also located in the city. That program was introduced by Winger earlier this year.
Council member Jim Glendening said that those programs are different from a video testimonial because they help people carry out their personal choice to get vaccinated and that he would not support Prior appearing in the testimonial in uniform.
Council member Victoria Askin said she was not as concerned about Prior appearing in uniform.
“It’s still their personal opinion regardless of what they’re wearing,” Askin said.
Ostrander suggested that the council make a motion to formalize their support or opposition to Prior participating in the campaign. The council voted 4-3 to allow Prior to participate in the campaign, with council members Glendening, Winger and Glenese Pettey voting in opposition.
Prior said Monday that he did not want to comment on the council’s action. The council’s full meeting can be viewed on the City of Kenai’s YouTube channel.
Reach reporter Ashlyn O’Hara at ashlyn.ohara@peninsulaclarion.com.
