Troll should have exited her Assembly seat graciously

The title of an article in the Oct. 19 Juneau Empire reads, “Outgoing Assembly member snubs political opponents in thank you note.” The article identifies a letter submitted by former Assembly member Kate Troll as a thank you note to the Assembly prior to the Monday meeting where new members would be sworn in. It was hardly a gracious letter. Instead it was poor etiquette and wrong.

Troll lost the areawide seat in the October election to Norton Gregory. On election night, it is customary for candidates to gather in the Assembly chambers when the results roll in to either celebrate or congratulate their opponent. Troll was a no-show. In fact, following the election Troll failed to fulfill her obligations by refusing to attend meetings or vote on any matters before the Assembly. This left her constituents without voice for the remainder of her term. Troll’s actions were wrong.

Instead of attending her final Assembly meeting where she was thanked for her service, she slipped her “thank you” note in the Assembly packets. The note appears to serve two purposes: to thank people she worked with, and to admonish three members who supported Mr. Gregory.

Troll claims that sitting CBJ Assembly members typically don’t weigh in on local elections. What she failed to state is that she did that herself, and not just once. A check of APOC records shows she not only supported Karen Crane in her candidacy for mayor in 2016, but in 2015 Troll supported Greg Fisk against incumbent Mayor Sanford and in 2014 she supported then-candidate Maria Gladziszewski.

Read more: http://juneauempire.com/letters/2016-10-28/troll-should-have-exited-her-assembly-seat-graciously