A teleconference moderator responded to those claims this week.
In a letter to the Homer News, she said Seldovia is an "off-net" site that does not have an official Legislative Information Office with point-to-point Juneau contact over the state's teleconference system. Off-net sites call a toll-free number and generally use a speakerphone, she said.
"I receive information from the Juneau moderator about what sites are online," she said. "I then personally make a note to give to the chair of the meeting, advising them which off-net sites are online.
"Sen. Gary Stevens was the chair, and he in fact asked if Seldovia was online and whether anyone wanted to speak," she said. "No one answered."
For his part, Stevens made it clear to the Homer News that there was no attempt to snub Seldovia.
"As far as I know, when I called on Seldovia early in the meeting and then again at the end of the meeting (asking) if anyone from Seldovia wanted to speak, I did not get a response," he said. "Maybe it was the hookup, maybe it was the connection they had.
"I'm not sure how they're calling in, since they don't have an official (Legislative Information Office)," Stevens said. "I don't really know much about the technological end of it. But I'd like to include them in future teleconferences."
As to his canceled visit to Seldovia, he said it was a last minute addition to his scheduled trip to Homer. When his office was unable to schedule a return flight to Juneau that would allow him to visit Seldovia without missing work the following Monday morning, Stevens chose to cancel.
"It would have been an unexcused absence in the Legislature on Monday," he said. "There certainly was no attempt to snub Seldovia either then or at the teleconference."
Chris Bernard is a reporter for the Homer News. He can be reached at cbernard@homernews.com.
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