Tonight, city council will consider an irregular funding request from the Museum of the Aleutians.

Museum staff are asking for a $200,000 grant from the city's bed tax fund to put toward a new permanent exhibit. The bed tax on hotel and room reservations in Unalaska is set aside to pay for visitor industries, and historical and cultural programming.

The museum exhibit seems to fit into that category. But in a memo in to council included in the agenda packet, assistant city manager John Fulton says there isn't enough money in the tax fund to pay for the museum's request. Fulton lays out other options, and recommends that the city pay the grant in full using money from the general fund.

Fulton says he made that recommendation in recognition of the museum's effort to fund the exhibit from other sources. They've raised over $370,000 so far to build the plans. But in their proposal, museum staff say they will have to return those funds if they can't get another $200,000 grant to fill the gap.

Fulton acknowledges that local nonprofits usually don't get additional money from the general fund beyond the annual grant process. But he says there have been exceptions: For example, the city has given the clinic extra money after the grant cycle had ended to help pay for repairs and equipment.

The museum's last request for extra grants outside of the regular cycle, in 2010, was tabled.

Also on the agenda for tonight: Council will acknowledge National Domestic Violence Awareness Month and Fire Prevention Week, after a flag ceremony by the Scouts.

The canvassing committee will report to council on the October 2 municipal election, and council will vote to finalize the election results. Zac Schasteen was re-elected to council seat F and Tom Enlow was re-elected to council seat G. School board member Melanie Magnusen was also re-elected.

Council will receive an update on capital projects. They'll also vote on a resolution to accept a $4 million grant from the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation. The grant is for the city's new wastewater treatment plant.

Toward the end of the meeting, council will move into executive session to evaluate the performance of city manager Chris Hladick.

Council meets tonight at 7 pm in City Hall.

Correction: A previous version of this article stated that, "The museum's last request for extra grants outside of the regular cycle, in 2010, was denied." At the mentioned 2010 meeting, Museum Director Zoya Johnson delivered a presentation on exhibit updates and petitioned for $75,000 in project funding outside the non-profit grant cycle. A resolution that would commit funding was removed from the agenda, because it fell outside the funding calendar. No money was formally appropriated to the project, but council offered verbal support for the redesign.