Dock workers offload a weekly mail and grocery delivery from the Horizon Kodiak on a recent Friday. (Annie Ropeik/KUCB)

City officials went head-to-head with union workers on Tuesday, trying to assure them that they’d keep their jobs once the city finds an anchor tenant for the Unalaska Marine Center.

City manager Chris Hladick says he expects they’ll only have interest from companies who would use the established local workforce.

"We never envisioned that this would become about the labor. We did envision that the two folks that are using the dock [Horizon Lines and Maersk] would continue to use the dock," he said. "This is about growing – trying to get more people involved. The whole thing is not used on a weekly basis, and how can we fill it in?"

The city is trying to find shipping companies to make a long-term commitment to working out of the city dock. That would help finance an expansion project that's set to cost at least $44 million.

It's something Hladick says he’s been working on since he arrived in Unalaska 14 years ago. Tuesday was his last city council meeting before he steps into his new job as Alaska’s commerce commissioner.

Going forward, Hladick said he anticipates the Horizon and Maersk will be part of negotiations for the dock space. And according to a draft document requesting bids, all shipping companies will be evaluated in part on whether they plan to use ”local labor.”

Councilor Yudelka Leclere wanted to know if the city could help Horizon reserve a weekly slot for grocery and mail delivery, and put the rest of the dock schedule out to bid.

"Why aren’t we putting it in writing?" she asked. "Why are we not holding that conversation with them and saying: You're here, you’ve been here, you helped us build this. You know what, let’s get it in writing, we’re going to reserve this time."

Safeway store manager Abe Palmer spoke up with similar concerns during public comment.

"We have had a very good relationship with Horizon for many years," he said. "There are always hiccups, shipping issues, but I can say that if we were to have to go to an alternative shipper with unreliable scheduling, that would drive the cost of doing business in Dutch Harbor up."

Ports Director Peggy McLaughlin said domestic freight service will be a consideration as her department looks at dock use. But McLaughlin said the negotiations will not be broken up -- to protect against litigation from companies who might feel they weren’t given a fair chance to secure space at the dock.

Council hasn’t voted on whether to put the dock contract out for bid yet. They’ll take up the issue again when they meet March 24.

Related: Council, Union Raise Concerns Over City's Search for Shipping Partners