WASILLA -- Mayor Dianne Keller said she has "absolutely no intention" of resigning despite a 4-1 vote by the city council Monday night asking her to step down over her handling of a proposed Parks Highway shopping development.

The vote is not binding.

Wasilla city law lists eight reasons the mayor's seat can be declared vacant. Among them are being absent 90 days without excuse; being physically or mentally unable to perform the duties of office; and being convicted of certain crimes.

Keller's case fits none of them. Even so, four city council members present Monday said Keller had damaged the credibility of the city.

Deputy mayor Kristofer Larson voted against the measure and Councilman Doug Holler was excused from the meeting.

"The truth is that this mayor has failed to uphold her oath of office. She has not acted fairly with these folks," said Councilwoman Dianne Woodruff, sponsor of the resignation measure.

In February, Woodruff and other council members unanimously agreed to pay Denali Law Group of Wasilla $23,500 to investigate claims by Parks Highway business owners that Keller and city staff gave an unfair advantage to Meritage Development Group.

Meritage is seeking to build two large shopping centers in Wasilla on the Parks Highway.

Owners of 6 Robblees' and the Windbreak Cafe, both adjacent to the Meritage property, say they received letters from Keller that include a threat to use eminent domain proceedings if they didn't agree to cooperate on a frontage road that would run between the businesses and their parking lots.

Wasilla economic development planner Casey Reynolds, who wrote the letter, said it was only meant to spur business owners to talk to the city.

The existing frontage road, Sun Mountain Avenue, is just a few yards from the highway. If the shopping center generates the 10,000 cars per day that developers expect, it will be jammed with traffic.

Keller said she wants to make the road safer.

"Today, it's an unsafe road. It's going to continue to get more unsafe," she said.

Windbreak co-owner Annette Andres said the threat of eminent domain was not as upsetting as the city's inability to make up its mind on whether it would force a plan to split their properties.

The city repeatedly told Andres and 6 Robblees' president Thomas Ogren that the frontage road plans were off the table, even when actions showed otherwise.

"The plan was in place. It had not stopped. The developer, had we not have been there, would have pushed it through," Andres said Monday night.

Monday's council vote was as much about attitude as action. Councilwoman Stephanie Massie said an apology could have avoided the whole thing.

Keller, after the meeting, said she was sorry "if people's feelings were hurt. If people misconstrued the intent, I apologize."

But during the meeting, Keller lashed out at Andres in comments that caused the audience to gasp.

Keller said she was a former cafe patron but had not visited the Windbreak in months because she could not support what she saw as personal attacks against her.

"What I have done is denied myself the opportunity to have the best bacon-cheeseburger in Alaska since November," Keller said. "If I was truly the woman you have said, I would have directed the Wasilla police department to sit up at your bar and blow (alcohol test) all your patrons. But I didn't do that."

Councilman Marty Metiva said the comments "scared the living daylights" out of him and convinced him to vote against Keller.

Keller said the comments were meant to illustrate the kind of person she was not.

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