KMXT 100.1 FM Public Radio in Kodiak, Alaska
Kayla Desroches/KMXT
The Kodiak Borough Assembly talked about the use of the old pool space and firework restrictions, among others things, at last night’s work session.
The assembly has addressed the concerns about fireworks on Mission Beach and Mill Bay Beach at past meetings. It says residents have complained about the noise, but has also acknowledged that troopers do not always patrol those beaches for firework use or give priority to noise complaints.
Some members expressed concern about creating restrictions the assembly cannot enforce. Here’s Assemblywoman Rebecca Skinner.
“We already have enforcement problems and I don’t know if becoming more restrictive – I mean, we can’t enforce it, or we’re probably not going to enforce it,” says Skinner. “So I’m leaning toward on that matter, why would we pass an ordinance we’re probably not going to enforce?”
The assembly decided to pull the proposed rule against fireworks from the packet.
Girls basketball coach and Parks and Recreations board member, Amy Fogle, stopped by to speak in support of turning the former pool building into a gym. She says adults and youth in town need the extra space. She says she would like to see the assembly reserve the area as a gym and adds that it could have other uses too.
“I just would just hate to lose that to storage or some office,” says Fogle. “All the teams that travel over here, we can put them in that space instead of them in our schools sleeping in classrooms, they can all be sleeping in that community gym.”
The assembly decided the first step would be to send out a memo on how to designate the building as borough space. The assembly also went through the budget, but ended the meeting at about 11pm to reconvene at a later date. The assembly’s next regular meeting will be on May 7.
