Assembly and Council Touch Base on Plastic Bag Ban

Black plastic bag. Christer / Flickr

Kayla Desroches/KMXT

The Kodiak Island Borough Assembly is making a possible ban on single-use plastic bags an open conversation with the Kodiak City Council from the get-go. The borough’s Solid Waste Advisory Board has been working on the ban.

SWAB has so far drafted an ordinance, consulted the borough attorney, and sent a representative to introduce the idea to the Kodiak Island Borough Assembly.

The Kodiak Island Borough Assembly touched base with the City Council last night at their joint work session. Borough Mayor Dan Rohrer pointed out that the ordinance hasn’t officially come before the assembly yet.

“The main thing was I wanted to make sure, if it is something that ends up going on a ballot this fall, that it’s not a surprise to the city council. Also, [I] wanted to make sure that we had given you a copy of the legal opinion that we had received and just kind of make you aware of where we’re at on it.”

Rohrer explained if they want to gauge the public’s interest in the ban, it would be most cost effective to do a poll in the general election. Their choices are to do that this coming fall or in fall 2018. He said, if they wait, the ban could lose the momentum and interest it’s gained. He said that’s why he wanted to bring it up with the city council.

City Mayor Pat Branson suggested going the slow and steady route.

“It seems like it’s just so quick. You know, it’s summer, I think it would be a little bit more empowering to have a joint ordinance with the city and the borough to do this kind of thing, and I don’t see that happening by the time frame… I mean, we can take our time to do it – that’s what I’m saying – in a joint fashion.”

Whether or not the city and borough decide to share an ordinance, it remains that most stores – including the larger ones like Safeway – are within city limits.

Assemblyman Matt Van Daele, who has been helping SWAB with the draft ordinance, agreed with Branson.

“For me personally, I would rather take our time with this and work with the city rather than trying to rush things to try to get something onto a ballot that might be worded in such a way that doesn’t accurately portray what we’re attempting to do with this.”

City councilwoman Laura Arboleda said she was happy to see community support and suggested the city needs more time to reach out to the public.

“I think taking our time and really working to get our ducks in a row and implement this choice in the community is a great idea. I like that we’re all in agreement with banning plastic bags, and I think it’s just going to take time, but it’s going to work out, and it’s going to keep our town beautiful.”

Branson said the city council would invite SWAB to speak about the plastic bag ban at a council meeting sometime in the future.

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