KMXT 100.1 FM Public Radio in Kodiak, Alaska
Mitch Borden/KMXT
At its work session last night, the Kodiak Island Borough Assembly looked over a report on how combining the governments of the borough and the city of Kodiak would affect the region.
Borough Manager Michael Powers said staff has gone as far as it can without devoting more resources to the project, such as having a staff member work on it full-time or hiring an outside contractor. Powers also said the city hasn’t shown it’s in favor of consolidation.
“Right now we don’t have a willing partner in the city. And while we could run, attempt to run, roughshod over them, they already feel like roughshod over them and hence the stand that they have taken that they’re not participating in any sort of analysis at this point.”
Some assembly members were unsatisfied with the state of the report. Assemblywoman Julie Kavanaugh said the report didn’t state clearly what the assembly should do.
“We haven’t answered the question whether consolidation is a good idea or not and this report doesn’t answer that question.”
According to manager Powers, there are still a lot of things that need to be researched and decided on. Such as the kind of government the borough would become if it combined with the city. He said operational and fiscal analysis needs to be done and a transition plan needs to be looked into.
Assemblywoman Rebecca Skinner said the assembly needs to figure out what they are willing to pay to pursue this topic further.
“The assembly needs to decide are we willing to pony up the money. I mean it’s coming down to either hiring someone contracting with someone or rearranging our internal resources. I mean it’s a resource issue. I don’t think we are gonna go forward anymore without that.”
Assemblyman Kyle Crow said he’d draft a resolution to bring before the assembly to help it move forward in its consolidation research and process.
