Community

The Kodiak Island Sportsman’s Association wants to establish a new lease with the borough to operate the island’s main outdoor firing range. The KISA also operates an indoor shooting range off of Monashka Bay Road, north of city limits. But last week on April 4 the Kodiak Island Borough Assembly voted no on a five-year lease for the Salonie Creek …

Electric rates in Kodiak will increase by 12.5% starting April 1. That’s after the Kodiak Electric Association’s Board of Directors approved the utility provider’s first rate hike in 30 years at their meeting last week on March 28. That means the average resident will see a monthly bill later this month that costs about $12 more, according to the local …

The Kodiak’s Fisheries Workgroup wants to host informational forums to speed along fish-related action items for the City Council and Borough Assembly. That was one decision the joint municipal body agreed on Wednesday, March 27, at its first forum in over four years. The Kodiak Fisheries Workgroup last held a meeting in Dec. of 2019. The group has two representatives …

The village of Old Harbor, on the southeast side of Kodiak Island, is one step closer to building a hydroelectric facility that would power the entire community of roughly 200 people. The rural energy project is getting a $10 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy to help fund construction. Last month on Feb. 27 the department announced up …

Getting an up-close look at a variety of marine life at Kodiak’s touch tank just got a little easier. Visitors of the aquarium and touch tank at the Kodiak Fisheries Research Center on Near Island can now stop by KFRC without booking an appointment first. Walk-in hours were brought back last week on March 19, which haven’t been offered consistently …

Kodiak’s proposed Anton Larsen Bay road extension has received a significant financial nudge forward from the federal government. Sen. Lisa Murkowski announced on March 20 $2.5 million dollars in funding for the project through Congress’ Fiscal Year 2024 appropriations package, which was signed into law earlier this month on March 9. Extending this road on Kodiak Island would provide year-round …

The Kodiak Fire Protection Area No. 1 Board [also known as the Bayside Fire Department] is seeking to cut their area’s property tax rate or mill rate by 10% from 1.5 to 1.35 mills. That decision was a point of contention during the Board’s meeting last week on March 12. Residents across Kodiak Island Borough saw their property values increase up …

Taxes – even just the word – can trigger a negative reaction in people. But this spring, it’s not all bad news for Kodiak’s tax-paying residents. The Kodiak Island Borough announced that their tax assessor is one of the best in the state.  Assessors and appraisers can be rated in levels of one to five by meeting certain qualifications, according …

New property assessments for Kodiak went out in the mail starting February 29. On Thursday night, March 7, disgruntled residents filled the Kodiak Island Borough Assembly chambers to voice their concerns over the significant increases. KMXT’s Davis Hovey was at the assembly meeting and has this report: “Please don’t tax us out of town,” Sylvia Kavanaugh said. “In my adult …

On this week’s Talk of the Rock, host Jared Griffin speaks with Ellamy Tiller, Outreach Coordinator for KWRCC, and Danielle Butts, Family Services Coordinator for KANA, about the Choose Respect March. The Choose Respect March will take place Wednesday, March 27. Meet at the Auditorium parking lot at noon, and march with the community to end the epidemic of domestic …