Jail Funds in Pipeline for Kodiak

Jay Barrett/KMXT

The hard line the Kodiak City Council has taken for more a year with the State of Alaska over construction funds for the jail portion of the new public safety building may have paid off. The state released the list of District 36 capital projects that have gotten the tentative green light from the Senate Finance Committee, and it includes the $2.1-million to finish the jail.

The money is part of a $63-million package for Kodiak-area projects.

City Manager Aimee Kniaziowski (Kenya-zzhoff-ski) was appreciative of all the money headed for Kodiak but especially the jail funds:

— (Capital 1 22 sec "Of course my focus … we’ll be good to go.")

The jail funding will be appropriated before the beginning of the new fiscal year begins in July, so construction will not have to stop and then start back up at the public safety building.

The Kodiak City Council has been adamant that the state pay for the jail portion of the building, even going so far as saying last year that it would close the current jail at the end of June this year whether a new one was ready or not:

— (Capital 2 44 sec "The city council was very firm … get back to business.")

The $2.1-million in jail funds is actually the smallest appropriation coming to the city. Almost $2.8-million is slated for Phase 3 of the Aleutian Homes water and sewer project, and nearly $4-million for the ultraviolet secondary drinking water treatment facility. In addition, $5-million is budgeted to refinish Rezanof Drive East, from Carolyn Street to Fort Abercrombie. The water and sewer project and the paving will take place this summer, while the water treatment will go out to bid this fall for construction next year.

More than half the proposed District 36 appropriations – at $36-million – goes to improvements at the Kodiak State Airport.

Three village docks are on the list for improvements, including $5-million for Ouzinkie, $1.3-million for Old Harbor and $1-million for Port Lions. The Alaska Aerospace Corporation, which runs the state-owned Kodiak Launch Complex at Narrow Cape, is getting $4-million. About a half-million dollars will go to each of three projects: fisheries enhancement, storm repairs and to Fish and Game for its Kodiak warehouse upgrades.

The capital projects bill is still in the Senate Finance Committee, and should make it to the Senate floor over the weekend for a final vote before being sent to the House for review.

At about $1-billion, the capital budget has drawn fire from Governor Sean Parnell, but Kodiak’s Representative Alan Austerman defends the spending plan, saying the investments will address "real needs."

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