Jail Funded; Water Projects Axed by Parnell

Jay Barrett/KMXT

House 36 Capital Projects

Governor Sean Parnell signed the state’s budgets Thursday, but took the red pen to $300-million in capital improvement projects around the state. Almost $7-million of those cuts came at the expense of the city of Kodiak. The two projects cut were the ultra-violet secondary drinking water treatment facility in the amount of $4-million, and Phase Three of the Aleutian Homes water and sewer replacement project, in the amount of $2.8-million.

The governor’s veto notes suggested the projects be submitted again in the future, which is exactly what Mayor Carolyn Floyd said the city would do:

— (Capital 1 20 sec "We need that, too … I think positively.")

Kodiak Senator Gary Stevens, the Senate President, expressed dismay at the cuts, saying the projects provided critical infrastructure to the city.

What did come through for the city was the $2.1-million it sought for completion of the city jail inside the new public safety building:

— (Capital 2 19 sec "It makes us very happy … very positive about it.")

The city council took a hard line with the state over the jail completion money, even going so far as not funding the current jail operation past the end of this month. Many of the prisoners the jail holds are for the state, which does pay some of the operating costs.

District 36, which includes the Kodiak Island Borough and parts of the mainland, will receive $59.5-million in capital project funds, though more than half is in federal pass-through money. The pass-through projects are the largest item on the list, including $36-million in Kodiak State Airport improvements, and $5-million to be spent on resurfacing Rezanof Drive from Carolyn Street to Fort Abercrombie.

There is $18.5-million in expenditures from the state general fund for the district, including $5.1-million for the Ouzinkie projects, and $4-million for the Alaska Aerospace Corporation to sustain the Kodiak Launch Complex after it lost its federal contracts. Other million-dollar-plus projects include $3-million for the Old Harbor dock reconstruction, and $1-million for the Port Lions dock.

There is another $20-million for construction of a new Fish and Game headquarters on Near Island, but that must first be approved by the voters in a statewide bond package scheduled to be on the August Primary Election ballot.

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