KMXT 100.1 FM Public Radio in Kodiak, Alaska
The Kodiak Island Borough Assembly voted last night to increase the price on a five-year-old contract for permitting and design of the proposed leachate treatment plant. The contract with CH2MHill was first written up in 2007 with a price tag of $392,599. Over a million dollars has been added to the contract since it was first drafted. Last night’s vote will add an additional $742,930. The total value of the contract is now at $2,213,696- nearly six times the original amount.
Assemblyman Mel Stephens voted against the increase saying that continuing to increase the price of the contract sent CH2MHill a message that they didn’t have to be careful with costs. Assemblywoman Louise Stuttes also voted against the contract saying that the borough should put out another request for proposal to see if another contractor could fulfill the design and permitting contract at a more reasonable cost. Assemblyman Tuck Bonney also said that he didn’t like the contract but voted in favor to move the project along. Assemblywoman Chris Lynch voted in favor of the increase and pointed out to the assembly that the landfill is a very difficult site for an engineer to manage and that the borough had actually save money by continuing with the same contractor. With assemblywoman Carole Austerman absent, the body voted 4-2 to approve the revised contract.
The assembly also approved a $15,000 grant to the Kodiak High School Career Technical Student Organization to construct a conference room between two cottages on school property. With the grant they approved an additional $24,000 for materials. The conference room will be used as a planning and meeting space for the workers during the construction of the new high school. The motion passed 4-2, with Stephens and Stuttes voting against it.
