Busy Meeting Week Kicks Off With Composting Discussion

Brianna Gibbs/KMXT

It’s a busy week for Kodiak’s municipal government, with four meetings in the next three days. It all starts tonight when the City Council meets for a work session to discuss, among other things, composting. There will be an update on the Class B composting currently being done at the landfill, as well as an update on Quayanna Development Corporation Executive Director Peter Olsen’s recent violation with the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation.
Olsen has been developing Class B compost at the Kodiak landfill since January, but the DEC permits for that compost only allow it to be used at the landfill. In August, however, Olsen removed a portion of the Class B compost from the landfill to use on his personal property in Bells Flats. On August 15, Olsen self-reported the incident to the DEC, saying that he thought the compost would meet the better quality standards of Class A compost, and hoped to use his property as an example of what would be possible when Class A compost is available to the public. The city has said that Class A composting is the ultimate goal for handling its biosolid waste.
During tonight’s meeting the council will discuss Olsen’s violations and what actions need to be taken, including sampling and testing of soil on his property, as required by the DEC. The violation could carry some hefty punishments, including fines up to $200,000 and imprisonment, if the state decided to pursue the incident as a criminal violation.
Also on tonight’s agenda are public works and harbor vehicle purchase presentations and a quarterly financial update. The work session kicks off at 7:30 p.m. in the borough conference room and is open to the public.