Assembly to Revisit CIP List Tonight

Brianna Gibbs/KMXT

Tonight the Kodiak Island Borough Assembly will try once again to approve its state legislative capital improvement projects priority list for the 2014 legislative session. The assembly decided to postpone the list’s approval back in September when concerns were raised over one of the projects and three assembly members were absent during the vote.
Assemblyman Mel Stephens disagreed with the third project on the list, which asks for $500,000 to look at extending public utilities to swampy acres. The project would be a public/private partnership and cater to the possibility that additional Coast Guard housing could be built in that area, which currently has no water or sewer lines. Borough Mayor Jerome Selby said it’s included on the borough’s CIP list because it may help offset some of Kodiak’s housing crisis, and was included at the request of the housing committee.
The top two items on the list are the Phase III of the Kodiak Landfill lateral expansion request for $3 million and the Monashka Bay water and sewer project feasibility, planning and design for $500,000.
Once approved, the list will be sent off to Governor Sean Parnell and Alaska legislators for the 2014 legislative session. The list will also be used for various grant applications in the upcoming year.
Also on tonight’s agenda is the contract for animal control along the borough road system. Animal control was included in the borough’s FY 2014 budget, but no contract has been approved. The hope is that the $109,000 contract will garner assembly support tonight and the service can be reinstated as soon as possible.
Tonight’s meeting starts at 7:30 p.m. in the borough assembly chambers and will be broadcast live on KMXT.