Sorted by date Results 101 - 125 of 1808
Proposition 4 To the Editor: Concerning Proposition 4, Long Term Indebtedness for Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Projects totaling $19.3 million, of that total over $3 million is dedicated for the proposed Scow Bay vessel washdown project, including a heated wash down pad so we can wash our boats in winter. There has been much good information sharing on the need for pump station, waste water treatment, sewer lines, etc upgrades. But there is not a single word in the proposition description letting voters know about the chunk dedicated...
The Petersburg Pilot and KFSK teamed up to present a two hour long candidates forum on Thursday, September 12. All five candidates for Petersburg Borough Assembly were given one minute each to answer questions on topics ranging from EMS volunteer recruitment, to bears in the garbage, the future of tourism in Petersburg, and a whole lot more. Thomas Fine-Walsh Candidate Opening Statements: My name is Thomas Fine-Walsh. I was born and raised here in Petersburg, and I've had the honor of serving...
Don't kill the goose laying the golden egg To the Editor: I will vote No on the proposition to raise the sales tax cap from $1,200 to $5,000. I think it is poor economics. No one will be affected more than commercial fishermen vessel owners. Typical vessel maintenance or repair projects are usually well above $1,200. Fishermen are hard hit by the downturn in the commercial fishing industry and need to economize as best possible. Raising sales tax on their Petersburg purchases will be one more reason to use marine services elsewhere. Vessel...
A shout out to those that support a local paper To the Editor: I would like to give a shout out to Orin Pierson and his staff for the weekly printing of the Petersburg Pilot. Also to the community of Petersburg and all who support the local newspaper. The people of Petersburg are fortunate to have a weekly newspaper. I would like to point out a few items (seriously, quite a few items) I found in last week’s newspaper. A shout out to the sale of Tides Inn, A victory article for the Trollers, who is in lead of the Alaska House primary, yesterday...
Disposing of large derelict vessels abandoned in Petersburg's harbors comes at a cost - one that the borough is taking steps to mitigate. In August, the Petersburg Borough Assembly amended municipal code and approved a significant budget adjustment to address the issue of derelict vessels in local harbors. The assembly authorized the transfer of $240,000 from the harbor department reserves to a derelict boat disposal budget item, bringing the total amount allocated to $250,000 to fund the...
In a strategic move to support management of critical services for the community, Petersburg Borough has made structural revisions to its utility departments, reorganizing responsibilities and reverting to a former leadership model. This change was made as Utility Director Karl Hagerman -who has overseen the borough's power, water, and sewer departments since 2018- plans to retire in 2026. In the past, the Public Works Director managed the water, sewer, roads, sanitation and motor pool...
The Petersburg Borough Assembly has taken a stance against the potential listing of Gulf of Alaska Chinook salmon as a threatened or endangered species under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). Assembly members voted unanimously to send a letter of opposition to the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) in response to a petition from the Wild Fish Conservancy, an environmental group based in Washington state, which requested the ESA listing and designation of critical habitat of any GOA...
It is time for the Petersburg community to seriously consider the future of the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) branch of Petersburg Volunteer Fire Department (PVFD). Volunteer numbers have reached a crisis level. EMS response capability is in jeopardy and burnout is becoming inevitable. It's tempting to imagine that when you or a loved one experience a medical emergency in Petersburg and you dial 911 a paramedic is ready and waiting to be dispatched. Just like in the movies, they'll sprint...
The filing window for candidacy in the 2024 Petersburg Borough Municipal Election officially closed Tuesday afternoon. A total of 14 open seats are up for election this fall, each as a three-year term. The race for Petersburg Borough Assembly is contested, with five people running for the two open seats. Incumbents Bob Lynn and Thomas Fine-Walsh are running for reelection. And James Valentine, Marc Martinsen, and Tony Vinson have joined the contest for the two assembly seats. The race for...
After nearly two years of litigation, the public records-related lawsuit filed by Don Koenigs against the Petersburg Borough has reached its conclusion. On June 21, 2024 the Superior Court for the State of Alaska ordered the borough to release around 200 pages of records related to the complaint made by Petersburg's chief of police against two borough assembly members. In March 2022, Petersburg Police Chief Jim Kerr filed a complaint with the borough's HR director which included a five-page time...
The Petersburg Borough will enter into negotiations directly with Island Refrigeration LLC for the sale of borough-owned tidelands, the assembly decided Monday. This property at 107A Dock Street is adjacent to a larger parcel the borough approved to sell to Island Refrigeration in April; it was originally part of the young business' plan for the space, which will serve as their new headquarters, but was left out of the initial application process and applied for separately. Another applicant,...
The window to file for candidacy in Petersburg's municipal election is now open. Folks in town who meet the qualifications for local office can add their name to the ballot by turning in required paperwork to the Borough Clerk's office before the window closes on Aug. 20. A total of 14 seats will be up for election this fall. Each position is for a three-year term. Among the local elected positions will be two seats on the Petersburg Borough Assembly, currently occupied by assembly members Bob...
If it passes its final reading at the next Petersburg Borough Assembly meeting, a ballot proposition this fall will ask borough voters to authorize $19.3 million in new debt for the Water and Wastewater utilities. The loans would come from the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation revolving loan fund, which provides municipal water utilities with loans for capital projects at 1.5% interest, 20-year repayment. The authorization of the debt would sunset after five years, meaning the util...
An ordinance was introduced at Monday's Assembly meeting to adjust the FY25 budget for known changes. The top item was for Harbor Department disposal of derelict vessels, increasing the budgeted amount from $10 thousand to $250 thousand dollars. The budget increase is described as necessary to take care of removing two large derelict boats currently in the harbor. The budget request coincided with another ordinance introduced on Monday which would amend Petersburg Municipal Code to add a...
The question of whether to approve a multi-million dollar bond for "critical major maintenance and safety capital improvements" at the school may come before voters this fall. Petersburg Borough Assembly heard an ordinance introducing the proposed bond at their meeting on July 1; a public hearing about the bond proposal ordinance will take place during its next reading. The bond amount initially described in the ordinance included $4.5 million dollars to cover the borough's share of the state...
Ordinance 2024-11 — to place before voters an amendment to the borough charter to remove the requirement of voter ratification for future changes to sales tax exemptions — failed in its final reading at the July 1 assembly meeting. Borough Finance Director Jody Tow explained during the prior assembly meeting that, if passed, this change would be helpful during times of unknown state revenues to free up the assembly to act more flexibly and quickly to resolve budgetary issues. Petersburg is the...
Several large derelict vessels moored in Petersburg's harbors, have reached a point where they might not survive another winter. Harbormaster Glo Wollen is working with Borough Attorney Sara Heideman to adapt Petersburg's municipal code concerning derelict vessels, before it's too late. Currently, Petersburg's municipal code includes a set of procedures that direct the harbor to impound or auction abandoned or potentially dangerous derelict vessels. The new procedure being developed will...
Petersburg teachers will likely have a contract for the next three years. That's because a deal between the teachers union and the school district met a final requirement on Friday when Gov. Mike Dunleavy signed the state operating budget without vetoing any one-time public education funding. The two groups came to a tentative contract agreement in May that was contingent on Dunleavy approving all $175 million dollars for public education in the state operating budget. That agreement came after...
Alaska's freshly signed capital budget includes state funding for a program meant to encourage land development. It's a single line: Statewide Housing Development, $4 million. But according to Republican Senator Bert Stedman of Sitka, that money could help shake loose some land for much-needed housing. He said there's a lot of land around the state, but it's not getting developed. "The economics don't work, due to the cost of the infrastructure, mainly the roads and the utilities," he said. "So...
A long time ago, the Sentinel called out a mayor for taking an action without city council approval (this was before Wrangell became a borough). The mayor had sent a letter to a federal agency, stating the city’s official position on an issue — but it was merely his personal opinion. There was no council discussion, no public notice. It wasn’t that controversial a position, but the point was that the mayor, no matter how well meaning, should not speak for the city without first making sure the elected council is in agreement. The mayor came...
WRANGELL — Georgia-based real-estate developer Wayne Johnson has rescinded his offer to purchase the former Wrangell Medical Center property and six adjacent lots from the borough. Johnson had negotiated a new purchase agreement covering the parcels, but said he withdrew his proposal due to community concerns over the new deal. He blamed a Sentinel headline for stirring up concerns. Johnson notified borough officials on Friday, June 28, of his decision to walk away from the project. The Sentinel reported on Johnson’s requested changes to the...
WRANGELL — The borough has been awarded a $25 million Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity grant to rebuild most of the downtown harbor floats, install new pilings and improve parking. The federal money, which requires no match from the borough, will fund most of the estimated $28 million project that will include an overhaul of the Inner Harbor, Reliance and Standard Oil floats, new fire suppression systems, pilings and relocated parking. The borough will likely get the remaining $3 million for the project t...
A ballot proposition on this October municipal ballot will put the question to Petersburg voters whether to increase the amount of sales tax that can be collected on a single purchase from $72.00 to $300.00. At their regular meeting on June 17 the Petersburg Borough Assembly unanimously passed Ordinance 24-10 in its third and final reading to propose the municipal code amendment for this sales tax exemption change to borough voters. Currently in the borough, sales tax liability for any single...
Petersburg School Board unanimously passed the district's FY25 budget at their regular meeting on Tuesday. This year, more of the budget is going to instruction and less to operations and maintenance, summarized PSD Finance Director Shannon Baird. The budget estimates 450 students will be enrolled in the school district in the 2024/2025 school year. That number is around 19 students fewer than the school year which has just ended. Because the base student allocation has remained flat for yet...
The next Petersburg Borough budget was passed by the assembly on Monday after amending it three times in its final reading. This approved budget for fiscal year 2025 will start at the top of July and includes maximum funding for Petersburg School District to the tune of $3.4 million. Several speakers from PSD testified their gratitude to the borough for supporting the so-called "to-the-cap" funding in the borough's FY25 budget. "Inconsistent and unreliable state funding has created instability...
