Sorted by date Results 901 - 925 of 1808
The borough assembly voted in favor of instructing borough manager Steve Giesbrecht to send out a request for proposals, or RFP, for the cost of a consultant for Mountain View Manor assisted living to determine if the facility is running efficiently. The costs for Mountain View Manor are greater than the revenue it brings in despite being at 100 percent occupancy, according to Giesbrecht. The borough lost an estimated $240,117 in the 2018 fiscal year from the assisted living operation. “We’ve scratched and clawed to get to where we are, and...
The borough assembly held a work session last week to go over comments submitted by residents on ways the borough can increase revenues and reduce expenses. Over a three week period in January 2018, 132 suggestions were submitted during three public meetings conducted by borough manager Steve Giesbrecht. The comments addressed the growing tourism industry, taxes on online shopping and increases in certain fees. “Since we had those three meetings, it might be good to at least let the community know that we looked at some of their s...
The assembly voted against filling a vacant police sergeant position on Monday expressing concerns over uncertainty of the state’s budget. “I don't want to hire somebody and then later on tell them that they aren't able to work for us because we just don’t have the funding,” said assembly member Kurt Wohlhueter. The police department is budgeted for nine officers, which includes police chief Jim Kerr, captain Randall Holmgrain, two sergeant positions, four officers and one SECAD officer...
The borough assembly discussed possible solutions to address the safety of the troll bridge near Sandy Beach Park after Kathryn Schneider submitted a letter last week expressing concern for residents walking across the wooden bridge. "I see the Troll Bridge as a safety hazard and liability issue due [to] the bridge's deck, which is four feet above the creek, the intermittently slippery wood decking and the lack of handrails," wrote Schneider in her letter. The discussion item was added to the...
The Petersburg Borough Assembly will convene on Feb. 6 for a work session to discuss options and ideas for solid waste disposal and recycling. The community is welcome to participate and share ideas, according to a Borough release. The session will be held in the assembly chambers at 6:30 p.m....
The borough assembly passed Ordinance 2018-21 in its third reading at an assembly meeting on Tuesday, which allocates $400,000 from the Sanitation Fund and $200,000 from the Motor Pool to replace the borough’s baler. Last month, the assembly had voted to completely replace the baler after Public Works Director Chris Cotta suggested it be replaced because of deteriorating parts that included the belt conveyor, control system and wear surfaces on the rams, hopper and baler chamber. “I appreciate his vision and looking at all available sol...
Six action items were removed from Tuesday’s assembly meeting agenda by the assembly that addressed cuts and additions to the borough’s 2020 fiscal year budget. In beginning of the meeting, assembly member Bob Lynn made the motion to amend the agenda and remove the six items. The items would have called for a discussion and vote on whether to replace the vacant police sergeant position, add an EMT to the fire department, reduce some community services, hire a consultant to look at Mountain View Manor’s assisted living operations, give departmen...
The borough assembly voted to direct borough clerk Debbie Thompson to draft an ordinance that would assign designated borough assembly seats in a 4-3 vote. Borough election ballots would no longer allow voters to choose which candidates they want to fill the open assembly seats, but instead, the candidates would choose a specific seat to run for. As an example, in last year’s borough elections, there were six candidates running for two assembly seats. Voters could choose no more than two candidates to fill the two seats. Under the soon-to-be d...
The Southeast Alaska Power Agency board of directors approved an $800,000 rebate at their meeting in Petersburg last month to be distributed among the communities of Ketchikan, Petersburg and Wrangell; however, it may be the last rebate the borough could receive, according to Bob Lynn, Petersburg’s voting member on the SEAPA board. As some of the SEAPA facilities enter their 20-25 year life span, the board will be looking at all opportunities to save and borrow money and look for grant opportunities to replace the aging facilities, said Lynn a...
Engel Entertainment may start filming its cop reality TV show based in Petersburg during the first week of February, but Police Chief Jim Kerr said he doesn’t expect filming to begin since the original start date kept being postponed. At a borough assembly meeting in August, Engel Entertainment vice president Kara Smith stated that the production company had hoped to start filming in the fall. Kerr said the start date kept being pushed back each month until there was a halt in communication with the production company. Engel Entertainment c...
Although negotiations between the Petersburg Borough and Petro 49, Inc. over a possible land swap haven’t begun, borough manager Stephen Giesbrecht anticipates Petro 49, Inc.’s 22-year lease of borough land to be one of the main talking points of the negotiations. In the land trade, the borough would receive Petro 49, Inc. owned land that includes a warehouse, in exchange for borough owned land that is leased by Petro 49, Inc. The borough assembly gave Giesbrecht permission to conduct negotiations in early December. According to borough finance...
In its second reading, the borough assembly approved ordinance 2018-21 at an assembly meeting on Monday, which allocates $400,000 from the sanitation fund and $200,000 from the Motor Pool to replace the borough’s baler. Last month, the assembly voted to completely replace the baler after public works director Chris Cotta suggested it be replaced because of deteriorating parts that included the belt conveyor, control system and wear surfaces on the rams, hopper and baler chamber. Mayor Mark Jensen was hesitant in voting for the ordinance last m...
Borough manager Stephen Giesbrecht submitted a list of potential budget discussion items to the borough assembly on Monday that outlines possible cuts in funding to services as the assembly begins talks on the 2020 fiscal year budget. “The direction that I’ve heard from the assembly prior to today via informal conversations and various meetings is not that we don’t want to consider cuts if the budget’s balanced. What I was hearing from the assembly is we need to reduce the size of the borough government,” said Giesbrecht. One suggestio...
The borough assembly approved an amended version of the capital projects list for the 2020 fiscal year on Monday that lists the replacement of the E911 system as the borough’s first priority. On the list are capital projects from every department in the borough and how much each project costs. Those projects that were approved by the borough will be put on its capsis list, which is a list that goes to the state legislators. When oil prices were high and the state had plenty of money to fund capital projects, an online system called capsis w...
January The borough assembly received a proposed update to its zoning code that would introduce a new form of affordable housing, an expansion of the historical and industrial districts and the end of a requirement for businesses to include parking downtown. The borough assembly held a work session to discuss a plan to impose restrictions on the senior tax exemption. A possible annual fee to sales tax exemption card holders was agreed upon ranging between $50 and $60. Police Chief Kelly Swihart...
The borough assembly passed ordinance 2018-21 on Dec.17 in its first reading which allocates $400,000 from the sanitation fund and $200,000 from the Motor Pool to replace the borough’s baler. Last month, the assembly had voted to completely replace the baler after public works director Chris Cotta suggested it be replaced because of deteriorating parts that included the belt conveyor, control system and wear surfaces on the rams, hopper and baler chamber. Recently, the borough’s baler has been experiencing issues with its hardware, Cotta rep...
On Dec. 17, the borough assembly approved ordinance #2018-18, which is the borough’s updated development code, in its third reading after approving and denying amendments to the updated code made by community members. The assembly went through each of the 19 amendments to the updated development code one-by-one and voted either to approve or deny the change to the code. A recommendation from staff and borough attorney comments were featured on the amendments to help assembly members make a decision. Amendments one through three all passed as t...
The borough assembly voted on Monday to continue moving forward with negotiations for a possible land swap with Petro 49, Inc. after new information regarding costs to the borough were revealed. In the land swap, the borough would acquire land owned by Petro 49, Inc. that includes a warehouse that could be utilized by the harbor department. A roof inspection by Curtiss Improvements of the warehouse, showed that although it appears to be in good condition, there is some rust and maintenance issue...
We all too often make the mistake of only focusing on our challenges rather than all the good things going on in our Community. In this vein, I asked the Department Heads to give me two statements each for this last meeting in 2018: “Your work-related accomplishment you are the proudest of this year,” and “Your work-related thing you are the most thankful for.” Starting with mine: I am the proudest of our Department Heads who are new or who have taken on new challenges; Chief James Kerr, Karl Hagerman, Chris Cotta and Deputy Clerk Daniell...
The borough assembly approved an amended fiscal year 2020 budget policy and community service grant application. A decision on the fiscal year 2020 capital projects list was postponed until January and the manager’s addendum to the budget policy, a document with suggestions on how to balance the budget, was also postponed until a time to be determined. Assembly member Bob Lynn made two amendments to the budget policy, which is a document that outlines how each department head will put their budgets together. One was a request for the a...
Mayor Mark Jensen proclaimed borough employees will receive a half day holiday on Christmas Eve. “It’s been a tradition to give the employees a half day off on Christmas Eve,” said Jensen at an assembly meeting on Nov. 19 when he made the proclamation. During the first half of the day, borough employees continue work like every other day. It costs the borough approximately $10,000 to continue paying borough employees through the second half of the day that they take off. Although there is no borough wide Christmas party, individual depar...
Problem at playground To the Editor: We have a problem on the Stedman Elementary playground. People are not picking up their dog's poop. I have a suggestion. Reuse your bread bags, cereal bags and plastic grocery bags. Tie them on your leash, then scoop your dog's poop. Emi Anderson, 3rd Grade Stedman Elementary Student Council Slow down and consider impacts To the Editor: I was born in Petersburg in 1947, completed grade and high school, married and raised my family, invested in some...
On Monday, the borough assembly voted against sending a letter drafted by Mayor Mark Jensen to Viking Cruise Lines stating that Petersburg isn't ready for larger cruise ships to come to town. In the letter, Jensen said the town isn't ready to handle more than 250 tourists from ships in any given day, and he is concerned with an increase in traffic flow during the busy, summer months on Nordic Dr. He also writes that he is worried that larger cruise ships could lead to Petersburg becoming a touri...
In a 4-3 vote, the borough assembly gave permission to the borough manager to begin land exchange negotiations with Petro 49, Inc. At 703 S. Nordic Dr., Petro 49, Inc. owns borough land that includes a small warehouse and covered loading dock and office. Petro 49, Inc. leases borough land at 100 Dock St. and 902 S. Nordic Dr. that includes a warehouse and gas station that is being subleased. Petro 49, Inc. wants to trade their owned land for the borough's land that they lease. "I've been...
On Monday, the borough assembly approved to postpone discussing and voting on the 2020 fiscal year capital projects list and budget policies until the Dec. 17 assembly meeting. Mayor Mark Jensen cited a busy agenda and a desire to have a separate meeting to discuss and vote on the budget. “There is no real urgent deadline for this,” said Jensen. “It would be nice to get it done before the end of December.” The submitted capital project document listed a combined total of over 50 capital project needs in the Harbor Department, Parks and Recreat...
