KRBD

New Chronic Disease Prevention Program

Nathan Grambau — Wed, 16 May 2012 18:27:18 +0000

Gregg Poppen sits down with Peace Health Medical Center’s Patricia Cornwell about the new Chronic Disease Prevention Program at the Hospital. hospital051612

Ketchikan Parking

Nathan Grambau — Wed, 16 May 2012 18:12:15 +0000

KRBD’s Gregg Poppen speaks with Chris French an Associate Planner with Ketchikan Gateway Borough Planning Department. The topic today is the ever present concern about parking in Ketchikan. parking_may15

KRBD’s Annual Skiff Raffle

Deb Turnbull — Mon, 14 May 2012 19:03:56 +0000

KRBD’s Annual Raffle Tickets are now available wherever you see the skiff or at the station Monday-Friday 8am-4pm.
2nd Prize is once again $1200 in groceries from Alaskan & Proud Markets and
3rd Prize is 2 Round Trip Tickets plus a vehicle Pass for a 19′ vehicle on the Inter-Island Ferry Authority.
Tickets are $10. Drawing will be held on July 4th. You need not be present to win. CoastAlaska Permit #1783

Port improvements made, harbor bond on ballot

Maria Dudzak — Fri, 11 May 2012 21:21:37 +0000

In June, Ketchikan City voters will decide whether to approve $5 million in bonds to fund harbor projects. If passed, that money can be used to leverage matching grant funds from the state and other agencies. That according to Port and Harbors Director Steve Corporon speaking at a recent Ketchikan Chamber of Commerce luncheon. Corporon also gave an update on completed projects, and projects planned for the downtown docks.

Ketchikan’s Port consists of the four cruise ship docks in downtown. Corporon began with a look at cruise ship passenger traffic expected. He says there were 843,000 passengers last year, and 900,000 are anticipated this year. Corporon says the increase is due to the return of one ship – The Star Princess. He says even larger numbers are expected in 2013.
Corporon says many improvements were made to the downtown docks this past winter. He says the biggest change people will notice is completion of the first phase rebuilds of Berths 1 and 2. Wooden sections are replaced with concrete and the dock is at street level.
Corporon says another noticeable change is the exit for non-secure vehicles on Mission Street. He says work on Berths 1 and 2 is planned for the next three winter seasons. He says the next phase is replacement of the remaining wooden dock with a concrete.
Corporon says the last cruise ship of the season is Friday, September 28th, and the site turned over the contractor the following Monday. He says the Ketchikan Visitor’s Bureau building will be removed shortly after.
Corporon says allowing additional time to move the building is not possible to keep the project on schedule. He says the next phase will be the most challenging because that section of the dock must be replaced, and a new Visitors Bureau building in place by May 1st.
Corporon says the third winter will see completion of Front Street improvements, and also relocation of some of the artwork on the dock.
Corporon says other improvements include widening sidewalks – up to 16 feet wide at the widest point – and designing walkways so that vehicles and pedestrians do not cross each other’s paths.
Corporon also spoke about Ketchikan’s harbors. He provided a history, saying many were sold to or turned over to the city by the state. He says most were built in the 1960’s and 70’s and have come to the end of their serviceable life. While some harbors such as Knudson Cove and City Float have been replaced, Corporon says there are several harbors in need of repair including some floats at Bar Harbor North and Hole in the Wall. Corporon says work also needs to be done at Thomas Basin.
Corporon says the goal is to have all harbor ramps up to American’s With Disabilities Act standards.
Corporon says planned repairs to the harbors will cost about $10 million dollars. He says this would not include the cost of a drive down ramp being funding from fish tax money.
A special election is scheduled for June 26th seeking approval by city voters for a $5 million bond initiative. Coroporon says if the initiative passes it would allow the City to pursue 50 percent matching funds. He says the full $5 million in bonds would not be issued right away.
Corporon says his goal is to have City’s share be less than 50 percent. He says that is already the case with a new launch ramp at Bar Harbor, with 25 percent being funded by the City and 75 from other sources.
A public meeting to present conceptual designs of a drive down ramp and harbor improvements is scheduled for May 22nd beginning at 7:00 pm at the Ted Ferry Civic Center. Corporon encourages the public to provide input at that meeting.

Harrington resigns from School Board

Maria Dudzak — Fri, 11 May 2012 01:37:27 +0000

Ketchikan School Board Member John Harrington resigned Wednesday night, citing conflict between his style and that of other board members. Harrington’s resignation came after the board discussed modifications to the School District Budget, including whether adding $200,000 to the school activities fund would be beneficial.

School Board Report

Deanna Garrison — Thu, 10 May 2012 17:39:58 +0000

School board member Michelle O’Brien gives an update on the 5/10/12 Ketchikan School Board meeting. School051012

Arts Report

Keith Smith — Thu, 10 May 2012 17:00:34 +0000

The latest weekly arts report. Arts051012

Assembly discusses budgets

Maria Dudzak — Wed, 09 May 2012 18:53:43 +0000

During a lengthy meeting interrupted by a power outage, the Ketchikan Gateway Borough Assembly Monday night discussed the Borough and School District budgets. The Assembly also returned a tidelands ordinance to the Planning Department and approved a tax holiday.

Before addressing the Fiscal Year 2013 budgets, the Assembly spent almost two hours Monday night listening to comments, and discussing an ordinance that would establish standards for zone boundaries, setbacks and buffers within tidelands.

During public comments, Nicole Church made a lengthy presentation expressing her concerns about the ordinance. Also speaking about the ordinance was Borough Planning Director Tom Williams.

After a series of questions for Church and Williams, the Assembly considered several amendments to the ordinance. Ultimately the Assembly voted 4-3 in favor of sending the ordinance back to the planning commission for further discussion. Assembly members Alan Bailey, Mike Painter and Todd Phillips voted no.

Also during public comment, several people spoke in support of providing grant funding to community programs. Grant funding mentioned included $25,000 to Community Connections for purchase of a new building, funding to provide transportation for senior citizens, and support for Big Brothers Big Sisters. Several teachers also spoke to the Assembly in favor of funding the School District.

Ketchikan Education Association Vice-president and Houghtling Elementary School Teacher Valerie Brooks says the Borough needs to take steps to attract quality teachers. She suggested the Assembly fund above the cap.

Assembly member Agnes Moran stated that it is illegal to fund beyond the cap.

Brooks says that education funding is intended for education, and additional money anticipated from the state should be used for education.

Bailey says he has received calls from people concerned that education costs keep going up. He says there are more teachers and fewer students now than there were 10 years ago, and the cost per student has doubled.

Brooks says she acknowledges that overall costs are up, but says education should be a priority.

The Assembly later entered a work session to discuss the Borough and School District FY2013 budgets.

Moran says she would like to see more money go towards activities. She says she would like to see the money go partially towards providing a waiver of participation fees.

Bailey agreed the program should be changed to make the activities program fair to all.

Bailey says he doesn’t believe every activity should be funded, but a policy needs to be developed.

As part of the discussion, the Assembly considered how to allocate an addition $1.1 million the Borough will receive from the State following the passage of Senate Bill 182. The bill is still awaiting Governor Sean Parnell’s signature. The Assembly voted to split money into three components. $415, 000 will be used to lower the mil rate, $539,000 will go towards school capital improvement projects, and approximately $200,000 will be placed into the student activities fund.

During discussions regarding grant funding, a power outage occurred, delaying the meeting.

After reconvening, the assembly voted to increase agency grant funding from $120,000 to $200,000 the next fiscal year.

The Assembly decided to continue budget discussions at its next meeting, and to limit the scope of that meeting to the budgets and a few necessary items.

In other business, the Assembly voted to adopt a policy regarding lost and found articles left at the Ketchikan International Airport. Currently property is held at the airport for 90 days and then given to the Alaska State Troopers. Borough Attorney Scott Brandt-Erichsen says the Troopers do not want the property. He says some items have remained with the Troopers for years. The assembly voted 5-2 in favor of reducing the time items are held to 45 days. Bailey and Assembly member Mike Salazar voted no. After the 45 day period, airport staff will be able to dispose of lost and found items.

Also Monday night, the Assembly voted 4-3 in favor of a sales tax holiday on October 13th. Salazar, Thompson and Painter voting no.

The next regular meeting of the Ketchikan Gateway Borough Assembly is May 21st. The focus of that meeting will be the borough and school district budgets.

UAS Ketchikan Report

Keith Smith — Wed, 09 May 2012 17:00:52 +0000

Bill Eckhart, Rob Bidwell, and Shari Fisher speak to KRBD’s Gregg Poppen about Phi Theta Kappa. UAS051612

Borough Assembly Report

Deanna Garrison — Tue, 08 May 2012 16:52:39 +0000

Borough Mayor Dave Kiffer reports on the meeting of May 7th. Assembly050812