Saxman, a small community of about 400 people three miles south of Ketchikan, held its first-ever chamber-led state of the community address on Saturday. City Mayor Frank Seludo and Organized Village of Saxman President Joe Williams Jr. talked about upcoming infrastructure projects and recent advocacy trips, among other topics.
The nearly hour and a half long event was kicked off by Seludo, who said the city’s Three Bears Alaska store has helped buoy its economy since it opened in 2023. He then spoke about the city’s water infrastructure, which he said needs repair.
“I think about the water lines, and I don’t want to think in 10 years ‘Damn, I should’ve done something,’” Seludo said. “I want to get the water lines fixed.”
Seludo said the city is hoping to replace 500 feet of water line within the next few months. He also highlighted two grants, totaling about $270,000, that he said will be used to fund an infrastructure study and fix the water generation system. He said the city is looking for other grants to upgrade water infrastructure, too.
Seludo said a water utility rate increase will be needed, although he did not specify how much that increase could be.
The mayor then answered several audience questions, which ranged from tourism to the city’s waterfront. He said it’s his dream to one day have a boat harbor or small cruise ship dock in the city. He also said he’d love to build more housing in Saxman.
Before ending his portion of the address, Seludo segwayed back to the city’s water infrastructure.
“The smart thing to do would be to fix the water lines, fix the sewer lines,” Seludo said. “That’s going to be my commitment moving forward.”
Williams Jr. delivered the second half of the address. He said that the tribe works closely with the city, and discussed a number of tribal efforts from the past year.
After highlighting meetings with the National Congress of American Indians and other organizations, Williams Jr. reiterated the need for the city’s water infrastructure upgrades. He said finding funding to replace an underground water main has been on his radar for the last few years.
Williams Jr. said Alaska’s Congressman Nick Begich recently visited Saxman, and that community leaders told him about the need for the water main replacement.
“He came to our small community of Saxman and said ‘What would you like done in Saxman?’ There was no hesitation at all, and that is we need money for a ten-inch water main. That’s number one,” Williams Jr. said.
Williams Jr. said the tribe recently met with the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Central Council of the Tlingit & Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska to help solidify a plan for what the community wants to accomplish over the next few years. Among other meetings, Williams Jr. said he attended one in Juneau with tribal presidents to discuss local needs.
The tribal president also said that Saxman recently received a state grant from RurAL CAP to distribute salmon to community members. That same grant also funded a walk-in freezer for the community.
The tribal president later spoke about a meeting with officials from the state Department of Transportation about road conditions in the area. He also said DOT would design and lay the city’s needed water main.
Before ending his part of the address, Williams Jr. briefly spoke about the former Salmon Falls Resort, which Ketchikan’s tribe, KIC, plans to turn into a holistic healing center for people struggling with substance misuse. He said he supports the project.
“I think it’s absolutely needed in our community, needed in Southeast Alaska, needed in the community of Alaska,” Williams Jr. said.
The State of Saxman address came just weeks after the Ketchikan city mayor and borough mayor held their own addresses. Those highlighted public works initiatives and capital improvement projects.
Hunter Morrison is a Report for America corps member for KRBD. Your donation to match our RFA grant helps keep him writing stories like this one. Please consider making a tax-deductible contribution.
