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The borough assembly adopted the 2020 fiscal year operating budget in its third reading on Monday after making 11 amendments to it since the assembly received the proposed budget on April 1. Expenditures in the general fund total $9,467,855, but is balanced out by $9,533,511 in revenues. The total amount of excess of revenues over expenditures is $65,656. The current 2019 fiscal year budget has a total of $9,466,759 in revenues and $9,446,352 in expenditures. During the assembly meeting on...
Mayor Mark Jensen requested a discussion on the Petro 49 land exchange during Monday's assembly meeting to hear Borough Manager Steve Giesbrecht's input on the matter, since the manager wasn't present at the previous assembly meeting. "I have no intention of asking to have the action that was taken at the last meeting rescinded," said Jensen on Monday. "I just wanted a little bit of clarification for myself." At the assembly meeting on May 20, the borough assembly voted in favor of directing...
June 13, 1919 A special election will be held by the citizens in Petersburg for the purpose of ascertaining their wishes regarding the bonding of the town. It is proposed to ask Congress to allow the town to bond itself for the purpose of raising money to build a hydro-electric plant and to build a new modern school house. The town must be bonded to move ahead with raising the necessary monies. June 9, 1944 A distinguished visitor in Petersburg this week is Joergen Galbe, Royal Norwegian Consul, with headquarters in San Francisco. This is the...
The Planning Commission approved an updated zoning map for service area one at their meeting on Tuesday, which will go before the Petersburg Borough Assembly for three readings. The commissioners heard a final six amendment requests to the zoning map before it was approved. A lot on Scow Bay and at 211 Mitkof Highway were zoned as light industrial, or what was previously known as C2 commercial. Lots at 708, 710, 712 and 804 S. Nordic Dr. were rezoned from industrial to light industrial. A...
An ordinance allowing the use of fireworks within service area one three days out of the year was passed by the borough assembly in its third reading on Monday. Ordinance #2019-04 allows residents to light fireworks on their property on July 3 and 4 and Dec. 31 from 12 P.M. to 1 A.M. Those who light fireworks within service area one outside of the three dates stated in the ordinance can face up to a $500 fine. The ordinance will also allow special permits for the use of consumer fireworks with p...
Assembly Member Jeff Meucci requested a spreadsheet of what services are provided to individuals living within service area one, outside service area one and at Frederick Point and what their millage rate is. During a discussion item that was requested by Meucci, he said that he wanted to have a better understanding of services provided by the borough. He wanted to compare the services offered within service area one, outside of service area one and at Frederick Point. Borough Manager Steve Giesbrecht said that it is difficult to give an outlin...
In 1998, Desi Burrell was hired as the clerk of court at the Petersburg Courthouse, and 20.5 years later, she retired as magistrate judge on May 20. "It's been an amazing career," said Burrell. "I love the people that I work with, and that's statewide, not just here in Petersburg." Through her work, Burrell said she has been able to contribute to the community of Petersburg and help its citizens. Burrell discovered her passion for helping people early in life when she began working in the...
Although Alaska Airlines is expecting to bring upgrades and improvements to its terminal in Petersburg through its 2020 Great Land Investment Plan, the airline company will not be increasing the number of available parking spots at the airport. According to a map provided by Lynette Campbell, chief of aviation leasing with the Alaska Department of Transportation, Alaska Airlines leases DOT land that is directly under the terminal, which extends to include several parking spots in front of the...
The Petersburg Alaska Airlines terminal is one of five terminals throughout the state that are next in line to receive some form of upgrades as part of a $100 million initiative to either expand or remodel all 11 of the airline company's owned terminals in Alaska, according to regional vice president Marilyn Romano. The Alaska Airlines 2020 Great Land Investment Plan first began in February 2017 as a brand overhaul that featured a new logo and updates to their terminals, but soon included a...
In her 28 years working for Alaska Airlines, Patty Nelson has seen and done it all. Her duties consisted of taking reservations, checking luggage, running security and everything in between. In 1965, when she first began working at the airport, Alaska Airlines did not have a presence on Mitkof Island yet. Alaska Coastal Ellis Airlines was flying three propeller planes into Petersburg when Nelson has hired. The Grumman Goose and Twin Otter were smaller aircraft, while a larger aircraft came in...
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — The Alaska Senate failed Monday to revive a bill that would pay residents a full dividend of about $3,000 from the state’s oil-wealth fund this year, a sign of the struggle lawmakers are having in reaching agreement on one of the special session’s last issues. Instead, senators narrowly voted to create a working group with the House to make recommendations on future use of Alaska Permanent Fund earnings. The House approved the measure Sunday. Some suggested existing committees could buckle down on the issue and quest...
June 5 — Harassment at a location on Kiseno St. was reported to authorities. Individuals were seen on an abandoned piece of property at the 1300 block of S. Nordic Dr., but were gone upon officer’s arrival. June 6 — A summons was served to an individual at Middle Boat Harbor. June 7 — Authorities responded to a report of a drunk driver, but were unable to locate the vehicle. Extra patrols were requested on Lumber St. June 8 — A bike was reported stolen from the Petersburg Public Library. The bike was recovered six hours later. The individua...
Petersburg’s Alaska Airline terminal is a busy place. Since 1998 departures from the facility have increased by 31 percent, from 34,376 to 49,521 in 2018. Even infrequent travelers take note of the crowded terminal on heavy travel days. Parking spaces expand along both sides of Haugen Drive and passengers and those transporting their guests move outside to escape the packed terminal. The trek between available parking spaces to the terminal grows longer. While Alaska Airlines has expanded terminals in Kodiak, Cordova, Yakutat and Kotzebue, f...
Alaska fishermen are still awaiting disaster relief funds for the 2016 pink salmon run failure, which was the worst in 40 years. Congress approved $56 million that year for Alaska fishermen, processors and communities hurt by the fishery flop at three Alaska regions: Kodiak, Prince William Sound and Lower Cook Inlet. The Alaska Department of Fish and Game and NOAA Fisheries finalized plans and procedures for payouts last August. Since then, the paper push has stalled on various federal agency desks. NOAA Fisheries missed a promised June 1 sign...
It's been five years since the inception of the Devil's Thumb Shooter's Club, now a 501(c) non-profit youth organization with focus on shotgun competition sports. The club has grown from five members in 2015 to 17 members in 2019 consisting of area youths in elementary through high school. Eleven members traveled to Eagle River to compete in the 2019 Alaska YESS State championship shoot at Birchwood Shooting Park. There were approximately 120 youths competing in three age classes. Medal...
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — A state labor department report says recent job gains after three years of losses could signal the end of Alaska’s recession. The report says the state saw year-over-year job growth for seven straight months, starting in October. This followed revisions to 2018 figures. The Anchorage Daily News reports the department revises job numbers after releasing initial estimates. While the growth was small, department economist Karinne Wiebold says it strengthens the case that the economy is recovering. The numbers remain sub...
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — Alaska has awarded a contract to study whether the state can become the first in the nation to change its Medicaid program into a block grant system. Alaska Journal of Commerce reported Wednesday that the state Department of Health and Social Services issued a notice May 29 of its intent to award the contract to analyze the prospect of implementing block grants for federal Medicaid payments, work requirements for Medicaid enrollees, and shifting some Alaska Medicaid recipients to private insurance. The $100,000 c...
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — Alaska officials are reconsidering whether special events like outdoor concerts are a responsible use of state park land. The Anchorage Daily News reported Sunday that a concert in Chugach State Park was cancelled following complaints about potential negative environmental impacts. The manager for folk band Blackwater Railroad Company says the proposed concert at Williwaw Lakes was intended to provide an intimate, outdoor experience encouraging conservation. He says the band expected attendance would be no more than 2...
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — The U.S. Coast Guard is expected to take possession of a new heavy icebreaker within five years and Alaska’s junior U.S. senator would like to see it spend time in U.S. waters. Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan said Antarctic policy likely will shift the future icebreaker away from the Arctic missions it should be used for, the Alaska Journal of Commerce reported . “I think we’re too focused on Antarctica and not focused on our own sovereign interests here,” Sullivan said. The country’s only heavy icebreaker, the 43 year-old...
