Sorted by date Results 1 - 25 of 25
January Petersburg experienced record snowfall on New Year's Day with 17.5 inches of new snow on the day, bringing the total snow depth to 40 inches according to the National Weather Service. The Petersburg Borough Assembly passed a resolution requesting a discussion with the U.S. Postal Service about providing additional services in Petersburg following continued issues with staffing, irregular hours, and long lines. All-purpose vehicles became legal to drive on roads in Alaska, including in...
The Petersburg Borough Assembly approved an ordinance which would adjust the FY23 budget for known changes in its first reading Monday. The assembly voted 6-1 in favor of Ordinance #2022-15 with Assembly Member Thomas Fine-Walsh opposed. The supplemental budget accounts for some funding received from state grants, items that could be purchased, and repair work that was not included in the original FY23 budget. The adjustments to the budget are as follows: • Accept $123,158 in state l...
Two and a half years after a fire damaged the motor pool shop at Public Works, the project to restore the facility has reached final completion according to Public Works Director Chris Cotta. The last items are still being moved into the new shop, but Public Works is now able to use the building as intended. The cause of the fire on August 19, 2019 was never conclusively decided. The forensic fire investigator from the borough's insurance company believed it was caused by a faulty extension...
January The assembly approved of a COVID-19 dashboard which tracked cases in the community. Local businesses received a total of $15.08 million in aid in the first round of COVID-19 aid released through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. PMC vaccinated approximately 350 residents aged 65 or older at a vaccine drive in the community gym. PMC was given permission by the borough to apply for a second PPP loan totaling $1.8 million. PMC applied and received a loan of...
The Borough Assembly approved a change order during its November 17 meeting for repairs to the motor pool shop which was damaged in a fire in August of 2019 and the borough is in the process of rebuilding. According to Borough Manager Steve Giesbrecht, the changes to the project are mostly covered by the borough’s insurance and are related to either fire damage or fire codes. Included in the order are additional asbestos tile removal, the repairing of fire damaged x-bracing, and shim crane r...
Construction is progressing on the new motor pool shop and is set to be completed by the November 30 deadline despite schedule delays according to Public Works Director Chris Cotta. The new building, which is replacing the facility that suffered a fire in August of 2019, has had its framing put up for rooms such as the crew quarters, and builders are now working on electrical and plumbing for the building. Cotta said the delays are because of issues contractors are having with supply of...
An ordinance that would ask the voters in the next municipal election whether term limits should be placed on the Borough Assembly will go before the assembly at their meeting on May 17. At the request of Assembly Member Taylor Norheim, the assembly discussed instituting term limits at the end of their meeting on Monday. He said he will be adding an ordinance to the agenda of their next assembly meeting that would let the voters decide whether to place term limits on the assembly. According to...
The Borough Assembly approved an ordinance in its first reading on Monday that would make adjustments to the borough's fiscal year 2021 budget for known changes. If ordinance #2021-05 passes in three readings, it would transfer funds to the Property Development Fund and allocate money for a new E991 system, the Motor Pool Shop, and a wastewater project on Ira II St. Earlier this year, Finance Director Jody Tow identified a surplus in the borough's General Fund and suggested the assembly...
The Borough Assembly approved the purchase of a $54,952.47 mobile vehicle lift for the Motor Pool Department at their meeting on Monday. The four-column, mobile vehicle lift system will be purchased with funds from the Public Works Department, Petersburg Volunteer Fire Department and Petersburg Municipal Power & Light motor pool balances, according to Public Work Director Chris Cotta. In the 2021 fiscal year budget, the borough had allocated $54,000 for a vehicle lift. Cotta said the additional...
The Borough Assembly awarded a bid to Rainforest Contracting for the repairs to the Motor Pool Shop for an amount not to exceed $1,130,450 at their meeting on Monday. The borough's insurance company will only be covering repairs to the Motor Pool Shop that are related to the Aug. 2019 fire, which comes out to $1,074,800. The remaining $55,650 of the project will be funded by the borough's Property Development Fund and will be used to make repairs to the building that were identified prior to...
WJE Associates, Inc. has finished the designs for the rehabilitation of the Motor Pool Shop, and Public Works Director Chris Cotta said he will begin the bidding process in the first week of January. "The basics are it's a renovation," said Cotta. "There's going to be a lot of cleaning and selective demolition and replacement of anything that was damaged in the fire." The Motor Pool Shop was damaged in August of 2019 when a fire originating from an adjacent storage shed spread to the building....
The borough assembly approved an emergency ordinance to amend the fiscal year 2020 budget to appropriate $100,000 from the Economic Development Fund to the Petersburg Economic Development Council to offset financial impacts to the local community caused by the COVID-19 outbreak. "As our state and community work towards opening up our economy and getting businesses back online, this can offer hopefully a small bridge to help some of those small businesses during this time," said Vice Mayor Jeigh...
In a 4-3 vote, the borough assembly passed an ordinance in its third reading that would establish a new Parks and Recreation Advisory Board at their meeting on Monday. Ordinance #2020-05 allows the assembly to begin accepting letters of interest from the public and then appoint five members onto the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board. Those appointed to the board would serve until the borough election in October wherein duly elected members will serve on the board. A sunset clause was added...
The borough assembly awarded the Motor Pool Shop repair design bid to WJE, Associates, Inc. based out of Washington in an amount not to exceed $50,000 at their meeting on Monday. The cost of the design work will be covered by the borough's liability insurance provider. The design process will be the first steps in rebuilding the borough's Motor Pool Shop, which went up in flames in August. The fire displaced motor pool staff to an adjacent garage until the original building can be repaired....
The borough assembly failed to pass a letter to Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities Commissioner John MacKinnon requesting DOT revise their plans for the Kake Access Road project to end the road directly across from Petersburg on Kupreanof Island instead of at Twelvemile Creek. Mayor Mark Jensen, who requested the letter be put on the agenda, said ending the road at Twelvemile Creek was not a good plan and it should end closer to Petersburg in the Wrangell Narrows. "I...
The borough assembly approved the purchase of two light duty 4x4 trucks in the amount of $85,432 at its Monday meeting. One of the vehicles replaces a truck that was totaled in a fire at the public works shop in August. A 2003 Chevy flatbed used by the Motor Pool Dept. will be replaced by a 2020 Chevy 3500 Crew Cab with a 9-foot flatbed. It is used to transport workers to job sites and seats four people. It can carry needed equipment and tools. The vehicle is still in service but requires...
January Following the shutdown of the U.S. government on Dec. 22, 2018, the U.S. Coast Guard stated it would continue offering essential services. The borough assembly approved $600,000 for a new baler. The USCG located debris from an overdue medivac aircraft that had three people onboard that was due to land in Kake several nights before. A decrease in air cargo coming into Petersburg affected the timely arrival of residents' packages after the retirement of Alaska Airlines' combi 737-400...
The borough is in the process of renewing an agreement with the state to receive $6,200 annually for the maintenance of the Ernie Haugen public use area, according to Public Works Director Chris Cotta at an assembly meeting on Monday. At an assembly meeting last month, the borough assembly approved letters to Sen. Bert Stedman and Rep. Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins asking them to inquire into cooperative agreements between the borough and the Alaska Department of Natural Resources for the management...
Mayoral candidates Jeff Meucci General Information Age: 64 Experience: I served on the Petersburg Park & Recreation advisory board, the Petersburg City council and served two terms as the Petersburg mayor from 1995 thru 1999. I was appointed to my current Borough Assembly seat and was elected to my Assembly seat two years ago. During my time as the Petersburg Mayor I traveled extensively as the number one advocate for the City of Petersburg. Why do you seek public office? I am seeking public...
Following the Public Works fire last month that caused a storage shed to go up in flames, investigators are at odds as to what caused the fire, according to Public Works Director Chris Cotta. An investigator with the borough's insurance company is looking at a potentially faulty extension cord as the source of the fire, but the State Fire Marshal's office hasn't located a definitive source, and has not ruled out any causes, including arson, said Cotta. The Motor Pool shop which is located next...
A call was placed to the Petersburg Fire Department at 7:40 P.M. Monday night after residents reported seeing dark, black smoke coming from the Public Works Department lot on 2nd St. Flames were coming from a shed that was filled with large, spare tires for the borough's vehicles. Nearby residents stated they also heard loud popping noises. The fire was contained by about 8 P.M., but firefighters didn't leave until around 9:30 P.M, said Assistant Fire Chief Dave Berg. The cause of the fire is...
A call was placed to the Petersburg Fire Department at 7:40 P.M. Monday night after residents reported seeing dark, black smoke coming from the Public Works Department lot on 2nd St. Flames were coming from a shed that was filled with large, spare tires for the borough’s vehicles. Nearby residents stated they also heard loud popping noises. The fire was contained by about 8 P.M., but firefighters didn’t leave until around 9:30 P.M, said Assistant Fire Chief Dave Berg. The cause of the fire is... Full story
The Petersburg Borough Assembly discussed a request made by the Petersburg School District and Petersburg Medical Center to pay a lower power rate last month. The request comes after meetings between PSD, PMC and borough administrators on how to maintain services without increasing fees or taxes. "The school, the hospital and the borough have been getting together in these meetings to try to figure out ways that we can continue to function in the way the community wants without having to cut...
Petersburg residents can now pay their utility bills online. A new program allows utility customers to register their accounts and then pay monthly bills on the web site with a credit card. Customers can log on to verify their accounts with an account number and either a meter number or phone number associated with the account. “The new program will let customers view usage and billing history for themselves,” said City Manager Steve Giesbrecht reported to the City Council on Monday. He also noted that online bill pay offers the added con...
