LUTHERAN QUILTERS – Members of the Quilts for Comfort Group stand between pews draped with some of the 205 quilts they made, in the Sitka Lutheran Church Tuesday. The group made the quilts for five local non-profits and one in Anchorage. The remaining quilts are sent to Lutheran World Relief which  distributes them to places around the world in need, such as Ukraine, as part of Personal Care Kits. Pictured are, from left, Helen Cunningham, Kathleen Brandt,Vicki Swanson, Paulla Hardy, Kim Hunter, Linda Swanson and Sue Fleming.  (Sentinel Photo by James Poulson)

State's Transportation Plan Gets Federal OK
28 Mar 2024 15:06

By JAMES BROOKS
Alaska Beacon
    Federal officials on Wednesday approved most of Alaska’s four-y [ ... ]

New Funding Plan Ahead for Visit Sitka?
28 Mar 2024 15:02

By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
    At an hour-long work session with the Assembly Tuesda [ ... ]

Sitka 'Frankenstein' Puts Classic Tale in New Ligh...
28 Mar 2024 15:01

By GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel Sports Editor
    The story behind a classic, though often misunderstoo [ ... ]

State May Los Millions Over Ed Dept. Missteps
28 Mar 2024 14:59

By CLAIRE STREMPLE
Alaska Beacon
    The state government risks losing millions of dollars in feder [ ... ]

Gov Signs Bill On Internet In State Schools
28 Mar 2024 14:57

By JAMES BROOKS
Alaska Beacon
    Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy on Wednesday signed a bill that promise [ ... ]

Capitol Christmas Tree to Come from Tongass
28 Mar 2024 14:56

By YERETH ROSEN
Alaska Beacon
    Alaska’s Tongass National Forest, known for its steep mountains [ ... ]

City League Games Thursday
28 Mar 2024 14:52

By Sentinel Staff
    Playing Wednesday in competitive division City League volleyball matches, Ca [ ... ]

March 28, 2024, Police Blotter
28 Mar 2024 14:50

Police Blotter
Sitka police received the following calls by 8 a.m. today:
March 27
At 2:36 p.m. a dead  [ ... ]

March 28, 2024, Community Happenings
28 Mar 2024 14:48

This Week in Girls on the Run By Sitkans Against Family Violence
and The Pathways Coalition
During th [ ... ]

New RFP Sought For Managing PAC
27 Mar 2024 14:48

By GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel Staff Writer
    The future of management and operations at the Perform [ ... ]

Seiners Get Second Day with 2 Areas to Fish
27 Mar 2024 14:46

By Sentinel Staff
    The Sitka Sound commercial herring sac roe fishery continued today with open [ ... ]

Braves Take Second in Last Minute Upset
27 Mar 2024 12:41

By GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel Sports Editor
    After storming into the state 3A boys basketball brac [ ... ]

Tuesday City League Volleyball
27 Mar 2024 12:39

By Sentinel Staff
    The Queen Bees’ spotless season record ended Tuesday night with a 2-1 loss [ ... ]

Kodiak Alutiiq Museum Getting New Attention
27 Mar 2024 12:37

By SHIRLEY SNEVE
Indian Country Today
    A major renovation at an Alaska museum to attract tourist [ ... ]

House Hearing on Inmate Deaths Halted
27 Mar 2024 12:35

By CLAIRE STREMPLE
Alaska Beacon
    A presentation about a jump in the number of inmate deaths in  [ ... ]

Nominee to Bering Sea Council: Not a Trawler
27 Mar 2024 12:34

By NATHANIEL HERZ
Northern Journal
    Tribal and environmental advocates calling for a crackdown o [ ... ]

March 27, 2024, Police Blotter
27 Mar 2024 12:26

Police Blotter
Sitka police received the following calls by 8 a.m. today:
March 26
At 2:10 p.m. a man e [ ... ]

March 27, 2024, Community Happenings
27 Mar 2024 12:25

Big Rigs Sought
For April 13
The 3 to 5 Preschool’s spring fundraiser and Big Rig event is happening [ ... ]

Reassessments Raise Tax Bills for Sitkans
26 Mar 2024 15:22

By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
    The city’s reassessment of taxable real estate, alo [ ... ]

Two Areas Opened in Herring Fishery Today
26 Mar 2024 15:21

By Sentinel Staff
The third opening in this year’s Sitka Sound sac roe herring fishery was held Mon [ ... ]

Lady Wolves Rally to Take Fourth at State
26 Mar 2024 15:16

By GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel Sports Editor
    Sitka High’s Lady Wolves bounced back from an openi [ ... ]

Edgecumbe Girls Close Out Season Up North
26 Mar 2024 14:58

By GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel ports Editor
    Competing in the state 3A basketball tournament in Anc [ ... ]

City League Monday
26 Mar 2024 14:55

By Sentinel Staff
    Playing in a competitive division City League volleyball game Monday evening [ ... ]

House Votes to Broaden Rules For Review Panel Memb...
26 Mar 2024 14:52

By JAMES BROOKS
Alaska Beacon
    A bill that passed the Alaska House of Representatives on Monday  [ ... ]

Other Articles

Daily Sitka Sentinel

Help With Utility Bills On Assembly Agenda

By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
    The Assembly at tonight’s regular meeting will consider a revised ordinance for a utility subsidy to help Sitka’s neediest citizens.
    The ordinance was first introduced on Feb. 13, but action was postponed to allow an Assembly committee and staff to work on changes.
    The ordinance would set up a program that would offer up to $65 a month to qualifying families to help with their utility bills. The subsidy was intended to help offset the effect of utility rate hikes on the most needy families.
    The program would be funded this year with $400,000 already set aside in the budget for this purpose.
    The amount of subsidy per qualifying family would depend on the city funds available each year, divided by the number of qualifying families.
    Families would qualify through their qualifications for other programs, such as the National School Lunch Program, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, Medicaid and Baranof Island Housing Authority assistance.
    Among the changes in tonight’s version of the ordinance was an addition to the “Purpose” section referring to the program as a “social welfare program.” Another change tightens the rules to allow only one subsidy per household; clarifies that boat liveaboards are households; and deletes a rule that would remove the subsidy if a qualified family was behind on paying bills.
    The ordinance was co-sponsored by Kevin Knox and Bob Potrzuski, who worked with staff on the revised changes. Potrzuski said he’s pleased with the changes.
    “It doesn’t do any good to have a subsidy that doesn’t work,” Potrzuski said. “The goal is to a) have an ordinance that works and b) be acceptable to other members of the Assembly.”
    Also on the agenda is the reconsideration of a resolution that passed two weeks ago supporting a carbon fee and dividend. The resolution passed on a 6-1 vote, with one of those voting in favor, Aaron Bean, calling for reconsideration of the resolution.
    The program as outlined by the Citizens Climate Lobby would levy an annually increasing fee on fossil fuels based on their carbon content. It would then return to citizens, on an equitable basis, all of the net revenues generated from the fee.
     The program would encourage carbon pricing action by other nations trading with the U.S., by suitable carbon-content-based fees for imports, and rebates for exports to nations that do not have equivalent carbon pricing to that of the U.S.
    Since the last meeting Bean has drafted a substitute resolution supporting action on climate change, but without the fee and dividend provision.
    When the item comes up, the Assembly will first have a yes-no vote on whether to reconsider, and will proceed with reconsideration only if the majority votes yes on that question.
    Among the budget proposals on the agenda is an idea for saving some $71,500 annually by canceling garbage pickup service in 97 off-road, hard-to-reach locations inaccessible by the garbage trucks. The 97 locations have obstacles such as steep or narrow roads and sharp turnarounds that require the use of 4x4 trucks to make the pickups.
     Public Works Director Michael Harmon and Maintenance and Operations Superintendent Harry Greene said in a memo to Assembly members that when prices went up on the collection and off-island contracts last September, that highlighted the need to look for ways to cut costs.
    “During the master planning process this route was identified as costly, in some cases dangerous, potentially expensive and likely to be an issue under a new (garbage pickup) contract/contractor,” Harmon and Greene said.
    Customers will have the option of taking their garbage containers to a city-maintained road for pickup, take their garbage to a shared dumpster tub, or elect to pay extra for their current level of service.
    The Assembly is also set to take up a proposed water export agreement between the city and Green Gold Distributors of Cape Town, South Africa. The South African city is in the midst of a severe water shortage.
    Other agenda items include liquor license renewals, budget issues and an executive session related to Baranof Island Brewing Company.
    The meeting opens at 6 p.m. in Centennial Hall.

You have no rights to post comments

Login Form

 

20 YEARS AGO

March 2004

Advertisement: Tea-Licious Tea House & Bakery 315 Lincoln Street Grand Opening! Freshly Baked Scones, Cakes & Pastries Innovative Salads, Soups & Sandwiches Harney & Sons Tea. Lunch * Afternoon Tea * Supper.

50 YEARS AGO

March 1974

Photo caption: National Republican Chairman George Bush takes a drink of water offered by Jan Craddick, Sitka delegate, during the Republican convention held here. Mrs. Craddick explained to Bush that the water was from Indian River, which means, according to local legend, that he will return.

Calendar

Local Events

Instagram

Daily Sitka Sentinel on Instagram!

Facebook

Daily Sitka Sentinel on Facebook!