FIFTH OPENING – The Sitka seine boats Hukilau and Rose Lee pump herring aboard this afternoon at the end of Deep Inlet during the fifth opening in the Sitka Sound sac roe herring fishery. The opening was being held in two locations beginning at 11 a.m. (Sentinel Photo by James Poulson)
By GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel Staff Writer
The future of management and operations at the Perform [ ... ]
By Sentinel Staff
The Sitka Sound commercial herring sac roe fishery continued today with open [ ... ]
By GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel Sports Editor
After storming into the state 3A boys basketball brac [ ... ]
By Sentinel Staff
The Queen Bees’ spotless season record ended Tuesday night with a 2-1 loss [ ... ]
By SHIRLEY SNEVE
Indian Country Today
A major renovation at an Alaska museum to attract tourist [ ... ]
By CLAIRE STREMPLE
Alaska Beacon
A presentation about a jump in the number of inmate deaths in [ ... ]
By NATHANIEL HERZ
Northern Journal
Tribal and environmental advocates calling for a crackdown o [ ... ]
Police Blotter
Sitka police received the following calls by 8 a.m. today:
March 26
At 2:10 p.m. a man e [ ... ]
Big Rigs Sought
For April 13
The 3 to 5 Preschool’s spring fundraiser and Big Rig event is happening [ ... ]
By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
The city’s reassessment of taxable real estate, alo [ ... ]
By Sentinel Staff
The third opening in this year’s Sitka Sound sac roe herring fishery was held Mon [ ... ]
By GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel Sports Editor
Sitka High’s Lady Wolves bounced back from an openi [ ... ]
By GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel ports Editor
Competing in the state 3A basketball tournament in Anc [ ... ]
By Sentinel Staff
Playing in a competitive division City League volleyball game Monday evening [ ... ]
By JAMES BROOKS
Alaska Beacon
A bill that passed the Alaska House of Representatives on Monday [ ... ]
By NATHANIEL HERZ
Northern Journal
Gus Schumacher, the Anchorage Olympic cross-country skier, a [ ... ]
By CLAIRE STREMPLE
Alaska Beacon
Alaska’s rural schools are on track to access faster interne [ ... ]
By YERETH ROSEN
Alaska Beacon
In the language of the Gwich’in people of northeastern Alaska, [ ... ]
Police Blotter
Sitka police received the following calls by 8 a.m. today:
March 25
At 7:48 a.m. a calle [ ... ]
Vietnam-Era Vets
Invited to Lunch,
Commemoration
American Legion Post 13 will host a luncheon 1-3 p.m. [ ... ]
By GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel Staff Writer
The 2024 Sitka Sound sac roe herring fishery got under [ ... ]
By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
The Assembly will start the annual process of determi [ ... ]
By Sentinel Staff
Competing in the 3A state championship title basketball game Saturday, the M [ ... ]
By Sentinel Staff
Playing through the afternoon Sunday, City League volleyball teams faced off [ ... ]
Daily Sitka Sentinel
Money Left in Kitty for Utility, Harbor Aid
By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
City staff processed more than 2,500 applications for CARES Act utility and moorage subsidies by the deadline July 31, the finance department reports.
A few applications remain to be processed, but as of today the totals come to 1,769 applications for residential utility assistance, 246 for business utility assistance and 562 for moorage assistance, City Controller Melissa Haley said.
Although final figures are not yet known, Haley estimated the total assistance that will be provided over the next few months will be less than $3 million of the $4.5 million budgeted for both programs.
“We didn’t expect everyone to apply, and everyone didn’t apply,” Haley said.
Haley estimated the final figures will show $2.5 million will be paid out for utility assistance and less than $500,000 for moorage.
One ordinance allowed residents to apply for a $1,000 credit and businesses to apply for $3,000 credit on their utility bills. The other ordinance allowed boat owners to apply for three months’ worth of harbor moorage.
The Assembly set aside $4.5 million in CARES Act funding for the utility and moorage programs, leaving $9.5 million for other coronavirus relief programs. Budgets have been approved for those funds, and the application process for the programs opened Monday.
The Sentinel will have a story about those programs later this week.
Thor Christianson, who co-sponsored the utility and moorage ordinances with Kevin Mosher, said he was pleased that residents and businesses harmed by COVID will be getting some assistance soon.
“I think it went well,” Christianson said, of the process. “Like everything like that there were hiccups here and there but, all things considered, it went very well.”
Haley said the intent was to make the application process as simple as possible, but there were still hundreds of questions for city staff to answer. A FAQ sheet was posted on the city web site.
“As we’ve gone through we’ve had to make interpretations, we have to make sure everything is in line with Department of Treasury guidance,” Haley said. “It’s complicated to be developing these programs as the guidance comes out.”
A number of applications for utility help had to be turned down, Haley said, because of the rules allowing one subsidy per business account, and one subsidy per resident. Some residents and some businesses have more than one account.
“There are lots of businesses with multiple accounts,” Haley said.
Some applications for harbor utility accounts had to be turned down because they weren’t registered as liveaboards, which was a requirement for assistance. Haley said many still qualified for moorage help.
Some were frustrated they didn’t qualify because they didn’t become a resident until after March 15 of this year, and some didn’t qualify because they pay utilities as part of their rent.
The rules for both programs require applicants to sign a statement that they suffered, and would continue to suffer, economic hardship due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Christianson said he hopes the programs give a financial boost, particularly as rate payers start using more electricity heading into fall.
“I hope it helps,” he said.
Haley said she’s not surprised to see the pot of utility money wasn’t used up, since the $4.5 million was based on a “worst case scenario.”
“We’re going to have to figure out what’s left,” she said. “We still have to finish processing applications and are reaching out to some applicants who were preliminarily rejected for things that were maybe clerical in nature.”
For example, some did not check the boxes saying they were harmed due to COVID, she said.
Haley said she expects the city’s CARES Act Working Group will take up the question of the leftover funds and make a recommendation to the Assembly.
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20 YEARS AGO
March 2004
Matthew C. Hunter of Sitka recently returned from Cuba as part of a St. Olaf College International and Off-Campus Studies program. Hunter, a junior physics major at St. Olaf College, is the son of Robert and Kim Hunter of Sitka.
50 YEARS AGO
March 1974
Eighth graders have returned from a visit to Juneau to see the Legislature. They had worked for it since Christmas vacation ... Clarice Johnson’s idea of a “White Elephant” sales was chosen as the best money-maker; Joe Roth won the political cartoon assignment; highest government test scorers were Ken Armstrong, Joanna Hearn, Linda Montgomery, Lisa Henry, Calvin Taylor and David Licari .....