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
Contract Approved on Harbor Project
By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
The Assembly wrapped up a light agenda in just over an hour Tuesday night after hearing a report from financial director Jay Sweeney and presenting an award to retiring City Planning Director Wells Williams for his 26 years of service.
It was the first meeting for Steven Eisenbeisz since he was elected on Oct. 4. All seven Assembly members were present, and they re-elected Matthew Hunter and Phyllis Hackett for new terms as deputy mayor and vice-deputy mayor respectively.
Transient Float
The Assembly awarded a $183,190 contract to PND Engineers of Juneau for design work on a $6.1 million project to replace the transient float at Eliason Harbor.
Harbor Master Stan Eliason said today the public would be included in the design process at Harbor Commission meetings. Eliason said he and public works staff plan to meet with designers this week, and public meetings on the design will likely start in a few months at regular commission meetings.
For his part, Eliason said, he would like to add a float suitable for working on trolling poles.
“We just don’t have enough room right now,” he said. The designated work spaces at present are the end of Crescent Harbor and the work float on Japonski Island, but the drive-down loading area in Eliason Harbor has also “morphed” into a work space for trolling poles, Eliason said. “We need more space, for sure. Hopefully, by putting it on the end of the transient dock will thin out the fleet when they’re working on stuff.”
Eliason said he has received positive comments from the fleet on this idea.
The city has received a state grant covering half of the costs, up to $2.7 million. The funds can’t be used to cover the estimated $750,000 in costs for engineering, surveying, permitting, geotechnical work and public involvement. The city expects to put in $3.4 million from the harbor fund, city staff said in a memo.
The transient float is heavily used throughout the year, in particular by seiners during the sac roe herring fishery. The float will also serve as a breakwater for Thomsen Harbor.
Other Business
The Assembly heard an update on city finances, with Sweeney reporting a general fund budget surplus of over $1 million for fiscal year 2014.
The finance director said that at the Assembly’s direction the money was placed in the Sitka Permanent Fund and the public infrastructure sinking fund.
He said annual increases in electric, water, sewer and harbor moorage rates will be required to “achieve goals in future years,” and electric rates and moorage rates will need to be evaluated in light of the new bond covenants.
Sweeney also called attention to the water fund, which ended the fiscal year with working capital of $72,000, and a negative cash balance of $76,000.
He said the “financial performance” of the solid waste fund has continued to deteriorate, which has caused working capital to decline. Working capital, he said, went down by $291,900 in the past fiscal year.
Sweeney said the building maintenance fund, an internal service fund, has also gone down. He said the fund derives revenues from “jobbing” for other departments, and from investment earnings on the balance of the Southeast Alaska Economic Development Fund. “These jobbing and investment earnings have been insufficient to cover operating costs,” Sweeney said in his written presentation to the Assembly. “Raising jobbing rates, however, will place pressure on all funds.”
In other business, the Assembly reappointed Amy Zanuzoski to the Sitka Health Needs and Human Services Commission, and passed an ordinance on first reading that updates the Anti-Drug and Alcohol Policy for commercial driver’s licenses.
Persons to be heard
Under comments from the public, Sitka Chamber of Commerce director Jennifer Robinson announced the Moonlight Madness event will be held 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday. She also thanked Sitka merchants for sponsoring the downtown trick-or-treating event that will run 4 to 6 p.m. Friday.
Login Form
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 .....