Kruzof Island
Dear Editor: The Forest Service Sitka Ranger District would like to thank everyone that participated in the Kruzof Island integrated resource planning meeting, held this past Wednesday night at Centennial Hall.
The meeting was a great success and we really appreciate all the valuable information that was shared. We heard about mooring buoys, habitat enhancement, firewood, water bars, and much more. In the up and coming weeks the Sitka Ranger District staff will use the comments brought forth to help develop a proposed action for the project.
The proposed action will be released to the public through a project scoping letter scheduled in early February. This will allow the public to comment on the proposed action. Future announcements will be made in the newspaper and on local radio stations regarding public involvement. Please stay tuned!
If you were unable to attend and would like to comment and/or would like a copy of the meeting notes, please contact: Chris Leeseberg, USFS Fisheries and Wildlife Biologist, at cleeseberg@fs.fed.us or 907/747-4343;
Carol Goularte, District Ranger,
Sitka Ranger District
Electric Rates
Dear Editor: When Mayor Mim McConnell was still an Assembly member she stated that the reason Sitka was pursuing the Blue Lake hydro project was to ensure cheap electrical rates. The common wisdom at the time was diesel generation is too expensive. Soon after, because of low water levels, Sitka imposed an electrical surcharge of up to 4 cents per kilowatt/hour. The actual surcharge (winter 2011) ended up being 1 cent per kw/hr.
Last month Utility Director Chris Brewton stated to the Assembly that, “We’re looking at a series of rate increases over three or four years” (Sentinel Dec. 12, 2012). Without funding from the state or federal governments the upcoming Blue Lake expansion will be paid for entirely by Sitka’s electric users. Each new phase of construction will have a new phase of bonding. What Mr. Brewton is saying in the above is that the Blue Lake project will require “three or four” electric rate increases.
I have three questions for Mr. Brewton and the Assembly. First, what is the electric rate in Sitka going to be after the third or fourth raise? Second, when is “cheap hydro” no longer cheap? Lastly, isn’t a 1 cent kw/hr surcharge less to rate payers than $145 million?
Matthew Donohoe, Sitka
Cartridge Recycling
Dear Editor: I want to thank everyone who continues to recycle their used electronics and printer cartridges with Blatchley Middle School’s recycling program. My students and I have been raising money for our classroom with this project for almost two years now and will continue to do so indefinitely. Not only do students learn the value of recycling and reuse, but they participate in determining what we buy for our classroom with the funds that they help raise.
The recycling program has allowed us to purchase headphones for use in video and podcast production, several cameras as part of our digital photography and image editing unit, and an iPad for the journalism’s augmented reality project.
In particular, I want to thank the SEARHC warehouse team, Aurora Business Supplies, and the Coast Guard for collecting and donating electronics. Also, there are many community members who anonymously bring in recycling to the BMS office. Please know how much my students and I appreciate your donations.
We will continue to collect donations until the end of school this spring and will start up again in the fall. If you have questions about the program, please call 966-1418.
Emily Demmert,
technology and journalism,
Blatchley Middle School
