The Ketchikan City Council meets in regular session Thursday, and will talk about the city’s community priority list, which is sent to elected officials in Juneau for state funding consideration.
The City of Ketchikan’s proposed list includes funds for Hole-in-the-Wall and Thomas Basin harbors; water and sewer main replacements for various roads; and replacement of the viaduct at Sayles and Gorge streets.
In a memo to the Council, City Manager Karl Amylon notes that the Southeast Alaska Power Agency likely will submit the Swan Lake expansion project to the state for funding. Amylon recommends placing that item at the top of a community priority list.
The Ketchikan Gateway Borough Assembly started its own priority list this week, too. The Assembly voted to invite the city and other agencies to submit their projects for a combined request list.
Also Thursday, the Council will consider two resolutions that would place bond propositions on the October ballot. The bonds would pay for up to $10 million worth of water and wastewater pipe replacements. The Council already approved similar resolutions, but asked that language be included clarifying that rates will go up to pay for the bonds. City officials recommend rescinding the approved resolutions, and then approving new ones with the added language.
If the entire $10 million in bonds is used, wastewater rates could rise by 14 percent, and water rates could go up by 11 percent.
The Council also will consider scheduling a sales tax holiday for Oct. 11 or 18.
An executive session at the end of the meeting is scheduled for the Council to discuss potential litigation against contractors involved in the Whitman Lake Hydroelectric Dam project. The issue is over a turbine that failed during testing.
The Ketchikan City Council meeting starts at 7 p.m. Thursday in City Council chambers. Public comment will be heard at the start of the meeting.
