The Ketchikan City Council has two special budget work sessions this week to continue its review of the 2016 draft City of Ketchikan and Ketchikan Public Utilities budgets.
Among the items up for discussion Tuesday is funding for the city’s K-9 drug dog, Booker. The annual cost of the K-9 program is about $22,000. Most of that is additional compensation paid to the dog’s handler, on top of the officer’s salary.
The Council also will discuss overtime pay accrued by city and KPU employees. According to an updated report from the city’s finance department, overtime pay through the end of November had totaled about $1.4 million.
Also Tuesday, the Council will consider a request from Akeela, Inc., that the city fund about $225,000 worth of improvements at the former Gateway Center for Human Services. Akeela has taken over operations, but transfer of the grounds and buildings has not yet been completed.
This week’s second budget work session is on Wednesday. That special meeting will kick of the Council’s review of the 2016 draft KPU budget. Rate increases have been programmed for KPU services. A 5-percent increase is recommended for electricity, and 8 percent for water.
Both meetings start at 7 p.m. in City Council chambers, with time for public comment at the start of each.
