By Jake Dye

Homer Independent Press


Formal presentations to the Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly will newly be limited to matters relating to borough services or powers under an ordinance unanimously enacted Tuesday.

The change, sponsored by assembly president Ryan Tunseth of Kenai and vice president Kelly Cooper of Homer, affects only the presentations with prior notice scheduled to the beginning of each assembly meeting. It does not impact open public testimony periods at the beginning and ending of each meeting. 

A memo by Tunseth and Cooper says that formal presentations are a helpful medium for the assembly to hear perspectives on various issues, but that hearing presentations that are outside of the scope of the borough’s power and service “would not be an appropriate use of public resources.”

Under the previous policy, Tunseth said during the meeting, any member of the public could make a request to deliver a public presentation. It was left up to the assembly’s discretion who to hear, Tunseth said, and he supported more firm “guidance” to prevent the presentation opportunity from being used to “advance some particular agenda or make a political statement.” 

The assembly on Tuesday heard two such presentations from officials of South Peninsula Hospital and Central Peninsula Hospital, and commonly hears presentations from various sources on various topics. Neither Tunseth or Cooper identified any presentations that were erroneously delivered to the assembly. 

“I really want to emphasize to the listening public and to our fellow assembly members that this in no way is going to limit public participation,” Cooper said. “The public can always participate multiple times in a meeting during public comment.”

Borough accepts state reimbursement for 2019 fires

A resolution adopted via the assembly’s consent agenda without discussion Tuesday authorizes the mayor to accept nearly $59,000 from the State Division of Homeland Security & Emergency Management for costs incurred during the 2019 wildfire season. The borough and state both declared a disaster that summer, related to the Swan Lake, North Fork and Caribou Lake fires, opening the borough to grant funding from the division and a 100% reimbursement for eligible expenses. 

According to a memo from Borough Emergency Manager Brenda Ahlberg, borough resources used in the disaster response included evacuation of high-risk areas, staffing of the borough’s emergency operations center, use of borough warning systems, logistical support of fire resources, temporary sheltering and other protective measures. An attached worksheet dated Jan. 7 identifies $58,642.97 in eligible reimbursement.

Borough voices support for Prince William Sound Regional Citizens’ Advisory Council

Another resolution adopted unanimously says that the borough assembly supports recertification of the Prince William Sound Citizens’ Regional Advisory Council. An attached memo by Assembly Member Willy Dunne, who represents the south peninsula, says that the group does valuable work to support environmental sustainability in Prince William Sound. Specifically, Dunne spotlighted that the council maintains weather buoys in Port Valdez, monitors hydrocarbon pollution and recently found 23 metals in sediments in the area, among other scientific and environmental endeavors.

Mako Haggerty, who represents the Kenai Peninsula Borough on the council, said that the group plays an important role in ensuring oil is safely transported through Prince William Sound.

“I don’t have to tell the assembly how important oil is to the function of Alaska government,” he said.

Stage set for busy Feb. 17 meeting

Introduced via the consent agenda without significant discussion on Tuesday were four ordinances set for public hearing and potential action during the assembly’s next meeting on Feb. 17. The measures to be considered include accepting around $249,000 in opioid settlement funds and allocating those funds to the Opioid Settlement Fund Grant Program; appropriating around $682,000 for the local match in a federally funded project to construct telecommunications infrastructure in Turnagain Pass; appropriating $342,000 from the school maintenance fund to account for “higher than projected costs” for sanding and snow removal at schools; and accepting the trade donation to Bear Creek Fire Service Area of a new 2026 snowmachine in exchange for a 2014 snowmachine currently owned by the service area.

The newly announced ordinances join a previously introduced piece of legislation that would update several elements of borough election policy in response to the recently successful citizen’s initiative ballot measure that moved borough elections from October to November, set to be considered at the same meeting.

The Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly will next meet on Feb. 17. An agenda will be published to kpb.legistar.com. A recording of this week’s meeting can be found on the same site.