The Southwest Alaska Municipal Conference will hold an open house at the BRC Monday the 30th from 10:00 to 6:00! Laura Vaught and Shirley Marquardt will provide information about SWAMC priorities in the region and survey’s regarding impacts of the past 18 months of COVID-19 in Unalaska/Dutch Harbor. The survey is an opportunity for Unalaskans to weigh in on what federal, state, local and tribal grants, loans or resources were the most helpful for families, businesses and individuals. SWAMC has contracted with McKinley Research to develop a Regional Recovery and Resilience Plan intended to provide a simple plan to navigate the effects of significant economic, social, educational and business disruptions in rural, coastal communities, based on what worked well, and what did not. Anyone filling out a survey will be eligible for the drawing of one of eight $100 VISA Gift Cards!

SWAMC will also bring their Alaska Tribal Broadband “Broadband in a Box” plan that has been finalized and is ready for use in Unalaska and the region.

They can also provide information on Mariculture opportunities, education and permitting challenges in the Unalaska area as a follow up to the visit by AFDF last month.

The Southwest Alaska Municipal Conference (SWAMC) is a non-profit regional economic development organization for Southwest Alaska. SWAMC serves three subregions of Southwest Alaska: the Aleutian/Pribilofs, Bristol Bay, and Kodiak.

SWAMC was formed out of the common interests of the region encompassing the Aleutians East Borough, the Aleutians West Census Area, the Bristol Bay Borough, the Dillingham Census Area, the Kodiak Island Borough, and the Lake & Peninsula Borough. In 1988, municipal leaders from the region forged a partnership to advocate for the needs of rural communities and the responsible development of the region’s core economic sector – commercial seafood harvesting and processing.