City Council To Examine Rising Utility Costs
Thursday, August 30 2012
City council will meet tonight to hear a presentation on the city’s utilities upgrades, and their cost to consumers.
Unalaska’s water, sewer, and solid waste facilities are all scheduled for construction and improvements over the next few years. The city contracted the Financial Engineering Company to study the ways Unalaska can pay for the work without substantial rate increases. The Financial Engineering Company considered several approaches, which include increasing sales and property taxes. Mike Hubbard will present the study’s findings to council, and they’ll start discussing the city’s options.
City manager Chris Hladick will also present a proposal to upgrade the city’s website. Hladick is estimating that the project would cost $25,000. That covers consultation, design, and content migration to a new site. In his memo to council, Hladick writes that a new website could allow the city to accept permit and job applications, and even utility payments, online.
The first reading of an ordinance to amend the budget is scheduled for tonight. The amendment would provide $20,000 to pay for the new website, and $60,000 to repair the fender system in position 3 at the Unalaska Marine Center dock.
Council will set its federal legislative funding priorities for fiscal year 2014. Under the resolution that’s up for a vote tonight, council would seek $5 million from the federal government to pay for construction of the new wastewater treatment plant, and $6.5 million to pave Ballyhoo Road. That money would come from a prior allocation, originally granted to upgrade the ferry dock.
The city would also seek federal authorization to dredge the sand bar in the Unalaska Bay entrance channel. Unalaska would ask to be included in the Outer Continental Shelf revenue sharing bill along with Barrow and Wainwright, so the city would be guaranteed to profit from offshore oil development. The city would also ask the federal government to finalize plans to open a Transportation Worker Identification Credential office, or TWIC office, in Unalaska.
The meeting will start at 7 p.m. in the council chambers at City Hall.
Just saying.... on Friday, August 31 2012:
I understand the need to update our water, sewer, and solid waste facilities, something I am sure is needed and the community will benefit from, however, in doing so, why does this mean we as a community, who are struggling as it is just to find housing, let along affordable housing, meet our current financial obligations, oh and yes, medical treatments, afford to pay more in utility costs?
Why not look at the monies the City has spent on frivolous items such as the proposed $25,000.00 for the City’s website, and the $65,000.00, for another contracted survey on job classification review, on unnecessary trips, per diems, bonuses, etc. I am sure there is a lot of extra spending going on, and if a real hard effort is put forth, a lot of that can be saved, and applied towards utility improvements limiting the increased cost to the community.
Just saying……
joe the plumber on Friday, August 31 2012:
Rate study = justification to raise utility rates more. Bend over Unalaska, here it comes again!
winsome on Thursday, August 30 2012:
I'm assuming that the sand bar dredging is so that ships with a deeper draft can come into the bay. Anyone know what the reason is?