Dept. of Public Works staff inspect the Manson's Saltery. (Credit: DPW)

Unalaska’s city council met briefly this week to discuss what’s in store for 2015.

In January, city staff plan to open bids to expand the Public Safety parking lot. That will require some heavy excavation, according to public works director Tom Cohenour.

Councilors supported Cohenour’s idea to use up the leftover rock from the worksite by building a park and footpath to the Manson’s Saltery. The city owns the abandoned historic site at the base of Haystack Hill.

Laying a path through the tidelands would require a permit from the Army Corps of Engineers. But public works staff could take the lead on fixing the dilapidated buildings, which used to be used for processing herring. It would cost about $65,000 to add new foundations and roofing.

Cohenour says those repairs would slow down the rate of decay. But it’s not clear if Unalaska’s historic preservation commission wants the city to go in that direction. At a recent meeting, members said the buildings were too far gone to justify the expense.

Either way, Cohenour says any work on the Saltery site can be handled in-house using city labor.

In other business, the council approved more than $350,000 worth of contracts to support upcoming capital projects.

Wolf Architecture of Palmer was selected to design plans for renovating the city pool. And PND Engineers received a contract to administer construction at the Bobby Storrs Boat Harbor. The C float is scheduled to be replaced next year.

Council also gave mayor Shirley Marquardt the go-ahead for two trips this winter. Marquardt told council she wouldn’t make a final decision on whether to attend a shipping meeting in British Columbia until the agenda is finalized.