Unalaska, AK – Last night, city council zipped through business and moved ahead on financial measures that would help pay for infrastructure improvements.

The council unanimously passed a resolution that would designate the Aleutians West census area as a recovery zone. This would enable the city to issue recovery zone economic development bonds and recovery zone facility bonds, which are tax-exempt bonds created by last year's federal stimulus bill.

City council also accepted a matching grant of $300,000 from Alaska Clean Water Action. The ACWA funding will go toward the installation of three sediment separators into the city's storm water collection system.

Two items are moving on to public hearings and second reading. At the August 10th council meeting, the council will again discuss issuing and selling a series of electric utility revenue bonds that would help pay for improvements to the city's electrical infrastructure. Council will also move ahead on an ordinance that would amend PCR's schedule of fees.

The final piece of business treated the council upcoming lobbying trip to Washington. Marquardt along with council member Dave Gregory are set to spend a week in the nation's capital, where they will speak to Alaska's congressional delegation as well as officials at the Department of Energy and NOAA. The trip will take place the third week of September.

In addition to this new business, the meeting also included the swearing in of a new police officer Chris Honan.

During the announcements portion of the meeting, Marquardt brought up news about funding for the Carl E. Moses small boat harbor: $11 million in federal stimulus money are going toward the completion of the project. Both she and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers legal counsel Lloyd Pike are pleased.

"We both actually did a happy dance when we heard about the money," says Marquardt.

Council members Katherine McGlashan, Dick Peck, Dennis Robinson, and Zac Shasteen were present for the meeting.