City council approved a $3.9 million local contribution to the 2015 school budget on Tuesday. But that amount might change, with education funding bills still unfinished in the legislature.
The $3.9 million figure includes about $2.8 million for the city’s maximum allowable contribution to the schools, plus just over $1 million on top of the local funding cap. It’s the amount the district asked for -- about 4 percent less than last year’s contribution.
City council will vote on the city contribution to next year’s school budget at their meeting tonight.
The city has proposed contributing up to about $3.9 million to the school budget in 2015. That would include a million dollars beyond the set funding cap.
It’s still unclear what impact state legislative changes might have on the local school budget. Unalaska based its proposed contribution on a potential $85 boost for the base student allocation. But that increase hasn’t been finalized yet. The legislature is currently scrambling to finalize an education package as their session stretches into extra days.
The city has canceled a $3.9 million contract with Northern Alaska to expand the landfill.
That's after workers found evidence of explosive material in heaps of rock recycled from the wastewater treatment plant site.
About two weeks ago, city manager Chris Hladick says Northern Alaska discovered dynamite wrappers and wrappers from booster explosives buried in the piles of rock at the landfill.
Longtime Unalaska city clerk Elizabeth Masoni is stepping down next month, and on Friday, the city announced a replacement. Deputy clerk Catherine “Cat” Hazen will move up to the head position when Masoni retires in May.
According to a press release, Hazen has worked for the city since 1999 -- first in finance, then as deputy clerk starting in 2010. She got her municipal clerk certification last year.
The city has hired a new director of public works after a six-month search.
Tom Cohenour will step into the position in the next few weeks. Most recently, he directed the department of public works in South St. Paul, Minn. But he’s worked in Alaska before, as DPW director in Cordova and Palmer.
City human resources director Kelly Stiles says that experience will be an asset in Unalaska.
City council will meet early tonight to take a look at Unalaska’s roadmap for major capital projects.
The city updates its Capital and Major Maintenance Plan, or CMMP, every year as part of the budgeting process. According to a new draft, Unalaska can expect 23 big projects and upgrades worth $85 million between now and fiscal year 2019.
The Unalaska Marine Center dock and the Bobby Storrs Small Boat Harbor are both scheduled for extensive renovations in the next few years. The city is also planning to wrap up a major overhaul of its public utilities.
City managers outlined their goals and financial plans for fiscal year 2015 at city council’s first discussion of the new budget last night.
The city has budgeted for about an eight percent revenue increase and a four percent expenditure increase for fiscal year 2015. That means they’d go into the year with a surplus -- $10.2 million in the general fund.
The draft of the budget doesn’t include any capital funding yet. It also doesn’t account for a potential increase to the local contribution to the state retirement fund. The state is expected to decide on that plan later this month.
At 5:30 Friday morning, Unalaska was struck by a fake tsunami that damaged homes, roads, and docks. Phones went dead and rolling blackouts swept through town -- at least, hypothetically speaking.
Right now, the Alaska Shield drill is still going on in some cities across the state. Communities are acting out a large earthquake and tsunami, so first responders can practice dealing with the fallout from a natural disaster.
Unalaskans can weigh in on a proposal to lower the wharfage fees at the Carl E. Moses Small Boat Harbor at the city council meeting specially scheduled for tonight.
The wharfage change comes from the Ports Department.
They want the fees for loading and off-loading cargo at the small boat harbor to be assessed on a per-ton basis.
