(Sage Smiley / KSTK)
Wrangell’s local government will consider approving a more than $2.5 million purchase of the community’s former sawmill property at its meeting Tuesday (June 14). That could include an executive session discussion behind closed doors.
The assembly will also hold a public hearing on an ordinance that would require Wrangell’s elected leaders to review utility rates – like electricity, sewer, water and sanitation – each year before passing a budget.
Wrangell’s Assembly will discuss a 2% increase to wages for both unionized and non-unionized workers in the borough, which would go into effect July 1. The increase is part of the collective bargaining agreement reached last year by the local chapter of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers and the borough. The borough mirrors that 2% for non-union employee wages.
It’s not the only wage increase that could be approved: Assembly members will look at increasing wages for the Port and Harbor director position, which is currently at a lower pay grade than other comparable department head positions.
Wrangell’s assembly is set to move forward with a number of ongoing projects at its Tuesday meeting, including approving the purchase of a new garbage truck for just over $295,000, using a grant from the state Department of Commerce. It’ll also consider spending just over $27,000 for a carpet replacement at the community library, and nearly $50,000 for upgrades to the backup generator for the Nolan Center, one of the community’s designated emergency shelters.
The process of designing and building a new water plant for the community is also ongoing. At its meeting Tuesday, Wrangell’s Assembly could approve a $125,000 expenditure for shop drawings for some of the essential equipment in the new water treatment process – called Dissolved Air Flotation (DAF).
Other agenda items include plat reviews of proposed subdivisions on Farm Island at the mouth of the Stikine and in Meyers Chuck, as well as the first consideration of a change to borough code that would update the process the borough uses to sell land and tidelands leases.
Anyone wishing to speak at the meeting can sign up on the “Persons to be Heard” list located at City Hall. The meeting will be broadcast starting at 6 p.m. on Tuesday (June 14) on KSTK 101.7 FM and online at KSTK.org. View the full agenda packet here.
Get in touch with KSTK at news@kstk.org or (907) 874-2345.
