[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6678973,"mediaKeyId","2098854-26d5b75ca5924476f195dc719e130757","parentId",2098854,"title","Assembly flags HVAC, mold concerns and long-term options for city–state courthouse/police building","audioSeconds",420,"startMs",4349000,"endMs",4769000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2098854-26d5b75ca5924476f195dc719e130757&start=4349&end=4769","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2098854-26d5b75ca5924476f195dc719e130757/thumbnail_4349000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6678973/Sitka-City-and-Borough/Alaska/Assembly-flags-HVAC-mold-concerns-and-long-term-options-for-citystate-courthousepolice-building","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6678973-ce484a97e0d796132f77f023a91fb89c/orig.mp4?Expires=1776699875&Signature=hfGSlbD98bLO1W-aMcHsRhSZBu-kKAcNqZiAgEE5X5p6Zzo1gaoHod9dYw1X6PK6L3B5fcVlTjIy0ASr~1cdRVR7SF0oFoyx00dPHdvYLoIH8P1UVKGkuHXNp0L2iNDwMaVzNBL6jESV0HUn4n241znpGBgXv-GFOdrI385ZYePV8sakbniaA2GQ6Dx4nL0cJwtlxBPuHc~555srf6bYxzjX1E38Gbs8i5vM6-~fu~bjf4gYV~rykjfQAvBn~cyu1lzclxpB2wdoKvmXf8f-YK102lu7HaLzHSpoyYTkgnZNW6iB37vE4KLOOKlwOZod2OpbMuFOHQ89MPp64XiOMg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Sitka City and Borough","date","2025-01-10T06:04:37.377Z","article","Assembly members and maintenance staff spent an extended portion of the Jan. 9 meeting discussing condition issues at the shared city–state building that houses court functions and municipal offices, focusing on HVAC reliability, water infiltration and staff reports of odors and health complaints.

Staff said the building's HVAC system is original to 1974 and had intermittent modifications in later decades. The assembly was told the total appropriation shown in the capital list for building work is $3,000,000; staff said that figure reflected the full project and that the city’s portion would be roughly $581,000 if the project proceeds under a 60/40 state–city funding split.

Maintenance superintendent Connor Dunlap described work the facilities team had done and air-quality testing carried out by the state after staff and state employees reported smells and health concerns. “There is not, at this point, confirmed cases of of mold in the building,” Dunlap said, adding that staff had performed visual inspections and found roof leaks and original HVAC equipment that is aging.

Assembly members raised two related issues: whether the building is worth major investment if the state might relocate court services, and whether the municipality should plan for a purpose‑built public safety building rather than repeatedly repairing the aging shared building. One assembly member noted a 2019 estimate that a new police building could cost more than $20 million, and several members said they preferred to develop long-term options even as short‑term HVAC, roof and mold concerns are addressed.

Why it matters: The building hosts judicial functions, and staff reported court had been moved temporarily into the assembly chamber because of HVAC-related problems elsewhere. The city's share of any major rehabilitation depends on state participation; staff said that coordination and legislative funding would be necessary to pursue a full rehabilitation.

Next steps: Staff will pursue conversations with state partners about shared funding; the assembly asked staff to continue condition assessments and provide more detailed cost breakdowns, and to consider both short‑term fixes and long‑term options for a police facility.

Ending: Assembly members said the condition assessment work and grant/legislative coordination should continue; serious health hazards were not confirmed by air‑quality tests reported at the meeting, but members agreed the building needs prioritized repairs and clearer long‑term planning.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","City Assembly Meeting - 01/09/25","oneSentenceSummary","Assembly members and maintenance staff discussed mold concerns and aging HVAC systems in the shared city–state building, and staff identified a possible $3 million project (60/40 state–city split) with a Sitka share of roughly $581,000; members raised questions about recoverability and a long-term police facility.","taxTitle","Sitka City and Borough, Alaska","taxId",14992,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6678976,"Assembly weighs $50,000 for more work on commercial land-use plan as implementation delayed",390,2614000,3004000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2098854-26d5b75ca5924476f195dc719e130757&start=2614&end=3004","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2098854-26d5b75ca5924476f195dc719e130757/thumbnail_2614000.jpg","/articles/6678976/Sitka-City-and-Borough/Alaska/Assembly-weighs-50000-for-more-work-on-commercial-land-use-plan-as-implementation-delayed","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6678976-6ed7b34d43d42c7529de045150595884/orig.mp4?Expires=1776699875&Signature=c9TTC8EQu-sWbsorPJrOOGr5td26ajanaIqjh7zaHSyyoRLMFB4qkcYongmEhBz0wKYRC3PPl9JNjuvhVMln7y96nYQ6jsLPGGtoRTp3EK0aRtHkv797Qg3Cl~rZfjn8prqjOHRwYMv0Cnv6HoABIy2mv2RfY-hq2BXuGTvKX5l9SUfTCbqLd2HVsHyf46QR~tnks15sji1sgUFwe~uOAFbXt0FQ8YHWExe5~3Yd3cKLSpWKmryTTXy4bnMu3~0yZQsvXcSACsSeakLrQKzO-C67El4xe7lefAreTRjR90hB-9QeSNK8VUE-aPUD0ov0VKK1uI0H3tPgvUSZgpWyeA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Sitka assembly discussed whether to include $50,000 in the FY26 initial draft to support further analysis and implementation steps for a recently considered commercial land‑use plan.

Staff member John explained the $50,000 was a reduced request from an original $150,000 submission and would support more detailed research and analysis if the assembly’s direction required it. “Based on a lot of the feedback … trying to further analyze some of the concerns that were brought forward, it’s going to require some more work,” he said.

Amy Ainsley, community development director, told the assembly the version of the plan staff had brought forward “we still stand behind,” but that feedback from assembly members and operators suggested more detailed work might be needed. She said planning staff has submitted a revised ordinance that delays the plan’s implementation date by roughly a year, reflecting concerns about the timing and the seasonal permitting cycle: staff had concluded permitting by “early to mid April” would not be feasible for operators and revised the schedule accordingly.

Assembly members expressed mixed views. One member said the plan appeared to be at a “tweaking” stage and favored delaying implementation for a year to ease operational impacts; another said he supported setting funds aside so staff could respond if more study became necessary. “If they don't need to use it, it goes back into the general fund,” one assembly member said of the resource proposal.

Why it matters: The commercial land‑use plan governs how commercial spaces and tourism‑related uses are regulated and could affect operators across Sitka’s waterfront and visitor-serving areas. Staff said a delayed implementation would give operators and regulators more time to prepare, and the additional $50,000 would be available only if the assembly concludes more detailed analysis is needed.

Next steps: Staff will return with the revised ordinance and, if the assembly maintains interest in further analysis, the $50,000 would appear in the initial budget draft as a contingency for planning work. The item remains on the assembly agenda for continued review at a later session.

Ending: The assembly did not withdraw the plan; instead staff will present the replacement ordinance and staff and assembly members will decide during upcoming meetings whether to fund additional work.","Council members, planning staff and operators debated a $50,000 resource proposal to support additional analysis of a commercial land‑use plan that the assembly postponed; planning staff later submitted a replacement ordinance delaying implementation by a year.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6678980,"Residents urge Sitka to pave Price Street, cite dust health risks and business impacts",456,996000,1452000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2098854-26d5b75ca5924476f195dc719e130757&start=996&end=1452","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2098854-26d5b75ca5924476f195dc719e130757/thumbnail_996000.jpg","/articles/6678980/Sitka-City-and-Borough/Alaska/Residents-urge-Sitka-to-pave-Price-Street-cite-dust-health-risks-and-business-impacts","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6678980-d580d5dedc40f9c389c8491aef3187ae/orig.mp4?Expires=1776699875&Signature=NX8YH0KX1ZS5H-VOJPBd8qD~AaEBGn7n3ysvstN1KbVNkze0Q7aM6u-kAYENwOWEuZCyMvQpEocxl9oGmXcDEhtkdUSPBzKh4lPRW~iV3S0aVvHsWpO-ysWgh9kwnTOnVqE5KoSeg6DS4uslbl7ENG7FuVMS8lTtc-HSxylK-vkrGNEZoKhdZyoQw6X5MHfpKuKtp-6MNafp48tzfJtbtKNFlmaRZMRGPAlMYkWwhP1oBpNhtw89IhRfU8DR5jxlWW6XGdChzQqK1Bq5L8RhbbdpUXaBTS1DGOTAn0yoj7G2T~q-21gzjcNLtJ7dT6UU1h3FsfKCnY4RxgUPTAITIw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Several residents used the public-comment period at the Jan. 9 Sitka City and Borough Assembly meeting to press for paving of the gravel portion of Price Street and to raise related safety and infrastructure concerns.

“From where the blacktop currently ends on Price Street, there's approximately 24.4 acres of privately owned properties served by this gravel road,” resident Jeremy Twaddle told the assembly. He said the area contains “53 commercial Price Street” lots with a mix of commercial and residential uses and about “98 residential dwelling units consisting of manufactured homes, apartments, single family, and multifamily dwellings.”

Twaddle said frequent grading to maintain the gravel road produces dust that residents breathe and that similar circumstances on Indian River Road previously led the city to pave when officials concluded airborne dust carried a health risk. He cited occupational-safety guidance during his remarks: “Per OSHA, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, Granite Rock … is comprised of 10 to 40% silica,” and added that repeated grading breaks surfacing into small particles that become airborne.

Local contractor Tyler Cropley, superintendent for CCON, told the assembly his firm has worked with public works on paving projects and encouraged the city to consider an area‑wide maintenance or asphalt program, noting other Southeast Alaska cities put such work out to bid annually. “I encourage you guys to think about building a maintenance program,” Cropley said, offering the contractor’s experience on municipal paving work.

Resident Nicholas McGraw suggested low‑cost crowd‑management options at a nearby blind corner and proposed exploring shore‑power for cruise ships to reduce generator emissions and local carbon output: “If we could run power to the cruise ships, then, of course, that would lessen the carbon footprint.” McGraw also praised recent street-crew work near Swan Lake and urged consideration of temporary flagging practices for safety.

Why it matters: Staff have noted a long queue of capital maintenance needs across the borough; Price Street was identified in earlier capital planning but was not funded for paving in the current draft proposals. Residents told the assembly the neighborhood contributes property and sales taxes and seeks equitable infrastructure upgrades.

What the assembly can do next: Staff said neighborhoods may also pursue a local improvement district (LID) for initial paving when property owners wish to accelerate a project; the city’s risk-scoring process currently places some other roads ahead of Price Street on the priority list.

Ending: Assembly members urged staff to provide information on timing, LID options and cost estimates as the FY26 budget process continues.","Residents and local contractors told the Sitka assembly that the gravel portion of Price Street serves dozens of commercial and residential properties, produces dust that local speakers called a health hazard, and asked the city to prioritize paving or offer alternatives.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6678985,"Sitka assembly begins FY26 budget process, staff urge caution amid revenue uncertainty",7235,1489000,8724000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2098854-26d5b75ca5924476f195dc719e130757&start=1489&end=8724","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2098854-26d5b75ca5924476f195dc719e130757/thumbnail_1489000.jpg","/articles/6678985/Sitka-City-and-Borough/Alaska/Sitka-assembly-begins-FY26-budget-process-staff-urge-caution-amid-revenue-uncertainty","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6678985-c4a568718369adc6d0f664c8b468a86b/orig.mp4?Expires=1776699875&Signature=WegvLNaLYJKp6bFBoBuf0ZnLebPuSseCN7ZvnH4ZmH4aK4VGUZJuXZc3Lxoz8UoqY~I0v3NRDcOF7BDDO7eTj8HpwhZf~2t5JHbEFM9xmaFCdPhDH6mZbBTy9O65wjzHNbmCnuHaMfkzgVe-aF54RJ1IHeJ-9GOqTfMDMvWqFmLxrUDegSiPftrqW9Slh7jgaAT5J2JCKlsPOkxV9IceMKtMSdws~u9epVDQp6hXFJv~q5zundw3YI1qIP8y4bk1236K0ryaPnC~l5ebaXn36e5gp8ORAucuUUOwNJI2oF5ZRI2L9zuDUILQfzBFF8Efc8OGAcZiITKoOrb-mqDScQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Sitka City and Borough Assembly opened a special meeting Jan. 9, 2025, to begin drafting the municipal fiscal 2026 general-fund budget, with staff presenting resource proposals and asking the assembly for guidance on priorities and assumptions.

City staff presented a compressed schedule for the budget process and recommended that assembly members review a draft that will include the resource proposals discussed at the meeting. “This is kind of the kickoff of our fiscal year 26 municipal budget process,” staff member John said, explaining the goal of seeking assembly guidance after staff review of departmental resource proposals.

Melissa, speaking for staff on budget assumptions, told the assembly the presentation focused on new fixed assets and larger resource proposals rather than routine replacements. “We’re starting here,” Melissa said, describing the sequence: general fund first, then enterprise funds and rate assumptions. She also warned that staff would present a conservative revenue forecast for April–June 2026 and noted the administration’s intent to include a placeholder for the pending compensation study and upcoming labor negotiations.

Why it matters: Sales taxes provide the municipality’s primary revenue, and staff said early projections show transfers to the public infrastructure sinking fund may decline. Melissa told the assembly the city is managing approximately $150 million in projects tied to grant funding and that staff must be selective about pursuing additional grants because implementation capacity is limited.

Assembly members and staff debated how conservative the initial draft should be. Several members urged a cautious approach because a ballot petition under discussion could reduce visitor-related revenues later in the fiscal year. “I prefer a conservative budget,” Melissa said, summarizing her recommended planning posture; she later offered to run sensitivity analyses showing the budget impact under different revenue scenarios.

Staff flagged several near-term scheduling items: a joint meeting with the school board on Jan. 16, a draft general-fund budget to be circulated around Feb. 7, and a potential date change for the Jan. 30 meeting because several assembly members expect to be absent. The code deadline for formal adoption was noted as first reading by May 7 and second reading by June 10, unless the assembly directs otherwise.

Key proposals highlighted by staff included continued funding for school-building maintenance that the city began administering last year, incremental funding for parks and recreation and accessibility improvements, and vehicle and facility capital replacements that carry general-fund impacts. Staff reported a small net increase in new non‑revenue-offset resource proposals — “just a bit over $1,000,000” — but said some of those costs would be offset by transfers from sinking funds.

Members signaled they prefer maintaining core services and programs added in recent years — such as school-building maintenance, parks and recreation programming, and a sustainability coordinator — while scrutinizing nonessential items more closely. Multiple members suggested staff prepare sensitivity scenarios showing the budgetary effect of revenue declines so the assembly can make targeted adjustments if needed.

The assembly directed staff to include the discussed resource proposals in the initial draft budget unless a member asked for an item to be removed; several members cautioned that items with long-term operating implications deserve heightened scrutiny.

Votes at a glance: A procedural motion to adjourn the meeting carried without recorded opposition. (Motion: adjourn the meeting; mover and seconder not identified in the transcript.)

What’s next: Staff said it will publish the draft general-fund budget in early February and continue departmental reviews through the month, then return to the assembly to discuss school funding and enterprise funds later in the spring.

Ending: Assembly members and staff agreed on the near-term plan: prepare a conservative initial draft, produce sensitivity analyses for lower‑revenue scenarios, and reconvene for focused budget hearings in February and March.","City staff presented initial general-fund resource proposals and a condensed schedule as the Sitka City and Borough Assembly kicked off work on the fiscal 2026 budget, with members directing a conservative approach given uncertain sales-tax receipts and a pending petition that could reduce revenue.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Assembly flags HVAC, mold concerns and long-term options for city–state courthouse/police building

Assembly weighs $50,000 for more work on commercial land-use plan as implementation delayed

Residents urge Sitka to pave Price Street, cite dust health risks and business impacts

Sitka assembly begins FY26 budget process, staff urge caution amid revenue uncertainty