Candidates call for better capital planning as harbors, roads and treatment needs mount

Candidates at the Kodiak Island Borough forum identified harbors, roads, water and wastewater projects as top capital priorities and urged more strategic grant-seeking and planning.

Why it matters: Multiple candidates said infrastructure underpins the borough’s economy—particularly fishing and transportation—and that deferred maintenance creates larger future costs.

What candidates proposed and emphasized: - Caroline Roberts prioritized roads, harbor improvements, school upkeep and water/sewer projects and called bridges in Women’s Bay and other flooding-vulnerable infrastructure to attention: "Harbor improvements are essential to supporting our fishing economy... Schools need to be safe and reliable learning environments... water and sewer systems are fundamental to protecting public health." - Christina Van Hoag Mode highlighted Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) advocacy and landfill planning as funding priorities: "I think we should do more lobbying for greater PILT... Looking at our landfill. We need to do a lot of thinking about our landfill." - Jeffrey Woods suggested creating or assigning a grant-writer staff position, pursuing federal funds and using public–private partnerships. He singled out the long-out Chiniak Creek washout and harbor priorities: "That bridge has been out for, god, 5 or 6 years or better. That could certainly be a priority." - Rob Lindsey and others pointed to boilerplate obstacles (rocky ground, utility costs) that increase construction costs; Lindsey suggested looping water lines and listing Kearney Hills and Boat Harbor projects on the borough’s CIP list.

Candidates urged the borough to develop a clear capital improvement plan that prioritizes projects, makes some projects shovel-ready, and coordinates closely with the city and tribal governments to pursue state and federal grants. Several also warned that failing to act will increase long-term costs and hamper economic activity.