Kodiak assembly voices non‑objection to Friends by the Ocean winery sampling endorsement

The Kodiak Island Borough Assembly voted unanimously May 1 to notify the State of Alaska Alcohol and Marijuana Control Office (AMCO) that it will not file a protest to a new winery manufacturer sampling endorsement application for Friends by the Ocean LLC, located in Chiniak.

Assembly staff explained the application had been investigated and that three initial concerns raised by departments were resolved and subsequently retracted. Lena Cruz, staff, told the assembly there is a 60‑day window to file a protest and that the borough’s deadline to submit comments to AMCO is May 31. She recommended “non objection to this application.”

Brenda Friend, one of the owners of Friends by the Ocean, addressed the assembly during the public hearing. “This has been a really long process in the making, but we are excited and we're really looking forward for our family business to open up,” Friend said. She invited the assembly and public to visit the operation in the coming months and described hopes the Chiniak site will become a local destination.

After closing the public hearing, Assembly Member Jared moved to voice non‑protest to AMCO; the motion was seconded. The assembly recorded a roll‑call vote of seven in favor, zero opposed; the motion passed.

The clerk will notify AMCO of the assembly’s decision as directed by the motion. The assembly packet included one written comment in support of the application that staff distributed to members prior to the vote.

Votes at a glance: the motion to notify AMCO of a non‑objection to the Friends by the Ocean winery sampling endorsement passed 7–0.

Future steps: AMCO retains the statutory authority to accept or deny the endorsement; the borough’s action was limited to filing a protest or non‑protest within the statutory comment window.