Assembly delays decision on borough-funded UAS Ketchikan workforce pilot, asks for concrete plan

The Ketchikan Gateway Borough Assembly on April 21 heard a presentation from Bill Urquhart, director of the University of Alaska Southeast’s Ketchikan campus, on a proposed borough-funded career and technical education pilot aimed at training local residents for maritime and health-care jobs. After discussion, the assembly voted to postpone a motion to direct staff to enter a grant agreement with UAS until the second assembly meeting in June and asked staff and the university to return with a concrete program budget and measurable outcomes.

Urquhart told the assembly the proposal focuses on “high demand, high paying jobs” in marine transportation, health care and skilled trades and described a year-one pilot that would support expansion of training capacity. He said certain programs are costly to run because of equipment and clinical supervision requirements and noted limits created by certification rules: “we train certified nurse aides ... the Alaska Board of Nursing requires us to have a 4 to 1 student to instructor ratio,” Urquhart said, explaining why adding students can require additional instructors and operating funds.

The nut graf: Assembly members broadly endorsed the idea of local workforce training but repeatedly said the written proposal did not include enough detail on spending, measurable outcomes or sustainable funding. Several members asked that the university and staff return with a business-style plan (budget line items, expected credentials, partner contributions and evaluation metrics) before the borough commits public funds.

During questions, members pressed whether the program would be a one-time pilot or ongoing and whether the university had sought other partners. Urquhart said the campus hopes the borough’s support would start a longer-term relationship and that UAS has not approached the City of Ketchikan before asking the borough because many community campuses around Alaska receive borough funding. He cited Valdez and Kodiak as examples of borough-supported campus programs that support high-school and adult learners.

Concerns raised at the dais included the proposal’s lack of a detailed spending plan and measurable targets. “I’m not willing to just hand somebody a hundred thousand dollars and say, go forth and see what you can do with it,” Assembly Member Thompson said, reflecting a widely shared sentiment. Several members urged the campus to seek cost-sharing from local employers and health-care partners and to present a clearer list of program outcomes and who will pay ongoing operating costs.

Procedural outcome: Assembly Member Bowling moved to direct staff to enter into a grant agreement with UAS Ketchikan for FY26 to develop a CTE workforce pilot; the motion was seconded. After debate, Assembly Member Thompson moved — and Assembly Member Palmer seconded — to postpone consideration until the second meeting in June and to direct staff to bring back a more concrete proposal, including a budget and measurable outcomes. The postponement motion passed on a 7-0 voice/roll call vote.

Next steps: Staff and UAS officials were directed to work together and return to the assembly with a detailed pilot plan by the June meeting. The assembly noted the borough’s broader FY26 budget process and said the university should include likely partner contributions and clear success metrics in the revised submission.

Why it matters: The borough and university say the pilot targets workforce gaps — certified nurse aides, maritime credentials and trade skills — that can help residents access locally available jobs. Assembly members said they want to support local training but emphasized the borough’s limited fiscal flexibility and the need for measurable, accountable spending before committing ongoing funds.

The assembly will hear the revised proposal at its second June meeting; in the meantime, the university and staff are expected to develop a more detailed budget, partner outreach results and evaluation criteria for the pilot.