Kodiak Island Borough Assembly appoints temporary administrator, OKs pool survey and seawater pump contracts

The Kodiak Island Borough Assembly on March 20 adopted Resolution FY2025-20 designating a temporary administrative official and authorized two contracts: a $59,540 condition survey of the Kodiak High School pool and a contract to replace seawater pump assemblies at the Kodiak Fisheries Research Center (KFRC), authorizing up to five pumps including a critical spare.

The actions matter because the pool and pump work address long-standing facility failures that affect school operations and fisheries research on Kodiak, while the temporary administrative appointment clarifies who will act for the borough manager during absences.

During the meeting, Borough Manager Amy Williams nominated Seema Groot, the borough assessing department director, in a draft resolution; the assembly had previously requested that the manager designate Solid Waste Manager and Environmental Specialist Jenna Hassinger as the temporary administrative official. The assembly moved to substitute a revised version of the resolution and approved the substitution and the resolution by roll call vote, 6-0. The motion to adopt the revised resolution, as recorded in the meeting roll call, passed with Assemblymembers Ames, Griffin, LeDoux, Sherritt, Smiley and Whiteside voting yes.

The assembly approved contract FY2025-47, a facility condition survey for the PULSE/community pool at Kodiak High School, to Jensen Yorba Wall for $59,540. Amy Williams told the assembly that the survey will include site visits and coordination with aquatic specialists from Water Technology, Inc. (WTI), structural engineers PND and mechanical/electrical engineering from RSA. Williams said the project team would identify major issues and recommend next steps; if the assembly approves, staff proposed covering the cost by moving $62,673.51 remaining from the main elementary roof project (project 22,003) to the community pool project (project 23,005) in the next quarterly budget amendment.

The pool contract prompted extended discussion about procurement and consultant roles. Assemblymember Ryan Sherritt said he would not approve a future contract that awarded work to WTI if WTI were involved in the condition survey, stating, “I would not approve a contract for work that included an award to WTI.” Project manager Cody Allen and other staff explained that Jensen Yorba Wall is the prime consultant and that WTI would serve as an aquatic specialist to avoid duplicating prior work; Cody said the aquatic specialist portion of the scope is $14,500. Manager Williams and members of the assembly said Jensen Yorba Wall’s team approach was intended as a cost-saving measure and that the architectural review board and borough project staff would review any later design or construction proposals. After debate, the assembly approved the Jensen Yorba Wall contract by roll call vote, 6-0.

The assembly also authorized contract FY2025-49 for seawater pump assembly replacements at the Kodiak Fisheries Research Center. Staff reported competing quotes: DXP Alaska Pump and Supply provided a quote for a single pump assembly at $4,665 (excluding shipping) with a 20-week lead time; an initial Industrial Pumps of Alaska quote was higher and later revised. Project manager Cody Allen reported the updated price per pump from Industrial Pumps of Alaska as $41,781.69 and said the purchase would be for up to five pumps (four direct replacements and one critical spare) because of long lead times and the need to keep a spare on hand. Cody told the assembly the borough would not store the critical spare in the same building because of environmental conditions and that staff planned to refurbish replaced pumps where practical.

Assembly members pressed on materials and operations. Staff and others discussed using 316-grade stainless steel for parts exposed to seawater, researching cathodic protection and electrolysis, and exercising backup pumps to avoid deterioration from long idle periods. Manager Williams said Industrial Pumps of Alaska would conduct a no-cost site visit on April 1 to compare findings with the DXP assessment; staff recommended processing a purchase order after that site visit if no additional issues were identified. The assembly voted to amend the motion to authorize the pump replacements for up to five pumps and then passed the amended authorization by roll call, 6-0.

In public comment early in the meeting, Service Area No. 1 board member Craig Dagan urged the assembly to raise the Service Area No. 1 chairman stipend above the current $400, saying the $400 “does not cover the fuel cost of the chairman while conducting the business of the district.” Dagan recommended a stipend greater than $800 to cover customary costs; no formal action on the stipend was taken at this meeting.

Other staff reports and informational items at the meeting included a planned demonstration of short-term rental tracking software the borough and city may share (estimated $5,000 per year), updates to National Weather Service forecast zones affecting Kodiak, the property-tax foreclosure timeline and a postponed property-assessment system go-live from June to August. The assembly convened an executive session later in the evening to discuss strategy on borough construction at Burrow Hill under KIBC 2.30.03(F)(1)(B).

Questions and concerns raised during debate will carry to future work sessions and procurement steps; staff told the assembly they would return with design or procurement documents and that project oversight would remain with the borough project manager and the architectural review board.

The assembly’s next regular meeting was scheduled for April 3, 2025.