Kenai City Council approves multiple grants, property sales and airport contracts; adopts process for grant reporting

Kenai City Council members voted on a slate of ordinances and resolutions at their March 19 regular meeting, approving grant appropriations, two city land sales outside the airport reserve, an airport engineering services contract and a new administrative step to gather summary reports from organizations that receive city funds.

The council approved appropriations and donations to local organizations, including funding routed to the Kenai Animal Shelter through a Best Friends Animal Society grant, donations designated by Tom Anderson (through the Alaska Community Foundation) for construction of softball dugouts and a grant to the Kenai Senior Center from the Alaska Geriatric Exchange Network. The council also approved sales of two city-owned, airport-adjacent lots to LOROC LLC and awarded an engineering services term contract for the airport to HDL Consulting Engineers.

Why it matters: the actions move publicly funded support and airport property into implementation, and set an expectation that organizations receiving discretionary funds will provide short, written summaries of outcomes when requested. Council also authorized the administration to send a simple two‑item reporting request to agencies funded through the legislative budget cycle.

Most measures were approved with unanimous or near‑unanimous roll calls and by unanimous consent when no objections were raised. Below are outcomes and key details for each item the council acted on.

Votes at a glance - Ordinance 3456-2025 — Accepting and appropriating a grant received through Best Friends Animal Society to the Kenai Animal Shelter for tenants at the Best Friends National Conference. Roll call returned seven yes votes. (Clerk announced: "You have 7 yes votes.") - Ordinance 3457-2025 — Accepting and appropriating donations designated by Tom Anderson from the Alaska Community Foundation for construction of softball dugouts and dedicating a dugout in memory of Hannah Hill. Enacted by a 7‑yes roll call. - Ordinance 3458-2025 — Accepting and appropriating a grant received through the Alaska Geriatric Exchange Network to the Kenai Senior Center for attendance at the 2025 legislative fly‑in. Enacted by a 7‑yes roll call. - Ordinance 3459-2025 — Determining Lot 10, Block 1, Tollan Subdivision No. 3, is not needed for public purpose and authorizing sale to LOROC LLC. Enacted by a 7‑yes roll call. - Ordinance 3460-2025 — Determining Lot 11, Block 1, Tollan Subdivision No. 3, is not needed for public purpose and authorizing sale to LOROC LLC. Enacted by a 7‑yes roll call. - Ordinance 3461-2025 — Rezoning 202 N. Forest Drive and 1408 Second Avenue from suburban residential to general commercial on the official zoning map; roll call yielded seven yes votes. - Resolution 2025-19 — Authorizing the city manager to enter an airline operating agreement and terminal area lease with Aleutian Airways. Adopted by unanimous consent with no objection. - Resolution 2025-20 — Authorizing award of the airport engineering services team contract (HDL Consulting Engineers), a multi‑year consultant term for airport design and FAA coordination. Adopted by unanimous consent with no objection.

Administrative and policy direction - Motion (H6) — Council directed the administration to send letters to agencies that receive discretionary funding through the legislative budget requesting (1) a brief summary of measurable outcomes or achievements made possible by the previous year's funding and (2) if requesting funding for the next year, the expected outcomes from the requested funding. The motion was made and approved by unanimous consent.

Procedure and context Several items passed with minimal debate and no public testimony. When council asked for additional information (for example about softball dugout construction bids or airport contract scope), staff said they would return with details if needed. The council directed the clerk/administration to set timelines so agencies could respond before upcoming budget deliberations.

What the council did not decide No ordinances in this slate were amended or tabled at the meeting. For items that will require implementation work (contracts, property conveyances or grant spending), staff will manage next steps and report back as necessary.

Provenance: the actions and roll calls are recorded in the meeting transcript beginning with the first public vote on ordinance 3456 (transcript block starting at 2735.885) through final vote and administrative items later in the meeting (transcript block ending at 3526.17).