The Kenai Peninsula Borough Finance Committee on Wednesday reviewed several ordinances and resolutions during a public hearing and new-business segment and scheduled hearings for introduced ordinances.

Ordinance 2024-19-22: cybersecurity assessment update

The committee considered ordinance 2024-19-22 to accept and appropriate $65,000 in federal pass-through funds from the Alaska Department of Military and Veteran Affairs, Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management for an update to the boroughcybersecurity assessment. Finance staff said the IT department will manage the work and Louis Forsner will serve as project manager; the work is expected to be contracted out and the performance period ends December 2026. A committee member asked whether recent hacking attempts had targeted borough systems; staff said they did not know.

Ordinance 2024-34: Princess Lake Estates Utility Special Assessment District

An ordinance to confirm the assessment roll for the Princess Lake Estates Utility Special Assessment District was presented as the final step in forming the district. A staff member said each parcel was assigned "an amount for 47.53," described in the staff presentation as approximately $475 per year, and that the total project cost for all parcels is $627,435. The ordinance establishes the method for terminating assessments and issuing refunds.

Resolution 2025-001: salmon disaster relief funds

The committee considered resolution 2025-001 to accept $215,725.70 from the Alaska Department of Fish and Game as salmon disaster relief for general government operations. Finance staff clarified the funds will be deposited into the borough general fund and used for government operations; the funds are not direct individual relief payments. The mayoroffice added that individuals affected by fisheries disasters may be routed through separate programs such as the Pacific States Fisheries Commission.

Resolution 2025-002: shared fisheries business tax allocation method

The assembly heard a resolution adopting an alternative allocation method for the fiscal year 2025 shared fisheries business tax program in the Cook Inlet Fisheries Management Area. Staff said $7,115 will be split between equal shares and a population-proportional bucket; an additional small share ($342) will be allocated the same way. Staff described the changes as routine annual allocations among 10 participating jurisdictions.

Resolution 2025-004: standardization policy for anti-scaling/anti-foaming chemicals

Public works staff introduced a standardization policy for use of specific anti-scaling and defoaming products used in leachate processing. The product manufacturer was said to perform adequately and alternatives did not perform as well; the policy would reduce repeated sole-source justifications and allow routine purchases within budget.

Ordinance introductions: school design services and remote seller sales tax code

Two ordinances were introduced for later hearings:

- Ordinance 2024-19-23 will appropriate funds (staff cited $81,000) for design services for the Redoubt Elementary and Skyview Middle School portion of RFP 25-008; staff said the consultant will complete the program analysis in roughly 120 days, and any change to the bond language or scope would be coordinated with the bond bank and could require school board and public approvals if substantial.

- Ordinance 2025-01 would amend Kenai Peninsula Borough Charter section 5.19 (the uniform remote-seller sales tax code) to align with updates adopted by the Alaska Remote Seller Sales Tax Commission. Staff explained the proposed change removes the 200-transaction reporting threshold while keeping the $100,000 gross sales registration threshold; officials said the change should reduce burdens on small sellers and that 96% of commission-collected revenue is unaffected by the adjustment. Other edits were described as housekeeping clarifications for tax caps and bundled transactions.

No formal roll-call votes on these ordinances or resolutions were recorded during the committee meeting; staff presented the items and answered member questions. Where hearings were scheduled, the clerk announced future hearing dates (for example, the school-design appropriation was set for Jan. 21, 2025; the remote-seller sales tax hearing was set for Feb. 4, 2025).