Several nonprofit leaders and residents used public comment at the July 3 Kodiak Island Borough Assembly meeting to describe services, request support and urge stronger nonprofit accountability.

Rhea Hayes, identifying herself as representing Kodiak Reentry Incorporated, said the volunteer nonprofit works with Kodiak probation and the public defender to provide rapid assessments and reentry services. “We can cut the current 16 week wait period for an assessment on the island to days or weeks,” Hayes said, adding that Kodiak Reentry had 26 participants at the time of her remarks and had formalized as a 501(c)(3) with trained volunteers.

Susan, identified as director of Brother Francis Shelter, thanked the assembly for increasing nonprofit funding and opening opioid-response funds. She said Brother Francis has applied for borough nonprofit funding and that the shelter has helped 85 families sign long‑term leases in the last two years and “have distributed close to 3,000 pounds of food to the community,” noting the shelter also hosts AA and NA meetings and provides emergency housing and other services.

Resident Brian Henelblum urged the borough to prioritize a new animal shelter and referenced borough code Chapter 6.04 on animals. “I would suggest you come up with another task force between your organization and the city council to figure out a way to build a brand new animal shelter,” Henelblum said, citing parvovirus concerns and the impracticality of retrofitting facilities with concrete floors where viruses persist.

Why it matters: speakers framed nonprofit services as filling critical gaps — behavioral‑health intake, reentry support, emergency housing, food distribution and recovery meetings — and asked the borough for funding, oversight and partnership. The comments also pressed elected officials to accelerate planning for a new animal shelter.

Details from speakers

- Kodiak Reentry Incorporated (Rhea Hayes): volunteer-run nonprofit that receives intake referrals from probation and the public defender; reported 26 participants and training in confidentiality and mandated reporting; said it shortens a local 16‑week assessment wait to days or weeks.

- Brother Francis Shelter (Susan): applied for borough nonprofit funding; described long‑term housing placements (85 families served), distribution of nearly 3,000 pounds of food over two years, daily recovery meetings, and emergency shelter services.

- Resident Brian Henelblum: recommended a joint city–borough task force and adding a new animal shelter to the Capital Improvement Plan; cited Kodiak Island Borough Code Chapter 6.04 (Animals) when discussing animal shelter governance.

What’s next: both Kodiak Reentry and Brother Francis indicated active grant applications and promised more detailed reports (Brother Francis said an annual report would be presented at the next meeting). Assembly members thanked speakers and noted the borough has increased nonprofit funding in recent budget actions; no formal appropriation was voted at this meeting.