Kodiak Island Borough Assembly flags staffing, energy and facility needs while reviewing FY2027 budgets

Kodiak Island Borough officials reviewed proposed FY2027 budgets April 16, pressing staff for follow‑up details on staffing, contract metrics and assumptions about energy costs.

Manager Williams opened the special work session and introduced department presentations. Engineering and Facilities Director Amy told the Assembly that the department’s 2026 salary line looks artificially low because "we haven't been paying an engineering and facilities director for about 8 months," and said some staff duties were covered by reallocating pay across funds. Amy said the administration is proposing to add a project‑management position to support hospital construction projects and expected the position would save money over time despite increasing the personnel line.

The Assembly raised several line‑item questions during the rapid review of general funds. Community Development Director Chris French said the proposed community development budget is about $12,000 below 2026 and that recent reductions reflect a previously vacant code‑enforcement officer position (filled April 1) and a shift to online training to cut travel costs.

Members also drilled into contracts and transparency. The borough budgets roughly $180,000 a year for building‑official services under a contract with the City of Kodiak that runs through June 30, 2029. On animal control, staff said the borough’s proposed $152,200 contribution for FY2027 (about $4,730 less than the prior year) largely pays for city‑provided community service animal control and a near‑half donation to the local humane society. Assembly members asked whether the borough or provider publishes service metrics for captures, rescues or impounds; Manager Williams said she would ask Chief Putney and the service provider for available breakdowns.

The Assembly spent substantial time on the buildings and grounds fund. Staff described a new general‑administration account meant to allocate tools and equipment used across multiple facilities rather than charging a single building. Revenues include rents from the City of Kodiak, the school district and current tenants such as the YMCA and Red Cross; staff said rents cover the operating costs of the Egan Way Cottages now in use.

Members focused on capital and energy assumptions. Staff described a planned ADA entryway project for the borough building with a $147,000 capital projects allocation and noted several deferred roof projects previously budgeted (one $450,000 roof project did not proceed in 2026). The shift to an electric boiler in the borough building has increased electricity usage, and members asked whether the FY2027 budget should be adjusted to reflect potential rising costs if demand on the local utility (KEA) increases; staff said they would monitor KEA developments and confirmed level‑two budget amendments are available later if estimates change.

Throughout the session Assembly members asked staff to supply clarifying detail before the next budget round: unused 2026 appropriations in emergency preparedness that may reflect unbilled invoices for a shared emergency‑services director, the purpose of small continuing‑education lines in parks, and the $73,654 proposed use of fund balance in the land sales/resource management fund. Manager Williams said staff will compile answers and recommended solutions, then circulate them to the Assembly prior to level‑two budget work.

The session closed with the Assembly discussing the manager and clerk evaluation process and the manager thanking staff and local emergency responders for their response to a recent landfill fire. The Assembly expects to reconvene for the next budget discussion on April 30.