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Northwest Arctic Borough Assembly approves FY25/FY26 budget amendments, contracts and community assistance
Summary
The Assembly voted June 24 to adopt FY25 budget amendments and multiple FY26 professional services agreements, approved Noatak for the FY26 Community Assistance Program, and authorized a $5,000 donation to the canine program Qanut. Motions passed by roll call, mostly unanimously.
The Northwest Arctic Borough Assembly on June 24 voted to enact multiple budget amendments and professional services agreements and approved community assistance for Noatak.
Public Services Director Clara Johnson summarized a set of fiscal items, including Ordinance 25-06 (guidelines for the unassigned fund balance), Ordinance 24-07-AM-02 (a second amended FY25 line-item budget), and Ordinance 24-08-AM-01 (an amended FY25 Village Improvement Fund budget). Lincoln Carr moved to enact the ordinances; motions were seconded and carried on roll call votes. Johnson recommended that each ordinance "do pass," and the Assembly followed that recommendation.
The Assembly also approved a series of FY26 professional services agreements. Resolutions carried authorizing a legislative consultant contract with Wendy Chamberlain dba Legislative Consultants in Alaska (Resolution 25-22), a media services agreement with Goldeneye Media Alaska (Resolution 25-23), accounting services with Espelin & Associates LLC (Resolution 25-24), and legal services with Landye Bennett Blumstein LLP (Resolution 25-25). The Assembly voted to engage Altman, Rogers & Co. to conduct the FY25 audit (Resolution 25-26).
Delores Barr moved and Lincoln Carr seconded approval of Resolution 25-28 to admit the unincorporated community of Noatak into the FY26 Community Assistance Program; the motion carried unanimously. The Assembly also approved Resolution 25-29, an FY26 lease with Nasruk Nay Consulting for VPSO housing in Kotzebue; Craig McConnell thanked administration for issuing the RFP that opened the opportunity to local residents.
In other formal action, the Assembly approved a $5,000 donation to the canine program Qanut from Assembly donation funds after a motion by Derek Haviland Lie and a second from Lincoln Carr. BAF Chair Reid Magdanz asked Legal counsel whether the donation should be ratified by resolution at the next meeting.
Why it matters: the ordinances and resolutions set the Borough’s short-term budget priorities and lock in vendor relationships that will affect legal, accounting and legislative work in FY26. Approving Noatak for the Community Assistance Program and the VPSO housing lease are tangible service decisions for villages.
Next steps: Several members asked for follow-up reports, including routine financial updates and legal confirmation about ratifying the Qanut donation at the next meeting. The Assembly scheduled its next meeting for July 21–22, 2025.
