The Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly passed an ordinance that would appropriate funds from the general fund for the purpose of brushing around facilities and fences at solid waste facilities. Solid Waste Director Daniel Kort, through his department, requested funds to brush around facilities and fence lines in order to improve site use, and prevent trees and brush from damaging existing fences and infrastructure.
Assembly member Tyson Cox provided a committee report:
“This is $175,000 to go toward clearing up the brush and grass and bushes and things that have gotten into the fencing around our waste facilities throughout the borough. That would be, I believe we talked about, on the inside and the outside. We also talked about the possibility of that becoming an item for the budget in this next coming year, rather than doing it this way where it’s outside the budget cycle.”
Assembly member Jesse Bjorkman said that he pulled this item from the consent agenda to highlight how much was requested for this ordinance:
“That’s a lot of money, especially not too long ago we spent a similar amount of money to burn brush at the dump and I would encourage people to be responsible in what you do to firewise your property, but I’ve cut down about two dozen trees on my acre property and never brought a stick to the dump. I took care of it myself. We’re hitting the General Fund fund balance for a lot of money for solid waste this year. A lot. Now, aside from the budget that we passed in the spring, it’s $2.5 million-plus. That’s a very significant annual percentage of their budget.”
Mayor Charlie Pierce, who sponsored the legislation said:
“I concur with Mr. Bjorkman. I watch a tree turn from a three-inch tree or two-inch tree into a six-inch tree. The cost is very, very different … Go to every one of our facilities, drive around the fences and look at them. It’s a mess. It’s a mess! It should have never gotten to the extent that it’s at today and it needs to be addressed.”
Ordinance 2021-19-19 unanimously passed the Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly.
