The Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly passed the ordinance to create the position of and Oil, Gas, and Mining Special Assistant to the Mayor at the January 20 meeting.
The ordinance appropriates $67,500 for the position and passed 6 to 3 in favor, with those who voted no expressing their concern over the expense and questioning if the tasks could be spread out among current employees.
Mayor Mike Navarre said he hopes to fill the position by the beginning of February.
Mayor Navarre: “The primary reason is with the discussion about the LNG facility, that’s going to have huge economic impacts and opportunities for the Kenai Peninsula Borough and its residents and the planning stages start now. There’s legislation that’s starting this year during the legislative session, we need someone that’s going to be paying attention to that and also look at the socioeconomic studies as part of the environmental impact studies. We have to do our planning now because that will determine what projects and infrastructure is paid for as part of the project.”