The K-Beach High-Water Drainage Task Force voted on Monday to formally support an economic development service area for the borough’s District 1.
Kelly Wolf, District 1’s Borough Assembly Member, attended the meeting to answer questions from task force members about the proposed service area and how it might benefit them.
Wolf: “The Kenai Peninsula Borough can provide loans to the service areas, they couldn’t do that for this task force. The service area can request grants, whether it be private, federal or state.”
He said those borough approved loans or grants could be used for special projects such as installing culverts at the the high priority streets like Lori Jo that the task force previously identified.
The only member of the task force to abstain from voting on the proposed service area was Toby Burke, who mentioned it may be too early to commit in support or opposition.
Wolf said whether District 1 residents support or oppose this idea, he wants to see his community engage in a solution for various problems.
Wolf: “Right now as the way the community stands, we’re just a community that has been impacted by high water and is being affected by the possibility of annexation. As a service area, we speak together as one voice.”
Two public hearings on the proposed economic service area will be held at the Borough Assembly Chambers: the first will be Thursday, August 13, from 6:00 – 8:00 pm; the second will be at the next regularly scheduled assembly meeting on August 18 at 6:00 pm.