The Kenai Peninsula Borough’s Kachemak Selo school project and Seward’s flood service area flooding mitigation efforts were included in Governor Bill Walker’s proposed capital budget.
The items are not part of the municipal matching grant program like Kenai’s wastewater treatment plant upgrades. Borough Mayor Mike Navarre says the Kachemak Selo School funding is for part of the project.
Mayor Navarre: “It was put in the governor’s budget this year for just about $11 million. If it’s approved by the legislature then the borough would have to match the difference in that and the total cost of the project is estimated at about $16 million so if that goes forward then we’d have to ask the voters of the borough whether or not they want a bond to pay for the additional cost of the school in Kachemak Selo.”
That project would be at the end of East End Road outside of Homer and would serve about 60 K-12 students who are currently being educated in old homes that were converted into schools.
The other Kenai Peninsula project included in the state’s proposed capital budget is a $300,000 line item for Seward to proceed with scoping and a feasibility study to mitigate flooding.
The capital budget still must be reviewed and approved by the legislature.