The City of Kenai’s dock still needs repairs following damage from 2016’s 7.1 magnitude earthquake. On Wednesday, January 17, the council will consider rerouting funds from completed projects to cover part of the cost.
The possible budget transfers would come from two completed projects: the recoating of the Animal Control kennels and the installation of the Public Safety Building’s boiler.
Those projects left a combined $106,422 unused but already allocated from the General Fund.
Finance Director Terry Eubank detailed the damage caused to the dock by the jolt in the early morning hours of January 24, 2016.
Eubank: “What you have there is you have steel structural membranes encased in concrete and some of that concrete was flexed and appeared to have cracked as a result of movement during that earthquake. And that’s evident because you can look for a crack that’s been there for a while and you may see rust coming out of it because moisture has gotten to the steel inside and we don’t see that rust.”
In 2016, the city hired an engineer inspect the dock who found it structurally sound and safe for public use but stated without maintenance the cracks may speed up the deterioration of the dock.
The initial estimate to fix the damage was between $150,000-200,000.
The Kenai City Council will convene on Wednesday, at 6:00 pm in the Kenai Council Chambers for their regular council meeting.
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