Petersburg’s newest committee has drawn a lot of interest from community members.
The new advisory committee that could be coming up with recommendations about how to regulate the sale and cultivation of marijuana in the Petersburg borough has at least 15 people who have volunteered to serve. The borough assembly will consider a resolution Monday, March 2creating the new committee and could decide on the make-up of the new advisory group.
In other business Monday, the assembly will consider a new ordinance raising short-term and transient moorage fees in the harbors and setting the fees for Petersburg’s new drive down dock. The harbor board and staff have also drafted procedures for use of the new facility. Users would need to buy either an annual or one-time permit to use that dock. The moorage fee increase needs three approvals before the borough assembly before taking effect.
Another new ordinance would prohibit nuisances like garbage or waste disposal in the wrong place, or dangerous buildings.
A resolution up for consideration would transfer management of the skate park at the ball fields to Petersburg Little League. That organization would convert the covered area into a batting cage. The steel roof came from the old tent city camping area near Sandy Beach. Parks and Recreation director Donnie Hayes is recommending that change.
Another item for consideration is a request from Icicle Seafoods for the borough to pay the cost of a new transformer at the Petersburg Fisheries plant. An old transformer failed at that plant last spring and the power and light department loaned the seafood processor an temporary one through last summer. PFI is the borough’s largest electrical customer. Plant manager Patrick Wilson is highlighting the jobs and raw fish tax that the company brings to town in his request that the 32-thousand dollar transformer be paid for by the borough.
The assembly will consider a contract for landscaping and drainage work at the library. The contract for just under 200-thousand dollars would go to Reid Brothers Construction.
The first of three votes to approve a budget for next fiscal year is also scheduled. There’s also the second reading for proposed changes to the current year’s budget, including the proposed purchase of collection containers and a new truck for the borough to take over the curbside recycling program. That service has been provided by a private company, using blue plastic bags. Public works director Karl Hagerman says the sanitation department’s bottom line will improve with purchase of the new containers and truck. Hagerman notes that continuing with the contractor and annual purchase of blue bags hurts the department’s cash reserves.
The mayor and members of the assembly will also report on recent visits to the state capital and the nation’s capital. The assembly meeting starts at noon Monday in assembly chambers and will be broadcast live on KFSK.
