The Petersburg Borough wants to raise its marine passenger fee by $3.
Cruise or passenger ships pay the per-person fee when visiting Petersburg, and the money funds local services and infrastructure that support those visits. But the Borough says those things have gotten more expensive since its current $5 fee took effect in 2019.
The Petersburg Borough Assembly on Monday considered making the marine passenger fee $8 per person starting next year. The Assembly unanimously approved the change, but the ordinance needs to be passed two more times in order to take effect.
As inflation makes things more expensive, the Borough’s utility department says it will need to increase revenues by 4% in the next fiscal year to cover costs. An ordinance to raise electric utility rates was up for initial consideration — and so was the Borough’s next overall budget. Both were approved unanimously and will be considered again at upcoming assembly meetings.
But before weighing those issues, the Assembly took its deciding vote on a few changes to the Borough’s current budget, giving unanimous approval.
The changes account for buying fire department gear that was authorized in March, fixing a sprinkler system at the Mountain View Manor’s Elderly Housing facility, repairing wastewater infrastructure in Frederick Sound, and account for recently awarded federal revenue for schools and roads.
Several presentations and reports were also on Monday’s agenda. Among those, the Borough’s utility rate study consultant, Waterworth, outlined recommended rates for wastewater and electric utilities. Additionally, outgoing Utility Director Karl Hagerman provided an informal presentation, answering frequently asked questions from the public regarding data centers.
You can find a recording of the May 4 meeting on KFSK’s online Borough Assembly archive, here.
