Author: kfskadmin

Some businesses that move to Petersburg or expand their operation here could see a break on their power costs under a measure that passed the City Council in its first reading this week. Also, The councilors learned that Mountain View Manor Assisted Living has nearly filled all its vacancies. They agreed to spend 150 thousand dollars on a new piece of heavy machinery. And, they welcomed the new City Manager to town. Matt Lichtenstein has an overview of this week’s meeting

Petersburg city workers have a new three-year contract. The 70-plus-member Petersburg Municipal Employees Association and the City Council both ratified their tentative agreement Monday.

Students at Petersburg’s Rae C. Stedman Elementary school have been spending their mornings outdoors, writing down observations and creating plein air paintings of the trees and plants around the school. Students are learning technique from visiting artist Andie Thrams, who hails from a small town in the Sierra Nevada foothills in Northern California. Thrams has been in the Petersburg area for about a month, teaching workshops at the Tongass Rainforest Festival and creating some new work on her own.

Petersburg voters Tuesday will decide on two questions impacting the city’s sales tax. One measure could mean two days a year of shopping tax free at local businesses. Another question seeks to remove the senior citizen and non-profit exemption from sales tax for purchases of alcohol and tobacco. Joe Viechnicki reports.

Petersburg voters will decide whether to spend a million and a half dollars for a new library Tuesday. The bond issue represents about 20 percent of the projects total cost. The State of Alaska and other backers have already committed to provide the rest of the funding. Supporters emphasize that the old library has outgrown its current location and bonding is the key, final piece of the funding puzzle for a new building. Bond measure critics say they are concerned about costs. The issue was the focus of a recent call-in show on KFSK Public Radio in Petersburg. Matt Lichtenstein reports: