Author: kfskadmin

The City of Petersburg was in good financial shape this past fiscal year. That’s according to the city’s auditor who reported this week that Petersburg spent 400 thousand dollars less from its general fund than the year before. At the same time, the city took in more general fund revenue.

Petersburg school officials heard numerous complaints from the public this month after an administrator chose not to contact police about an alleged drug deal in the middle school. The issue dominated public testimony at this month’s School Board meeting. Board members pledged to deal with the matter.

The Petersburg City Council Monday voiced support for state funding to study three options for an electrical intertie and road to Kake. There was a mix of public testimony and council discussion on the idea.

The organization that owns the four hydro-electric plants serving Petersburg, Wrangell, Ketchikan, Copper Valley and Kodiak is ready to split up. But the deal requires unanimous approval from the governing bodies in each of the member communities ……including the Petersburg city council and Wrangell borough assembly. Under the restructuring of the Four Dam Pool Power Agency, the southeast members would split-off and form their own public organization. The new Southeast Power Agency would consist of the Tyee Lake plant serving Petersburg and Wrangell, the Swan Lake plant serving Ketchikan, and a soon-to-be-completed power line connecting the two. Power Agency officials say the split-up would allow the new southeast agency to focus on southeast interests. Power Agency CEO Dave Carlson and other officials held meetings in Wrangell and Petersburg to answer questions about the plan. Reporter Matt Lichtenstein asked Carlson about it ahead of time.

It may be up to a federal judge to decide whether the Forest Service acted illegally when it investigated and suspended a whistleblower employee on the Tongass National Forest. The employee passed away earlier this year, but his widow wants some answers about the agency’s actions and has taken the issue to court.