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The Southeast Alaska Power Agency board declared last week that it is moving forward with an expansion of the Swan Lake reservoir despite a lack of funding from the Alaska Legislature. That decision and others were made at SEAPA’s all-day board meeting in Ketchikan. Board Member Sam Bergeron, who also sits on the Ketchikan City Council, said in a telephone interview Friday the board was doing “good work.” “The board is taking the easiest projects that bring us the most returns in the short term,” Bergeron said, referencing the Swan Lake expa...
To the Editor: The April 11, 2013 issue of the Wrangell Sentinel contains a quote by me regarding the need for Thomas Bay General Manager qualifications that have been interpreted by some to cast a negative opinion of SEAPA. In the clarity of hindsight, I certainly wish I had phrased my statement differently as that was not my intent. When going into the process of filling the vacant General Manager’s position there was some discussion as to the qualifications that the Commission deemed necessary to move Thomas Bay Power Authority forward a...
STEPHEN PRYSUNKA Why should you be appointed to the Borough Assembly to fill the vacancy left by William B. Privett? I think that I should be appointed to the vacant position because I will bring an open mind to the council. I have no agenda or preconceived notions regarding any of the issues currently facing the Borough. I will be open to all opinions and will educate myself to the best of my ability on the various topics. I will work with other council members and city staff to ensure that our...
With the stroke of a pen and a handwritten letter addressed to Mayor David Jack and members of the Borough Assembly, longtime member and Vice Mayor Bill Privett resigned his position with the quorum at their April 9 meeting. “Please consider this my formal letter of resignation, effective immediately,” Vice Mayor Privett wrote. “My grandson has applied for employment with Castle Mountain Entertainment and cannot be hired because of my Assembly position. Maybe again in the future I will be able...
To the Editor: I had the distinct pleasure of attending a TBPA board meeting the other day, open to the public, I was the public. I find it astounding to the point of recklessness that no one ever attends these types of meetings. Then again no one pays attention, to anything except American Idol, after all look what's in the White House. From my perspective, here is a group of hardworking, conservative, concerned citizens working for your benefit. A thankless job, done for free, on your behalf. They strive to keep costs down, and a prudent eye...
A motion to join the City and Borough of Wrangell in studying the possibility of separating from the Southeast Alaska Power Agency drew heated debate among Ketchikan City Council members Thursday before gaining narrow approval. The Council was considering whether to follow Wrangell’s lead and partner with that city and possibly Petersburg, the third member of SEAPA, in commissioning a study about SEAPA’s ongoing value to the three communities. During the public comment portion of the meeting, people spoke both for and against the motion. Jason...
The Thomas Bay Power Authority commissioners undertook a lengthy discussion over who will be hired to take the reins of the utility for Wrangell and Petersburg during a special meeting held March 4 in Wrangell. A motion by commissioner Dave Galla to keep current manager Paul Southland on as the full-time leader of the utility for at least a year failed by a 4-3 vote, with commissioners Robert Larson, Joe Nelson, Clay Hammer and president John Jensen voting against the motion. TBPA operations foreman Mick Nicholls was then nominated by commissio...
During the Thomas Bay Power Authority Commission meeting on March 27, TBPA general manager Paul Southland’s report shed light on a number of issues, with special attention paid to on-going brush clearing efforts in the utility’s service area. According to Southland, clearing operations are underway in the Borough, but a lack of proper US Forest Service permitting for use of all-terrain vehicles is making for trying times in the muskeg and brush where crews are working. “Without a proper permit it is a complete waste of time and manpower,” South...
The Borough Assembly undertook one of their longest and most productive sessions in recent months this week as they attempted for a second time to form an “energy committee,” approved a number of contracts and construction projects, and took under consideration a recent protest over use of the former Wrangell Institute property for storage of timber from an Alaska Mental Heath Land Trust land sale. The formation of an energy committee, which would be tasked with looking at the possibilities of d...
During the March 5-6 meeting of the SEAPA Board of Directors, the reports of operations manager Steve Henson and special projects director Eric Wolfe highlighted a number of projects and new information related to the Tyee Lake Hydroelectric project. In Henson’s report he began with information on the Wrangell Reactor Replacement project at the powerhouse near Bradfield Canal. “The Wrangell Reactor replacement project management, engineering, and design have been awarded to Electric Power Systems, Inc. (EPS). Completion of the project has bee...
Just read the latest on SEAPA, says some are mystified by why we would want them out. Okay I can help with that, with the publicly available dollar numbers that have been available to every person in Wrangell. Broken down to the basics, based upon population SEAPA in Wrangell costs each person almost $30.00 a month. Purchasing Thomas Bay would cost each person slightly more than $15.00 a month. This debt would be paid off in 20 years. SEAPA is an ongoing expense, with no expiration date, no pay off date. We are always in debt for maintaince...
After a civic presentation on “Lemonade Day 2012” by Wrangell teen Helen Decker, three attempts to pass a motion that would have set up an “energy committee” to study future divestiture plans from the Southeast Alaska Power Agency, the decision to form such a committee was halted after disagreement over membership was raised. Assembly member James Stough modified the original motion, saying he wanted to see membership in the committee include citizens or officials from Petersburg and Ketchik...
The Southeast Alaska Power Agency held their regularly scheduled meeting on March 5-6 at the Nolan Center in Wrangell. During the meeting the group came to a consensus on whether voting or non-voting members can make and second motions, and took a detailed report from Seattle-based attorney Joel Paisner where he informed the board of the basics of the agency – and their “fiduciary” duties to SEAPA. Before Paisner’s report, however, the board took public comment from Borough Assembly member...
The City and Borough of Wrangell is working with a Denver-based consultancy firm to determine the cost of eliminating PERS employees at Thomas Bay Power Authority via a “termination study” that will show the cost of eliminating seven positions at the organization – a move recommended in a Southeast Alaska Power Agency commissioned report issued last year by D. Hittle and Associates. According to Borough Finance Director Jeff Jabusch, the city undertook the study to assist SEAPA. “Last fall, the SEAPA folks requested permission from us to do t...
The Southeast Alaska Power Agency Board of Directors held their regular bi-monthly meeting in Wrangell on Tuesday and Wednesday, March 5-6 to discuss a number of items of both new and old business – and to announce the agency is working with a public relations firm to try to “foster a positive public image.” In SEAPA CEO Trey Acteson’s report to the board, he outlined his plans for improving the image of the agency – and challenged that misinformation and inaccuracies are abundant in local med...
To the Editor: I am writing this message in hopes the information will spread as far as the Wrangell Sentinel goes. This is a very inexpensive and fairly easy way to help not only those in our country but to the farthest reaches of the world. Knit for Kids is a nationwide program that unites thousands of volunteer knitters to fight poverty with their knitting needles. With every stitch, together we give hope and warmth to vulnerable children living in poverty or other difficult situations around the globe. The hub of Knit for Kids is the...
To the Editor: I am writing this message in hopes the information will spread as far as the Wrangell Sentinel goes. This is a very inexpensive and fairly easy way to help not only those in our country but to the farthest reaches of the world. Knit for Kids is a nationwide program that unites thousands of volunteer knitters to fight poverty with their knitting needles. With every stitch, together we give hope and warmth to vulnerable children living in poverty or other difficult situations around the globe. The hub of Knit for Kids is the...
The Wrangell Borough Assembly appointed Ernie Christian to fill the seat vacated by Mayor David Jack at their Feb. 26 regular meeting at City Hall. Assembly member Bill Privett had initially motioned to appoint Wrangell resident Billie Younce to the seat, but the motion failed for lack of a second. Assembly member James Stough then motioned for Christian’s appointment, with a second coming from member Maxi Wiederspohn. The Assembly voted 3-2 to appoint Christian, with Privett and Jack voting “no.” Christian, who was traveling on business durin...
An analysis of the financial status of the Southeast Alaska Power Agency by Alaska Power & Telephone is estimating what the member utilities it serves are valued at – and makes a conclusion that the member municipalities of Wrangell, Petersburg and Ketchikan should take over ownership of the Tyee Lake and Swan Lake power plants. The analysis, which was performed in-house by AP&T CEO Robert Grimm, states that SEAPA currently holds $16 million in total debt, with a liquidation debt of $15 million – the amount the communities would have to pay...
Community and utility leaders from Petersburg, Wrangell, Juneau, Angoon and Ketchikan gathered last week to discuss energy resources in a round table forum. The common denominator for most of these leaders was a way to reduce the need for diesel power or get off of this expensive power altogether. Southeast Conference Energy Coordinator Robert Venables facilitated this event and laid out several key findings from the Southeast Alaska Integrated Resource Plan that he thought necessary for consideration. “The current situation facing the Southeas...
To the Editor: I see that SEAPA was all over our last paper. They spoke of gathering to regain their focus, and draft a mission statement. I found it quite telling that they emphasis that they would spend the rate payers monies for this excursion in Alaska. They stated it like they where sacrificing for all of us the little people, their valued customers. Is this because these letters to the editor are exposing your BS throughout the local service area? Is this because these proceedings, as well as these letters have been read by the governor?...
The Southeast Alaska Power Agency Board of Directors will meet in special session this week to discuss a possible junket for the five voting members to hash out organizational policy and the administrative oversight of staff members. The board will meet tomorrow in Ketchikan to mull over a possible board retreat where Wrangell board member Brian Ashton said they would decide whether to pursue such a trip. “Over the past year, some board members have voiced a desire to have a retreat, in order to address some foundational issues pertaining to SE...
The Thomas Bay Power Authority Commission met last week to receive updates on the Southeast Alaska Power Agency, Tyee Hydroelectric Project, and to elect officers for the New Year. Sitting Member at Large Brian Ashton resubmitted his letter of interest for the position, along with fellow Wrangell resident Mike Nash. Ashton was appointed to the position once again and a nomination was placed for the current officers to remain at their posts for another year. The TBPA President for 2013 is John Jensen; Vice President is Robert Larson and...
A debate over the openness of records in the possession of the Southeast Alaska Power Agency – along with discussion over the noticing, intent and necessity of an executive session to seek requests for power and energy from across the region – were two of the highlights of a special meeting of the SEAPA Board of Directors on Jan. 17 in Ketchikan. During the opening of the meeting, the board allowed for comment from the public and media who were listening in on the meeting via teleconference. At that point, Matt Lichtenstein, the news dir...
To the Editor: As I sit looking out my window I clearly see gathering storm clouds upon the horizon. These clouds are formed from indifference — do they belong to you? With the ending of Paul Southland’s contract at Thomas Bay, we are headed for a fiscal cliff of our own. This opening could result in a weak leader at Thomas Bay, someone not suited to stand up to the hostile take over that SEAPA represents. These SEAPA carpet bagger would fire all of our home grown skilled labor. Deprive this community of $500,000.00 worth of income from the...