The Wrangell Borough Assembly met Tuesday night for its regularly scheduled meeting. A public hearing was held to discuss the city’s application for funding through the Community Development Block Grant program. Economic Development Director Carol Rushmore said that the grant program was a difficult one to successfully apply for, as there is only $2.6 million dollars to go around the entire state of Alaska each year. The purpose of the CDBG program, she said, is to give low-to-moderate income communities funds to help enhance life in their area by adding safety/health resources, increasing self sufficiency, and other potential projects. The public hearing was meant to garner public input on six proposed projects to seek grant funding for, and to propose alternative projects. The six projects proposed by the city were fire truck replacement, improvements to the reservoir bypass and dam, the mill property acquisition to expand The Marine Service Center, pool facility improvements, rehabilitation to the public safety and fire department building, and construction of a water treatment facility.
There were no alternative projects proposed by the public during the hearing, so the assembly deliberated amongst the six original proposed projects. After some discussion, it was decided to apply for funding to get new trucks for the fire department. The assembly decided that, while providing water to Wrangell residents was their top priority, they felt it was more feasible to get funding for new fire trucks at the current time.
Assembly Member Rolland Howell turned in his resignation during the meeting, as well. He recently was offered a job as Wrangell’s public works director, which required him to resign from his seat on the assembly. However, there was also a part of the municipal code stating that members of the assembly, upon leaving the assembly, cannot take on new jobs with the city until a period of six-months had passed. It was proposed on Tuesday’s agenda to allow a waiver of this requirement for Howell.
City Manager Lisa Von Bargen explained how Howell had been offered the job as public works director. Originally, she said, there had been 16 candidates for the job. This number was weeded down to six candidates who were interviewed. Four of those six were then given written and oral exercises. Von Bargen said that the first person they offered the job to declined the offer. A second person turned down the job, as well, leaving Howell.
Assembly Member David Powell said that, while he was friends with Howell, he felt allowing a waiver would be unfair. He also warned about potentially negative public perception from the move. Other assembly members, such as Patty Gilbert, said they were okay with allowing a waiver, but wanted to review the part of the municipal code in question at a later date. Eventually it came to a vote. With Powell being the only dissenting vote, and Howell abstaining, the waiver was granted.
Other items handled in the meeting include a discussion on whether or not to retain the city’s current attorney or to shop around, approval of a resolution to apply for a grant to fund improvements to Kyle Angerman Park, and the borough manager’s report.
During the persons to be heard section of the meeting, Wrangell resident Don McConachie came before the assembly to discuss the possibility of renaming Wood Street, which runs from Zimovia Highway to the SEARHC AICS clinic as well as to the water treatment plant. He suggested that the portion of the street that went to the clinic, and the site of the future hospital, be renamed “Gilbert Street” in honor of the Gilbert family. He also suggested that after the new hospital was built, a room in the facility be named after Dr. Harriet Schirmer, a Wrangell doctor who passed away in 2017.
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