The borough assembly on Tuesday night rescinded $70,000 in funding to cover COVID-19 tests for employees of Sea Level Seafoods, after rejecting an amendment to expand the funding to all seafood processors in Wrangell.
The assembly originally approved a motion on May 25 to use $70,000 in federal funding to cover the costs of COVID-19 tests for Sea Level employees, which passed on a 4-3 vote. The borough used federal funds to pay for the tests last year.
The item resurfaced Tuesday when Assemblymember Patty Gilbert offered an amendment to the original funding authorization, expanding the program to cover all seafood processors. Her amendment did not go over well with several assembly members.
“My issue with this is we already have a free testing program in Wrangell, at the airport,” Mayor Steve Prysunka said. The state has contracted with the SouthEast Regional Health Consortium to provide free testing at the airport for anyone, though the state contract expires June 30.
“I don’t understand why they have to have us paying for their testing. I appreciate that it’s not the city’s money, it’s the fed’s money, but we have to be responsible for the fed’s money as well as our own money,” the mayor said.
Assembly members Dave Powell and Bob Davis said they agreed with Prysunka.
After further discussion, the assembly came to a consensus that expanding the appropriation to cover employee testing for all seafood processors was unnecessary and voted down the amendment. Members then decided to rescind the original $70,000 in funding for Sea Level testing altogether.
Gilbert made the motion to rescind the original appropriation, which passed unanimously. Assemblymember Ryan Howe was absent.
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