The Wrangell Borough Assembly will consider declaring the lots owned by the landslide victims as hazardous. That’s one of the items on the Assembly’s agenda at a regular meeting scheduled for Tuesday night.
The Assembly plans to discuss declaring parcels that belonged to the Florschutz and Heller families as hazardous. Both properties contain toxins, oil, hazardous debris and sharp metal from the November 20 landslide. The Borough said this is a public safety concern.
Additionally, the Assembly will consider swapping this land with the state Department of Natural Resources to support the families by assigning a $0 property tax to them.
A public hearing will also take place for requesting the sale and exchange of a Borough-owned commercial property. The Borough said the land exchange is necessary to go ahead with the Water Treatment Plant Improvement project.
This includes adding a utility easement to the site, meaning a portion of a backwash water sewer line will be placed on private property that, owned by Don Glasner.
Glasner agreed to place the utility easement on his property in exchange for his request to purchase a section of Borough owned commercial property, located adjacent to the Torgramsen-Glasner Subdivision. The section is 125 feet by 235 feet and would sell for less than market value, just below $11,500.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Economic Development Administration requires that the Borough own the site for where the water treatment project will be constructed. Otherwise, the federal agencies will not reimburse them for project expenses, the Borough said.
A future utility easement will be included in the survey as the existing utility pipe runs through the land to be sold. This survey will solely be constructed to adjust the portion of property that the Borough will own for the project.
Boat and seafood business
In other new business, the Assembly will consider approving the transfer of the lease of one of its docks – Mill Dock #1 from Alaska Ice Seafoods, Inc. to another seafood company – Peninsula Seafoods.
Peninsula Seafood’s purpose is to purchase, procure, pack and ship salmon, crab, shrimp, halibut and bottom fish. They also will service Wrangell’s local fishing fleet with bait and ice. They said this will contribute to the growth and sustainability of the local fishing industry.
The Port Commission gave their approval for the lease transfer.
The Assembly will also discuss another proposal by the Port Commission – approving a lease to the Wrangell Boatshop owned by Patrick A. Ellis.
The Port Commission believes the lease will benefit the community as the Wrangell Boatshop will work on wood boats and provide fiberglass repair services.
The company would also like to lease a 40-foot by 50-foot space in the City of Wrangell Travel Lift yard for putting in shop space to work on vessels.
Property tax and collections
Furthermore, the Assembly will discuss changing the Board of Equalization meeting date from May 6 to May 13.
The Board has created and published a Property Tax Timeline for residents to see when property tax deadlines are.
The Assembly also plans to discuss sending delinquent Harbor Accounts and utility accounts to collections.
The Borough said that many of the accounts already have been suspended indefinitely and will be sent to collections on Thursday, Feb. 29th if not paid in full. They also will post the names and amount owed in the Wrangell Sentinel.
The Wrangell Borough Assembly will hold its regular meeting on Tuesday, January 23rd at 6p.m. in the Borough Assembly Chambers at Wrangell City Hall.
You can listen to the live broadcast of the Wrangell Borough Assembly meeting on KSTK fm 101.7, or stream online at KSTK.org.
