The Central Council of Tlingit & Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska will run an expanded Head Start, toddler and infant care program at Evergreen Elementary School after reaching an agreement with the Wrangell Cooperative Association and borough. Wrangell’s borough assembly may approve a lease agreement that offers two classrooms at the school for free to expand early childhood education.
The two-year lease will bring in 16 additional Head Start children ages three to five. It will also create space for up to 16 younger children, from birth to three-years-old, to attend childcare.
Borough Manager Mason Villarma said this agreement will advance the shared goal of improving child development and education.
High school parking
While the borough has been working to expand parking at the high school, the assembly could approve a purchase agreement between the Presbyterian Church and the City and Borough of Wrangell.
The church’s property, located adjacent to the high school, would add parking capacity for students, staff and the public.
Villarma said this would address congestion and improve functionality and public safety in the area. The borough would pay $60,000, split with half in cash and the other half in utility credits.
Micromobility devices
Moving forward, there will be a public hearing on micromobility devices, or e-bikes and e-scooters. The assembly last discussed this proposal at the May 13 meeting.
If passed, operators must be at least 14-years-old with a valid driver’s license or learner’s permit, because they would have to follow the same traffic laws as motor vehicles. The borough would ban devices in certain public spaces, including playgrounds, docks, schools, sidewalks and other areas. The speed limit downtown would be 10 miles per hour and 15 miles per hour elsewhere.
Only one rider would be allowed on each device. Parents and guardians could be held liable if minors violate the ordinance.
View the full agenda packet for the meeting here.
KSTK will air the regular meeting beginning at 6 p.m. Tuesday (May 27) on 101.7 FM and online at KSTK.org. Anyone wishing to speak at the meeting can sign up on the “Persons to be Heard” sheet located at City Hall just prior to the meeting.
