Wrangell’s Borough Assembly on Tuesday night expects to approve a mutual non-disclosure and exclusivity agreement with JAG Marine Group.
The agreement would protect confidential business and technical information, as allowed under Alaska public records law, for the next three years. It does not require the borough to enter into a transaction with the company.
In December, JAG submitted an application to lease about 30 acres at the Six-Mile Mill site to develop deep-water industrial property.
JAG Marine Group is a maritime fabrication and vessel repair firm with existing shipyards in Ketchikan and Seward.
The shared vision between the borough and JAG includes servicing tug and barge operators, as well as U.S. government vessels such as Navy ships and icebreakers.
In return, JAG would act as a workforce pipeline, working with Wrangell Public Schools and AVTEC. The company has also proposed building and expanding workforce housing, including single-family homes in Wrangell.
Inactive vessels
The assembly will also hold a public hearing on a proposed addition to the municipal code addressing inactive vessels.
Under the proposal, the City and Borough of Wrangell considers a vessel inactive if it has not left the harbor for at least 24 hours within a 12-month period.
The Ports and Harbors Department says inactive vessels increase congestion, interfere with harbor operations, and limit access for active users. The city would charge vessel owners a storage fee in addition to moorage costs.
If a vessel remains inactive for 24 months, it would need to be surveyed for hazards and safety risks. After 36 months, the vessel would also be required to carry insurance to protect harbor assets.
The Wrangell Borough Assembly will meet February 10 at 7 p.m. in the Borough Assembly Chambers at City Hall.
A presentation will take place beforehand at 6 p.m. on preliminary engineering reports for the EDA Disaster Supplemental Grant. The presentation covers three parts of the borough’s long-term economic development strategy: reviving the economy, anchoring the future, and empowering the region.
You can listen live on KSTK-FM 101.7, or stream online at KSTK dot org or the city’s website.
