Wrangell’s borough assembly plans to consider amending the Fiscal Year 2026 budget to replace the swimming pool roof. The roofing is both sloped and flat.
They would add this roof replacement to a list of other projects involving the Wrangell School renovations project. This includes work at the elementary, middle and high schools. The borough said combining the projects would reduce costs through site logistics, collaboration and management oversight.
This amendment would transfer a million dollars from the Secure Rural Schools fund reserves to the Capital Improvements Projects fund. The federal government sets aside Secure Rural Schools money for communities next to federal lands.
Previous bids were greater than allocated funds in 2017
In 2017, the borough held an auction for contractors to replace the pool’s roofs. They didn’t go through with it then because all the bids the borough received were greater than the allocated funds for the project. Since then, the roofs’ conditions have significantly deteriorated, according to the capital projects director, making the project a critical requirement.
The Alaska Department of Education and Early Development agrees with combining the projects to maximize public funds and operational order. The borough designed the proposed structure of the project as three-tiered: design phase, construction phase and cost tracking.
Another item on the agenda involves an outdated chapter in the Wrangell Municipal Code (chapter 6.08). It was enacted in 1966 and covers commerce with peddlers and traveling merchants.
Borough plans to repeal an entire chapter on local commerce
The assembly plans to repeal the entire chapter because it does not align with current business realities and has redundancy with state and federal law.
The Wrangell Borough Assembly will hold its regular meeting on March 24 at 6 p.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 or the borough’s website.
