Petersburg’s borough assembly plans to finalize a wishlist of top, big ticket projects at their January 6 meeting. Each year, the Alaska Legislature puts together a capital budget – money to fund construction projects around the state.
The Petersburg Borough has a list of nearly 70 potential projects. Most are unfunded and carried over from past years, like a new ramp for Petersburg’s South Harbor, safety gear for the fire department, and repairs to the aquatic center.
Some projects are already underway, but not fully funded, like the Petersburg Medical Center’s new hospital.
There are two new projects on the list – a dock south of town for small cruise ships, and safety upgrades to the elementary school’s drop-off zone.
Inclusion on the list doesn’t ensure state funding. Last year the Petersburg Medical Center’s new hospital was the borough’s top priority. That project didn’t make it into the Legislature’s budget. And some projects that did make it, like a new breakwater at the Banana Point boat launch, got a line-item veto from Gov. Mike Dunleavy.
But it’s also possible for projects to get state funding without being on the list. One of Petersburg’s two state-funded capital projects in 2024 wasn’t a borough priority – but the town’s shooting range will be getting a new boardwalk after the $30,000 project made it into the budget and past the governor’s veto pen.
The assembly will also create a priority list for federal funding. Borough Manager Steve Geisbrecht says that list is for “congressionally directed spending” – also known as earmarks. He says that typically, federal dollars don’t go to the same project for multiple years in a row, so the borough has to be more strategic about what they put on the priority list.
The Petersburg Borough Assembly meets in regular session at noon on January 6. KFSK will broadcast the meeting live. You can find the agenda on the borough’s website, as well as at kfsk.org.
