The Ketchikan City Council in a regular meeting Thursday voted to spend up to $10,000 to install portable toilets at the Ketchikan Port to serve community members in lieu of a previous proposal to open the Berth 3 restrooms for the summer season, which would have necessitated an expenditure of about $75,000 to pay two employees to monitor them.
The vote was 5-2, with council members Mark Flora and Sam Bergeron voting against the motion.
Due to technical issues, the conversation during that portion of the meeting was inaudible, but according to a text message from Council Member Dave Kiffer post-meeting, the idea is to allow the public to use the Ketchikan Visitorâs Bureau restrooms as well as the portable toilets planned to be placed on Berth 3 this summer. The Berth 3 restroom facility would be opened intermittently when the smaller cruise ships visit the Port.
The Ketchikan City Council, in its regular meeting Thursday, passed a 1.5% raise in electric utility rates and a 5% raise in water utility rates.
The electric raise was approved by a 4-3 vote, with council members Riley Gass, Abby Bradberry and Sam Bergeron voting against the raise.
Council Member Janalaee Gage said that the raises were inevitable and council members would only be pushing it âdown the hillâ every year if it wasnât approved.
The 5% raise in water rates was passed 5-2, with Bergeron and Bradberry voting against the motion.
The council also unanimously approved a resolution to send a letter to the Alaska Congressional Delegation and Gov. Mike Dunleavy to ask them to urge the federal government to issue a temporary waiver to the federal Passenger Vessel Services Act, which could allow the Alaska cruise industry to resume operations in 2021.