September Meeting Summary: Public Safety, Public Utilities, & Public Services

During the September 26 Planning and Zoning Commission’s Comp Plan work session we discussed Public Safety (police, fire, EMS), Public Utilities (solid waste, drinking water, wastewater), and some Public Services (library, health clinic). The agenda, draft chapters and Goals-Objectives-Actions for these topics is HERE.

Key Challenges and Opportunities for the Future
(from draft chapter with modifications based on comments at Sept 26 meeting)

PUBLIC SAFETY

1. Fire department needs more trained and available personnel
2. Number of fire department volunteers is down over the last decade while workload demands have increased; review strategies and business collaboration for increasing volunteerism.
3. Police department struggles to maintain full staffing of officers
4. Review compensation packages and benefits periodically to maintain and attract officers. Ability to offer housing would assist with attracting and retaining emergency response personnel.
5. Realign duties of the Community Service Officer to work more closely with the Permitting Official
6. Select equipment purchases needed now; provide predictability by establishing an equipment replacement program and funding mechanism
7. Improve fire-fighting capacity along Klondike Highway and Dyea Road
8. Wildland-Urban Interface fires are a growing concern
9. Calls for all emergency services and arrests continue are significantly higher in the summer compared to the winter. Yet, no longer hiring seasonal police.
10. Identify regulation/policy priorities for higher level of enforcement (i.e., speeding by school, running through stop signs, illegal parking, drug abuse, etc.)
11. Former Police Station now Public Works Office, identify use for former Fire Hall

PUBLIC UTILITIES

1. Reline the incinerator very soon (update cost estimates re: in-town versus ship out options)
2. Ash fill disposal site about 5 years life left
3. Implement composting and other reduce-reuse-recycle options to minimize need for solid waste treatment and disposal
4. Overuse and improper use of dumpsters at end of tourism season
5. Wastewater treatment plant capacity (flow concentration) and upgrades needed to meet 2030 demand for 100+ new homes, 130+ more residents, and increasing visitors.
6. Potential future requirement to treat drinking water; identify site for facility
7. Extending water and wastewater utilities to Klondike Highway increases residential development opportunities there.
8. Watershed protection for drinking water
9. Consolidate Public Works facilities at Wastewater Treatment Plant /former Police Station ‘campus’ and at 15-acre site on Klondike Highway; when this accomplished demo building and sell 3 Public Works lots on 5th Avenue and Alaska Street.
10. Identify regulation/policy priorities for higher level of enforcement (i.e., commercial use of grease traps, ban on commercial vehicle washing on streets, etc.)
11. Water meters and cost recovery for industrial users

PUBLIC SERVICES

Library

1. Use of the library increases dramatically during the summer months.
2. Increasing heavy demand for free public wifi and data usage. For example, in last 3 years, wifi internet use in July increased from just over 100 GB of data, to over 800 GB.
3. It is difficult to find volunteers in the busy summer months.
4. Library is crowded in summer and it can be difficult to find quiet space to sit, read, and write.
5. Renovation and addition provided more space in children’s room but did not address the sound that carries to the rest of the building.
6. In addition to all the varied services and resources provided by the library, it is still expected to maintain a traditional “quiet” atmosphere.
7. Library staff needs advanced training in order to maintain a professional facility. Training in computers and technological resources is a priority.

Health Clinic

1. The clinic uses every inch of space in the current facility, more space is needed
2. Demand for service exceeds ability to provide it in summer
3. It is difficult to provide adequate in-home visitation services in the summer
4. Skagway relies on visiting practitioners for many services
5. Update clinic strategic plan. Determine if a physician is needed, given breadth of services Clinic’s mid-level providers. A behavioral health provider, OB/GYN and pre-natal services needed.
6. Ability to offer housing would assist in attracting and retaining health providers, including seasonal providers

UPCOMING SCHEDULE