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Unalaska Greenlights $29.8 Million Budget

Berett Wilber
/
KUCB

The City of Unalaska has unanimous approved a $29.8 million budget for the fiscal year 2019.

It covers scheduled expenses – including software updates, employee raises, and new equipment at the community center.

Mayor Frank Kelty calls it a conservative budget.

“We’ve been doing a good job on our estimates – somebody who was involved with the fishery estimates could have done a better job," Kelty said. "Other than that, it looks like we’ll have a sizable surplus.”

The council also signed an agreement with the Unalaska City School District (UCSD) providing nearly $560,000 for the community schools program and eligible maintenance. In all, the council will give $4.1 million dollars to UCSD for Fiscal year 2019. 

Councilor Bong Tungul says he’s behind this decision 100 percent.

“I fully supported this," Tungul said. "I wish we could do more.”

The council also unanimously approved hiring a new lobbyist. Dianne Blumer will begin her one year term on July 1. She replaces Ray Gillespie, who is retiring after being the city’s lobbyist for more than two decades.

Blumer’s contract is for $71,000. While Councilor Dennis Robinson supported her as a candidate, he thinks expenditures for that much money should be sent out for RFP.

“We have limits that we’ve uped on that in recent years and this is one of those items that falls under that type of scenario,” Robinson said.

The next City Council meeting is June 12.

Zoë Sobel reported for KUCB from 2016 until 2019. She returned to KUCB after a year living in Nepal and Malaysia as a Luce Scholar. She then returned to KUCB as a ProPublica reporter August of 2020 through August of 2021.
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