The Sitka Assembly approved an appropriation of $1.7 million for a new lift station at Thompsen Harbor, when it met in regular session Tuesday night (3-12-24).
The assembly pulled the money from “wastewater working capital,” in the hope that the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation will cover the amount with a low-cost loan later this year. The equipment pumps wastewater to the treatment plant on Japonski Island.
Public Works director Ron Vinson said that while the DEC loan wasn’t guaranteed, he felt it was a pretty safe bet, since the department had previously loaned the city $1.3 million for the same project and “they want to see things through.”
Total cost for the project should not exceed $2.8 million.
The assembly approved the appropriation unanimously, wrapping up the evening’s public business in about 20 minutes. The assembly spent the rest of the evening in a closed-door session to discuss employee benefits.
