The Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly is hoping for a nonexistent in-person audience for its meeting this week. The borough is asking people not to attend the meeting in person, per federal recommendations to limit gatherings to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
Brenda Ahlberg, community and fiscal projects manager, says the borough is working on plans for the public to still participate in meetings, but from a distance.
“Currently, the clerk is working with legal and IT on how we can conduct public meeting in the future so that we still have the ability for the public to participate, and being mindful of the current guidance to eliminate gatherings,” Ahlberg said.
The borough has an eComment option, where people can submit comments on any item on the agenda in advance and during the meeting. Comments will be monitored during the meeting so the assembly can be made aware of input from the public. It’s not quite the same as in-person or by-phone testimony, which allows for questions back and forth from the assembly and speaker, but it does allow for real-time participation by the public until a more robust system is set up for off-site testimony.
To comment, visit kpb.us, scroll down to the Meetings and Public Notices heading and click the Current Assembly Agenda link. There’s a link to eComment near the top of the page. As always, the meeting will be broadcast live on KDLL and KBBI. The borough also streams live video of assembly meetings on its website.
Ahlberg says the public may still attend the meeting in person if they wish.
“Those individuals who feel pressing to be at the assembly meeting to provide public comments are still certainly welcome to do so. We’re not going to restrict access to the assembly chambers by any means, but we’re asking people to practice physical distancing of six feet or greater, to make sure they wash their hands and to be mindful of their surroundings in the event of sneezing or coughing,” she said.
Alhberg says assembly chambers will be staged to force people to sit separately and that the public mic will be cleaned between speakers.
Also on Monday, the borough announced modifications to facility hours and services.
“We certainly are in support of protecting the public but also still trying to provide government services to our public, whether it is the road maintenance or solid waste, as well as our first responders, who are certainly busy at this time. So we want to make sure that we notify the public that we are doing our level best to continue to provide those critical services,” Ahlberg said.
Fire service and medical treatment will continue to be provided. However, emergency service offices are closed to the public.
Solid waste transfer facilities and the landfill in Soldotna continue to be open regular days and hours. Road maintenance will also continue as usual.
The Borough Building in Soldotna will only allow limited access to the public. The public is asked to do all business possible through email or phone calls. There’s a dropbox for payments by the front door, and payments of property taxes and special assessments can be made online.
All other borough facilities will be closed to the public but staff will continue working and will be available to conduct business over the phone during regular operating hours. This includes the Donald E. Gilman River Center, Homer Annex public resource office, the maintenance office, North Peninsula Recreation Service Area facilities, Purchasing and Capital Projects office, the Roads Service Area office and Solid Waste office.
The assembly meets at 6 p.m. Tuesday in assembly chambers at the Borough Building in Soldotna.
