Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly

When the ordinance came up for a vote at last week’s meeting, debate over most of the 52-page code rewrite was minimal. But assembly members clashed over a proposed exemption cap for seniors.

The raise won’t apply to the five assembly members whose terms end this month.

By giving his resignation notice now, Baisden ensures his assembly seat will appear on the next municipal ballot.

Members created the group last fall to study how tourism impacts borough services, including the potential impacts of a lodging, or “bed” tax.

The nonbinding resolution would have asked the Alaska Legislature to give local governments permission to cap how much a property’s assessed value changes year to year to five percent.

She replaces Soldotna Republican Rep. Bill Elam, who was elected to the Alaska Legislature last year.

Assembly members unanimously killed a proposal Tuesday to remove the second opportunity from their regular agendas.

The move is the latest effort to advance work on a $65.5 million school maintenance bond approved by Kenai Peninsula voters more than two years ago.

The ordinance would also increase the total amount of time allowed during an additional public comment period at the beginning of the meeting by ten minutes.

The group’s work will include evaluating the impact of tourism on borough finances and services to ensure visitors pay their “fair share.”