Kenai council nixes $20 library card fee for outside city residents

  • By DAN BALMER
  • Wednesday, May 7, 2014 11:49pm
  • News

The Kenai City Council voted to remove an annual $20 library card fee to non city residents then passed the resolution of fee changes adopted from the fiscal year 2015 budget process.

While talk of revamping the playground at Municipal Park dominated discussion at Wednesday’s city council meeting, the council passed three ordinances and seven resolutions. One of the resolutions authorized the city manger to enter an agreement with the Department of the Army Corp of Engineers to complete one final feasibility study for the Kenai River bluff erosion project, a capital priority of the City of Kenai for more than 20 years.

The library card fee was one of four changes that came out of the budget process. Also in the resolution was a monthly rent increase for units at Vintage Pointe to match market rates, a parking fee increase at Kenai Municipal Airport and an increase in water and sewer rates to keep up with operating costs.

ADVERTISEMENT
0 seconds of 0 secondsVolume 0%
Press shift question mark to access a list of keyboard shortcuts
00:00
00:00
00:00
 

Council member Terry Bookey motioned to remove the library card fee for non-residents and said the library is an essential service that should be free and open to all. Council member Brian Gabriel was the lone vote against the amendment to remove the fee.

From about 11,000 Kenai Community Library users, 65 percent do not live in the city, according to the resolution. The $20 fee would have generated $50,000 per year in revenue and reduce the subsidy for outside city users provided by Kenai property tax payers.

The council passed an ordinance to appropriate $308.66 from a Mountain View Elementary penny drive to the Kenai Animal Shelter, appropriated $25,000 in the airport fund for the replacement of security camera equipment and re-appropriated state grant funds to the senior center improvement capital project fund.

Council approved the city manager to switch city healthcare providers and enter an agreement with Premera Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alaska effective on July 1.

Mayor Pat Porter said the agreement to proceed with the final feasibility study on the bluff erosion project is a huge hurdle for the city and is excited to see it move forward.

The council also passed resolutions for a lease agreement with Schilling Rentals, airport landing fee and terminal rents, purchase of voice over IP equipment and awarding an agreement for the city hall and senior center boiler replacement.

During his report, city manager Rick Koch asked the council for direction on how to proceed with Municipal Park after the Kenai Parks and Recreation commission passed a resolution in support for a playground upgrade proposal that would include the addition of a 2-5 year-old playground and the replacement of the 5-12 year-old equipment.

After 45 minutes of discussion from council, they all agreed to take a step back from their original plans and gather information from the public through a work session and come up with a solution to complete the park that would benefit all residents.

More in News

Jason Criss stands for a photo in Soldotna, Alaska, after being named a qualifier for the Special Olympics USA Games on Thursday, July 10, 2025. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Soldotna athlete to compete in 2026 Special Olympics USA Games

Thousands of athletes from across all 50 states will be competing in 16 sports.

The entrance to the Homer Electric Association office is seen here in Kenai, Alaska on May 7, 2020. (Photo by Brian Mazurek/Peninsula Clarion)
HEA opens bids for real property

The deadline to submit bids is 5 p.m. on Aug. 11.

Arturo Mondragon-Lopez, Jr. (right) attends a change of plea hearing related to the October 2023 fatal shooting of Brianna Hetrick on Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2025, at the Homer Courthouse in Homer, Alaska. (Delcenia Cosman/Homer News)
Mondragon-Lopez sentenced for death of Homer woman

Arturo Mondragon-Lopez, Jr. accepted a plea deal in February for the shooting of Brianna Hetrick.

Soldotna City Hall is seen on Wednesday, June 23, 2021 in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
Soldotna OKs $395,000 capital plan

This year’s list of capital projects is “nominal compared to some past years,” according to officials.

A map of areas proposed for annexation by the City of Soldotna. (Provided by City of Soldotna)
Soldotna adds annexation proposal to ballot

The proposed annexation is split across five small areas around the city.

Nets are extended from North Kenai Beach in Kenai, Alaska, during the first day of the Kenai River personal use dipnet fishery on Thursday, July 10, 2025. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
‘A really good day’

Kenai River personal use sockeye salmon dipnet fishery opens.

The entrance to the Kenai Peninsula Borough building in Soldotna is seen here on June 1. (Photo by Brian Mazurek/Peninsula Clarion)
Borough assembly to consider ordinance to increase residential property tax exemption

If approved by voters in October, the ordinance would increase the tax exemption by $25,000.

Vice President Kelly Cooper speaks during a meeting of the Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly in Soldotna, Alaska, on Tuesday, July 8, 2025. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Borough considers seasonal sales tax rate

Borough sales tax would be modified from a flat 3% to a seasonal model of 4% in summer months and 2% in winter months.

Most Read

You're browsing in private mode.
Please sign in or subscribe to continue reading articles in this mode.

Peninsula Clarion relies on subscription revenue to provide local content for our readers.

Subscribe

Already a subscriber? Please sign in