Sitka's savings for future repairs has shrunk three years running

Sitka's Assembly decides Tuesday whether to put $3 million into the account the city uses to pay for future capital and infrastructure repairs. That is less than the last two years: $4 million for fiscal 2024, $3.2 million for fiscal 2025.

The transfer would come out of the general fund and become available in the 2028 budget, bringing the fund to just over $3.3 million. Bond filings show the Assembly has been using the account as the place year-end surpluses go, which means the size of the transfer tracks how much is left over rather than what the city needs.

What it needs is not in short supply. The city's stated priorities are the airport terminal, the seawall, the seaplane base, effluent disinfection, and large street and utility work.

One project is not on that list. The state's drinking water priority list includes replacing about 2,700 feet of cast and ductile iron water main, 47 service connections, and the valves and hydrants that go with them, on Lake, Monastery, Hirst and Kinkead streets. The memo recommending the $3 million notes that the first phase of that work was the last capital project Sitka took out to bid.