Southernmost borough in Alaska, gateway to the Inside Passage. Known for rainforests, totem poles, commercial fishing, timber history, and a thriving cruise tourism industry.
Ketchikan Gateway Borough, AK, USA
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Pat Bowling
“The whole borough discussion is the big unknown. Will the library become a department of the federal? If not, will the terminated borough-city library services agreement be renegotiated by the December 31st deadline? According to the old agreement, which remains in place until the end of December, the borough pays a percentage of the library's budget that is the same as the percentage of the borough population who lives outside the cities of Ketchikan and Sassafras.”Ketchikan: Library Advisory Board Quarterly Meeting of July 8, 2026 · Jul 9, 2026
Pat Bowling
“due to concerns over the recent increases in the borough's contribution, the borough assembly voted to terminate the current library services agreement effective December 31st, 2026. This gives the assembly time to consider their options, which are option 1, to renegotiate the library services agreement, uh, with a view to limit the amount that the borough is contracted to pay the non-area-wide library services. Option 2, put a measure on the October ballot for the borough to adopt area-wide library powers. If passed, the borough would provide and pay for library services for all residents of the borough.”Ketchikan: Library Advisory Board Quarterly Meeting of July 8, 2026 · Jul 9, 2026
Kathy Bolling
“just last year, Assemblymember Arntzen made a move to, to pull all funding for the library, right? Reduce that library levy to zero and give notice to cancel the contract.”Ketchikan: Library Advisory Board Quarterly Meeting of July 8, 2026 · Jul 9, 2026
Kathy Bolling
“What is tightly woven into this challenge, this argument between city and borough and people not wanting to pay a non-area-wide fee, is they want control of collection development, which is so offensively absurd to me.”Ketchikan: Library Advisory Board Quarterly Meeting of July 8, 2026 · Jul 9, 2026
Kathy Bolling
“whether it stays as a city department or moves to the borough, you have a borough assembly who is not interested in spending very much money on the library. So it's going to be a battle no matter what.”Ketchikan: Library Advisory Board Quarterly Meeting of July 8, 2026 · Jul 9, 2026
Kathy Bolling
“my understanding in response to my colleague's question is that that non-area-wide tax will be collected. The borough is still obligated. To fund the library. It just depends at what, at what level.”Ketchikan: Library Advisory Board Quarterly Meeting of July 8, 2026 · Jul 9, 2026
Ketchikan planners may redo approval for KIC shelter after some neighbors weren't notified
Ketchikan Gateway Borough planning staff want the Planning Commission to let its Sept. 15 parking variance for KIC's planned shelter fail and rehear the case, because condo owners nearby were never individually notified. The commission takes it up Tuesday.
by Walter AlaskaNews1h ago2 min read
Ketchikan voters decide council races, $25 million bond and library
Ketchikan city and borough voters are choosing City Council, Assembly and School Board members and deciding on a $25 million electric revenue bond and a proposal to shift library powers to the borough.
by Alaska News3d ago3 min read
Ketchikan Assembly to take up $347,000 for new South Tongass ambulance after 2024 fire
Ketchikan Gateway Borough Assembly to introduce ordinance spending $347,000 in federal funds on a new ambulance for South Tongass Volunteer Fire Department.
by Walter AlaskaNews1w ago1 min read
Ketchikan Borough Assembly weighs removal process for appointed board members
Ketchikan Gateway Borough Planning Commission censures Commissioner Darlene Dollimont-Svenson over remarks about Ketchikan Indian Community and asks her to resign.
by Walter AlaskaNews1w ago3 min read
Ketchikan Gateway Borough staff propose allowing housing on commercial waterfront land
Ketchikan Gateway Borough Planning Commission hearing Oct. 13 on 2035 Comprehensive Plan changes allowing housing on commercial waterfront land, relabeling seven parcels.
by Walter AlaskaNews1w ago2 min read
Ketchikan Gateway Borough Assembly sets Oct. 5 work session on school activities funding
Ketchikan Gateway Borough Assembly to study funding school activities outside the local contribution cap after K-High softball and wrestling programs lose district money.
by Bill AlaskaNews1w ago2 min read
Ketchikan planning commission to consider censuring commissioner over remarks about Ketchikan Indian Community
Ketchikan Gateway Borough Planning Commission to consider censuring Darlene Dollimont-Svenson over KIC remarks; Assembly introduces ordinance to remove appointees.
by Walter AlaskaNews2w ago2 min read
Ketchikan Gateway Borough gets $347,000 to replace a South Tongass ambulance
Ketchikan Gateway Borough will receive $347,000 to replace an ambulance for the South Tongass Volunteer Fire Department, which lost its fleet in a 2024 fire.
by Maggie AlaskaNews2w ago2 min read
Sitka school policy committee rejects copying Ketchikan's student drug-testing rule
Sitka's school policy committee rejected adopting Ketchikan's student drug testing regulation and ordered two drafts, one covering any activity that involves travel.
by Walter AlaskaNews2w ago1 min read
Federal record rates Ketchikan's Water Street viaduct 'Poor'
The Water Street viaduct in downtown Ketchikan, carrying 14,000 vehicles a day, is rated poor, but the state is funding only repairs, not replacement.
by Walter AlaskaNews4w ago2 min read
Ketchikan borough seeks proposals for Herring Cove neighborhood plan
The Ketchikan Gateway Borough Assembly voted unanimously Tuesday to have staff seek consultant proposals for a Herring Cove neighborhood plan - moving years of study and resident traffic complaints toward a formal planning process.
by Walter AlaskaNews4w ago2 min read
Ketchikan voters decide who owns the library and who pays for it
Kathy Bolling filed a Letter of Intent Aug. 23 to run again for the Ketchikan Gateway Borough Assembly, and Judy Zenge filed Aug. 24 for Ketchikan City Council. Both seats are on the Oct. 6 ballot, alongside a library powers measure.
by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago1 min read
Ketchikan's Assembly has fewer candidates than seats, with four days to file
Victoria OBrien and Marissa Medford filed candidate paperwork Thursday for two three-year Ketchikan Gateway Borough School Board seats on the Oct. 6 ballot. Filing closes at 5 p.m. Aug. 25.
by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago1 min read
Hoonah and Ketchikan dock projects renew marine mammal permits without breaking ground
NOAA Fisheries renewed marine mammal permits for Hoonah's cargo dock and Ketchikan's ferry berths through August 2027. Neither project has started construction.
by Maggie AlaskaNews1mo ago2 min read
Ketchikan's library could lose 40% of its budget — and who picks the books is part of the fight
The Ketchikan Gateway Borough voted to terminate its library services agreement with the city effective December 31, 2026, putting roughly 40% of the public library's budget at risk. A citizens' petition drive had 289 signatures as of Tuesday and needs at least 400 by July 20 to place a borough-wide library powers measure on the October ballot.
by Walter AlaskaNews3mo ago1 min read
Ketchikan House race pits utility incumbent against borough assembly challenger
House District 1 in Ketchikan features a race between Republican incumbent Rep. Jeremy Bynum, an electric utility manager and engineer, and nonpartisan challenger Grant EchoHawk, a business loan specialist with deep civic and tribal ties.
by Walter AlaskaNews4mo ago2 min read
JAG Marine takes over Ketchikan Shipyard after state ends Vigor's 20-year run
AIDEA terminated Vigor Alaska's operating agreement for the Ketchikan Shipyard in March 2025 after citing poor performance, then selected JAG Marine Group as the new operator in November 2025 following failed reconciliation talks and worker layoffs.
by Walter AlaskaNewsadded 4mo ago2 min read
Ketchikan Gateway Borough opens candidate filing for October election
Ketchikan Gateway Borough candidate filing procedures and election schedule for 2026
by Alaska News4mo ago1 min read