Kodiak Island Borough (KIB) is the local government for the Kodiak Island archipelago in southwestern Alaska. Its elected Assembly sets zoning, land sales, hospital and school funding, and tsunami preparedness for Kodiak and villages like Ouzinkie, Larsen Bay, and Karluk.
Photo by Lisa Hupp, USFWS, via Flickr · Photo source · Public domain
kodiakak.us ↗Kodiak, AK, USA
Inside Kodiak Island Borough
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July 2026
Kodiak plans September DC lobbying trip as defense program bid fails again
Kodiak's defense infrastructure program bid failed again, but the borough and city are planning a joint September lobbying trip to pursue $150 billion in federal energy and defense funding.
by Walter AlaskaNews3mo ago2 min read
Kodiak Borough advances marijuana excise tax to public hearing on 4-1 vote
Kodiak Borough Assembly voted 4-1 to advance a 3% marijuana excise tax to public hearing, though a dispensary owner warned the tax targets the wrong product and lacks clear definitions.
by Walter AlaskaNews3mo ago2 min read
Kodiak Island Borough Assembly appoints Mark Vizcocho to vacant seat
Kodiak Island Borough Assembly appointed Mark Vizcocho to fill a vacant seat Thursday, choosing him from four applicants in a two-round ballot that required a majority of all seven members.
by Walter AlaskaNews3mo ago2 min read
Kodiak Borough holds public hearing on Ouzinkie tsunami shelter rezone
Kodiak Island Borough Assembly held a public hearing July 16 on rezoning an Ouzinkie parcel to house the community's tsunami shelter and tribal offices.
by Walter AlaskaNews3mo ago2 min read
Kodiak Island Borough opens candidate filing for October 6 election
Ever wanted to run for Office now is your chance, sport. Step on. up to the plate! Why even you could be a politician here in the fine town of Kodiak! Ever dreamed of having your name and lights?!
by Walter AlaskaNews4mo ago1 min read
Kodiak developer's conservation rezone draws a refuge objection
A Kodiak developer wants to rezone 20 lots into six under a Conservation District; the neighboring wildlife refuge is raising objections. But what don't the feds raise objections about?
by Maggie AlaskaNews4mo ago1 min read
Kodiak weighs selling four parcels, including its ballfields
Kodiak's Lands Committee will consider selling four borough parcels July 20, including Killarney Hills, a 16-acre site with two shared baseball fields that faces wetland and sewer obstacles.
by Maggie AlaskaNews4mo ago1 min read
Four Kodiak residents vie for an open Assembly seat
Four Kodiak residents are up for an open Assembly seat, and the Assembly picks one Thursday night — winner sworn in on the spot, serving until October's election.
by Walter AlaskaNews4mo ago1 min read
A 'conservation' rezone on Kodiak's coast draws a federal warning
A landowner wants to rezone Kodiak coastline to "conservation" — but the wildlife refuge next door warns the change could still harm the protected waters just offshore.
by Walter AlaskaNews4mo ago1 min read
The only applicant for Kodiak's open seat is making it about representation
Only one person applied to fill Kodiak's vacant Assembly seat, and Mark Vizcocho is making his case about Filipino representation on an island his community has long helped build.
by Walter AlaskaNews4mo ago1 min read
Ouzinkie's tsunami shelter is zoned as a house. The borough is about to fix that.
Ouzinkie's tsunami shelter — on an island you can only reach by boat — is officially zoned as a single-family house, a leftover from a closed airstrip. The borough votes July 16 to fix it.
by Walter AlaskaNews4mo ago1 min read
Kodiak's nonprofits need more than the borough can give
Kodiak nonprofits asked for far more than the $270K the borough has to give — with the biggest shortfall in the fund that helps keep a homeless shelter open year-round.
by Alaska News4mo ago1 min read
Where thousands of seabirds flew, a Kodiak commissioner counted 30
A Native Kodiak commissioner counted 30 seabirds where thousands once flew, and says the borough's new 20-year plan must reckon with that — and with 7,000 years of Indigenous knowledge.
by Walter AlaskaNews4mo ago1 min read
Kodiak Borough assembly scheduled to introduce marijuana tax measure for October ballot
Kodiak Borough Assembly introduces a 3% marijuana tax Thursday for an Oct. 6 voter decision, potentially raising $135,000 to $150,000 yearly for health and education programs.
by Walter AlaskaNews4mo ago2 min read
Kodiak Borough set to rezone Ouzinkie parcel for tsunami shelter and government offices
Kodiak Borough will vote July 16 on rezoning an Ouzinkie parcel to allow a tsunami shelter and government offices in the island village.
by Walter AlaskaNews4mo ago2 min read
Kodiak Borough declines federal interest notice, leaving health center next steps unresolved
Kodiak Borough rejected a federal interest notice for the health center's capital project, leaving its funding path uncertain.
by Walter AlaskaNewsadded 4mo ago2 min read
Coming up
Kodiak Island Borough Assembly Public Hearing on Conflict-of-Interest Ordinance
Hearing
Kodiak Island Borough Assembly Regular Meeting
Meeting
Kodiak Island Borough Assembly Work Session
Meeting
Kodiak Island Borough Assembly Public Hearing on Conflict-of-Interest Code
Hearing
Kodiak Island Borough Assembly Regular Meeting
Meeting
About Kodiak Island Borough
Photo by Lisa Hupp, USFWS, via Flickr · Photo source · Public domain
kodiakak.us ↗Kodiak, AK, USA
Kodiak Island Borough (KIB) is the local government for the Kodiak Island archipelago in southwestern Alaska, serving the city of Kodiak and villages such as Ouzinkie, Larsen Bay and Karluk. Its Assembly is elected across the whole borough, and a borough manager and clerk run its daily business.
The Assembly sets zoning, sells borough land, funds schools and the hospital building, and oversees the landfill and trash service. Its stories return to bears getting into the landfill, aging equipment at the hospital, fire protection areas that rely on volunteers, and tsunami preparedness in the island villages.
The borough asks the state for money for village projects and works with state wildlife officials on keeping bears out of its landfill. A housing shortage and growth at the Coast Guard base shape many of its land and planning decisions.
More from Kodiak Island Borough
A developer wants to build homes and shops on a city lot in Kodiak — if the city sells
A developer wants to build six apartments and six shops on a vacant Kodiak city lot — a $1.6M project. First the council has to decide whether to sell the land.
by Walter AlaskaNews4mo ago1 min read
Kodiak is shrinking and greying, even as the rest of Alaska grows
Kodiak has lost about 650 residents in five years, roughly 5%, even as Alaska grew. The island is aging: fewer young kids, more residents in their 70s, men leaving 2 to 1.
by Walter AlaskaNews4mo ago2 min read
June 2026
Kodiak fire department moves to fix a staffing crunch
Kodiak's Fire Protection Area No. 1 is short-handed enough that its board told the chief to build a new position — a people problem, not a money one, as volunteers get harder to find.
by Walter AlaskaNewsadded 4mo ago1 min read
A remote Kodiak village tries tp fix its water
Karluk — a village 88 miles from Kodiak city, ringed by refuge — is replacing its failing water system, closing a gap most of America never has to think about.
by Walter AlaskaNews4mo ago1 min read
Kodiak Borough weighs tax on recreational harvest
Kodiak Borough is exploring a flat fee on fish boxes and game containers from recreational harvests, modeled on Sitka's $10 per box tax, and could adopt it by ordinance without a public vote.
by Walter AlaskaNews4mo ago1 min read
Kodiak eyes 3% marijuana tax
Kodiak Assembly members proposed a 3% marijuana tax that would raise roughly $135,000 to $150,000 yearly for health, housing, and childcare programs if voters approve it in October.
by Walter AlaskaNews4mo ago1 min read
Departing Kodiak assemblyman warns: prepare for the Coast Guard boom
Kodiak Assemblyman Dave Johnson resigned with a warning to prepare for incoming Coast Guard icebreakers and fix housing. The Assembly will appoint his replacement July 16.
by Walter AlaskaNews4mo ago2 min read
Kodiak Assembly weighs new revenue and unlocks unused savings
Kodiak's assembly worked both ends of its budget: a possible tax on nonresidents who take most of its deer, and a discount account it had but never used.
by Bill AlaskaNews4mo ago3 min read
Kodiak held its tax rate down — and split over what it means for schools
Kodiak's assembly held the line on taxes for squeezed residents. Whether that quietly cost the schools $500K depends on which member you ask.
by Walter AlaskaNewsadded 4mo ago2 min read
Kodiak Set Its Taxes — Now It Has to Send the Bills
Kodiak Island Borough must send property tax bills by July 1 but its new Tyler Technologies system may not be ready, leaving staff ready to fall back to the old one.
by Walter AlaskaNewsadded 4mo ago2 min read
Kodiak Borough OKs Water Upgrade for Village of Karluk
Kodiak Island Borough Planning and Zoning Commission unanimously approved a water treatment upgrade for the Native Village of Karluk, adding storage and lines for year-round drinking water.
by Walter AlaskaNews4mo ago2 min read
Kodiak planners advance Karluk water system overhaul
Kodiak Island Borough planners advanced a conditional use permit to replace Karluk's entire water treatment system, which would provide year-round potable water to the Alaska Native village.
by Alaska News5mo ago1 min read
Kodiak Assembly sets mill rate at 8.75, rejecting school increase
Kodiak Assembly set the fiscal year 2027 property tax mill rate at 8.75, with Assembly Members Johnson and Smiley voting against the lower rate.
by Lucas Brown5mo ago2 min read
Kodiak Lands Committee directs staff to study housing development at youth baseball field
Kodiak Island Borough Lands Committee directed staff to study converting the 16-acre Killarney Hills youth baseball field into at least 30 residential lots to address housing shortages.
by Walter AlaskaNews5mo ago2 min read
May 2026
Kodiak Lands Committee directs staff to study housing development on youth baseball field
Kodiak Island Borough Lands Committee directed staff to study converting the 16-acre Killarney Hills youth baseball field into at least 30 residential lots to address housing needs.
by Walter AlaskaNewsadded 5mo ago2 min read
Kodiak Borough advances FY27 budget with 8.91 mill rate to hearing
Kodiak Borough Assembly voted unanimously Wednesday to hold the property tax rate at 8.91 mills, a decision that keeps the rate flat but will result in higher tax bills for most homeowners as assessed property values increase.
by Walter AlaskaNews5mo ago2 min read
Kodiak Island Borough Assembly approves $13.8M for schools, $836K below district request
Assembly approved 13.7 million dollars for schools, 836 thousand less than requested. • District already cut 2.7 million and warned more cuts mean losing aides, nurses, and counselors. • Federal COVID aid and education grants have ended, leaving borough to fill the gap. • State funding unlikely to improve until Alaska depletes its constitutional budget reserve.
by Walter AlaskaNewsadded 5mo ago2 min read
Commission approves subdivision, rezone for Native Village of Ouzinkie tsunami shelter
Kodiak Island Borough Planning and Zoning Commission unanimously approved a subdivision and rezone allowing the Native Village of Ouzinkie to take ownership of land holding a tsunami shelter.
by Walter AlaskaNewsadded 5mo ago1 min read
Kodiak Assembly weighs $800,000 school funding compromise
Kodiak Assembly proposed $800,000 school funding using one-time earnings instead of raising property taxes. • School district faces rising costs while state funding has stalled since 2011. • District is depleting reserves and full funding would cut building repairs and hospital upgrades. • Assembly split on using temporary money for ongoing costs.
by Walter AlaskaNewsadded 5mo ago2 min read
Senate panel advances bill to stabilize Alaska school funding with enrollment averaging
Senate panel advanced a bill letting school districts use three-year enrollment averages for budgets, aiming to let them make staffing decisions earlier and reduce teacher turnover.
by Alaska News6mo ago4 min read
Lands committee advances KEA land transfer despite cost concerns
A committee voted to give 1,584 acres to Kodiak Electric Association for free. One member argued the borough should sell the land to fund local infrastructure.
by Alaska News6mo ago2 min read
April 2026
Kodiak Borough Lands Committee develops framework to streamline land disposal
Kodiak Borough mayor proposed a three-tier framework to speed land sales and prioritize workforce housing on parcels near town requiring minimal infrastructure work.
by Alaska Newsadded 6mo ago4 min read
Borough proposes $580K budget with new staff, building upgrades
Kodiak Island Borough's $580,000 fiscal year 2027 budget adds a construction manager, switches to electric heating, and funds $147,000 in ADA accessibility upgrades.
by Alaska Newsadded 6mo ago3 min read