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AHFC News Release:
15,000 PRE-REGISTER FOR ALASKA HOUSING RELIEF
Time is Near for Alaskans to Apply for Rent and Utility Assistance
ANCHORAGE, ALASKA, Feb, 15, 2021 -- The application period opens for renters to apply for rent and/or utility relief through Alaska Housing Relief, a federally funded COVID-19 response program, administered by Alaska Housing Finance Corporation at 8 a.m. tomorrow, Tuesday, Feb., 16, 2021.
Alaska Housing Relief provides up to 12 months of financial assistance to qualifying renters who have directly or indirectly lost income or experienced increased expenses due to the pandemic and for those who live in certain unhealthy housing conditions, including overcrowding or at risk of domestic violence or sexual assault. Payments will be directed to landlords, property managers and utility providers, with arrearages covered prior to current or future obligations.
The application process is easy and confidential. Applications are available online at AlaskaHousingRelief.org, or by calling or texting the word “relief” toll-free to 833-440-0420. Applications will be accepted until at 11:59 p.m., Friday, March 5.
“Since the start of the pandemic last year when businesses reduced their hours, laid off employees, and Alaskans absorbed additional caregiving responsibilities, they were forced to make do with less,” said AHFC CEO/Executive Director Bryan Butcher. “This funding will provide critical breathing room for both renters and their landlords (who will receive payments on their behalf), potentially avoiding a disastrous tsunami of evictions across the state.”
Alaskans were invited to check their eligibility and pre-register starting in January. Since then and as of 9:45 a.m. this morning, 15,193 requested notification of tomorrow’s Alaska Housing Rent Relief application opening.
More than $200 million was included for Alaska’s renters as part of the federal COVID omnibus relief package passed at year-end 2020. It specified that financial assistance be made available to rental households who meet certain criteria established by the U.S. Department of Treasury. Alaskans who previously received federally funded housing assistance are eligible to participate in AHFC’s newest rent relief program.
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For 50 years, Alaska Housing Finance Corporation has provided Alaskans access to safe, quality and affordable housing through home financing, energy efficiency and weatherization programs, public housing and more. Since 1986, Alaska Housing has contributed more than $2 billion to the State of Alaska's General Fund.
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Hello, public! There has been some confusion regarding what, exactly, Ballot Proposition 2 is, and what it seeks to accomplish. For those interested, here is a portion of the resolution that describes the rationale behind it:
CITY OF CORDOVA, ALASKA
RESOLUTION 11-20-39
A RESOLUTION OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CORDOVA, ALASKA, PLACING A BALLOT PROPOSITION BEFORE THE VOTERS AT THE REGULAR ELECTION OF MARCH 2, 2021 AMENDING SECTION 5-19 ENTITLED “PERSONAL INTEREST” TO CLARIFY THE LANGUAGE AND EXPAND THE CITY’S ABILITY TO PURCHASE, EXCHANGE, SELL AND CONTRACT WITH ELECTED OFFICIALS AND THE CITY MANAGER WITHOUT COMPETITIVE PROCUREMENT SO LONG AS COUNCIL APPROVES SALES, PURCHASES, EXCHANGES OR CONTRACTS OF SUBSTANTIAL VALUE VIA ORDINANCE AND THE CITY PUBLICLY DISCLOSES THE ESSENTIAL TERMS OF ALL SUCH TRANSACTIONS
WHEREAS, The City Council recognizes that the City of Cordova (“City”) is a small community with limited resources for goods and services; and
WHEREAS, the City’s inability to contract with elected officials for goods and services in response to an emergency or when terms were favorable to the City negatively impacted the City; and
WHEREAS, the prohibitions in City Charter 5-19 are necessary but unduly restrict Council’s ability to utilize goods and services held or offered by elected officials or the City Manager even when doing so would financially benefit the City; and
WHEREAS, the prohibitions in Charter Section 5-19 and the consequences for violating them are unclear; and
WHEREAS, the proposed amendments to City Charter 5-19 clarify the limitations on procurement between the City and its elected officials and City Manager and protect the City from improper dealings or favoritism towards elected officials or the City Manager while preserving the City’s ability to conduct its business in a manner most advantageous to the City and its taxpayers.
NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that:
Section 1. The City shall submit the following Proposition No. 1 amending City Charter Section 5-19 to the qualified City voters at the March 2, 2021 regular City election. The proposition must receive an affirmative vote from a majority of the qualified voters voting on the question to be approved.
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Here is the relevant Charter section as it reads now:
Section 5-19. - Personal interest.
Neither the mayor, any councilman, city manager, utility manager, any member of the utility board, nor any other board shall sell or barter anything to the city or to a contractor supplying the city; or make any contract with the city; or purchase anything from the city other than those things which the city offers generally to the public (as for example, utility services), and then only on the same terms as are offered to the public, unless an invitation to submit sealed bids is published, and the city accepts the sealed bid which is most advantageous to the city; provided that such sale, contract or purchase involving a consideration of not more than $100 in value, may be made without bids; and provided further that every such sale, contract or purchase, regardless of consideration, must be reported to the council, utility board, or other such board involved, and entered in its respective journal before the city can pay out any money thereon or be bound thereby. Any such officer violating this section, upon conviction thereof, shall thereby forfeit his office. Any violation of this section, with the knowledge, express or implied, of the person or corporation contracting with the city shall render the contract voidable by the city manager, or the council, utility manager, utility board, or any other elected board.
And here is the proposed amendment to that Charter section, such that if a majority votes “YES” on Ballot Prop 2, the above would be changed to:
Section 5-19. - Personal interest.
Except when approved by City Council via ordinance, the City Manager and elected City officials may only sell, purchase, barter or contract with the City for property, goods or services with a value that constitutes a substantial financial interest if the sale, purchase or exchange of such property, goods or services is awarded via a competitive procurement method and in compliance with City law. This prohibition does not apply to sales, purchases, exchanges or contracts with the City that are offered to all members of the public under the same or substantially similar terms, including but not limited to utility agreements, waste management services, telephone services, heating services, and other public services. The City shall publicly disclose the essential terms of any sale, purchase, barter or contract with the City Manager or an elected official before entering into the transaction. An elected official who violates this provision shall forfeit his or her office upon determination by City Council that a violation has occurred. Any contract entered into in violation of this provision shall be voidable by City Council.
Compare them side-by-side, and see what you think!
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Notice to the Public:
There will be a City Council Public Hearing at 6:45 pm on March 3, 2021 for Ordinance 1194 below. The second reading of the ordinance will be on the agenda for the regular meeting at 7:00 pm.
Ordinance 1194
An ordinance of the Council of the City of Cordova, Alaska, enacting Cordova Municipal Code Section 17.24.005 to require a certificate to plat for all plats submitted for city approval
A copy of this draft ordinance can be obtained from the City Clerk’s office cityclerk@cityofcordova.net
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CORDOVA REGULAR ELECTION MARCH 2, 2021
Notice of Bonded Indebtedness
One proposition for the issuance of general obligation debt for the City of Cordova has been placed on the ballot for the Regular City Election of March 2, 2021. The City provides the following notice of indebtedness in accordance with AS 29.47.190(b):
The current total general obligation indebtedness of the City as of 12/31/20 is $12,630,000 and in unsold bonds, $0.
The cost of the debt service (principal and interest) on the current general obligation indebtedness of the City will be $1,773,475 during the 2021 fiscal year, and a total of $14,294,525 to the final maturity of all outstanding general obligation bonds.
The total assessed value of taxable real and personal property in the City for the 2020 fiscal year was $ 360,596,087.
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Cordova is at one active case as of today, Tuesday, 2/16/21.
For the most up-to-date case counts and news releases, click the Dashboard above.
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Current testing times in Cordova:
Ilanka Community Health Center:
- Mondays and Fridays, 2-3 p.m; no drive-up/walk-through Saturday testing until further notice.
Please call ahead to pre-register at 424-3622. Testing entry is downstairs across from the Episcopal Church.
Cordova Community Medical Center:
- Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, 9–9:30 a.m.
- Testing is done at the Ambulance Bay.
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Thanks to those who attended the refuse equipment meeting! For those who missed it, here is a recorded copy of the presentation.
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Don't let your pipes freeze! Dribble water through them to prevent this from happening. Make sure your heat tape is plugged in and working.
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Know somebody who needs help?
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New "Best of 2020" Books ordered by the library....
Time Top Ten Fiction 2020
Breasts and Eggs, Mieko Kawakami
Where the Wild Ladies Are, Aoko Matsuda
Deacon King Kong, James McBride
A Burning, Megha Majumdar
I Hold a Wolf by the Ears, Laura van den Berg
Homeland Elegies, Ayad Akhtar
A Children’s Bible, Lydia Millet
The Mirror & the Light, Hilary Mantel
Shuggie Bain, Douglas Stuart
The Vanishing Half, Brit Bennett
Oprah Top 2020 Book Club books
Struggle & Song ed. by Kevin Young
A Beautiful Crime by Christopher Bollen
The Boy in the Field by Margot Livesey
Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents by Isabel Wilkerson
The Cold Millions by Jess Walter
Deacon King Kong by James McBride
A Girl is A Body of Water by Jennifer Mansubuga Makumbi
Homeland Elegies by Ayad Akhtar
Just Us by Claudia Rankine
Good Reads Top 2020:
The Midnight Library by Matt Haigh
Anxious People by Fredrik Backman
American Dirt by Jeanine Cummins
Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid
My Dark Vanessa by Kate Elizabeth Russell
The Glass Hotel by Emily St. John Mandel
Transcendent Kingdom by Yaa Gyasi
The Girl with the Louding Voice by Abi Daré
Dear Edward by Ann Napolitano
Big Summer by Jennifer Weiner
Writers & Lovers by Lily King
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City Council Members (by seat)
A. Tom Bailer
B. Cathy Sherman
C. Jeff Guard
D. Melina Meyer
E. Anne Schaefer
F. David Allison
G. David Glasen
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