The nine-member Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly burned the midnight oil on Tuesday, as it worked through a five-page agenda of resolutions and ordinances. Several of the items had a direct impact on lower peninsula residents.

For starters, Mayor John Williams reported a $35,000 contract has been signed to estimate and analyze the South Peninsula Hospital expansion project. The contract is with Rider Hunt Levett and Bailey Ltd., professional property construction consultants with offices across the United States. (See related story, page 10.)

“We need this review for any number of reasons,” said assembly member Milli Martin, who represents the southern peninsula. “The key one being, are the plans viable and what is the actual cost estimate to do this? Once we get that, we can make the decisions we need to make to move forward.”

The assembly accepted a $33,155 grant from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, and appropriated it and $9,845 of additional funding to the Kachemak Emergency Service Area for basic firefighting equipment.

Support for maintaining the Farm Service office in Homer found approval on the assembly’s consent agenda. Closure of the Homer and Palmer offices and placing the areas they serve under a new Anchorage office is currently being considered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The resolution supporting the Homer office was introduced by Martin and Mayor Williams and specifically requested Alaska’s congressional delegation to intercede in the matter.

Also finding approval on the consent agenda was a resolution urging that reconstruction of the Sterling Highway, from Milepost 157 through 169, be part of the 2006-2008 State Transportation Improvement Program. Martin, who introduced the resolution, said she has been told by the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities that this stretch of highway from Anchor Point to the top of Baycrest Hill was on the list and that more than $20,000 had already been spent on design. However, it was removed from the list because of money needed for other projects, namely Knik and Ketchikan bridges.

“These roads intersect the highway on a blind hill and have been the site of several traffic accidents in the recent past, including three deaths and numerous serious injuries in the past six years, according to the Homer Police,” Martin wrote in support of the resolution.

“That they would pull that project instead of others was appalling,” Martin said.

Not finding favor with the assembly was an ordinance replacing a flat tax with an ad valorem tax, which is based on assessed value, on watercraft in excess of 100 feet in length, with the exemption of commercial fishing vessels. Introduced by Pete Sprague of Soldotna, it drew criticism from the oil industry who operates tankers in Cook Inlet. It also drew concern from Martin and Deb Germano, the assembly member who represents Homer.

“I walked to (Homer City Manager) Walt Wrede about it and the big thing was that we didn’t know what the impact would be,” Germano said of the possible effect on research ships, barges and other boats fitting the criteria.

“No one had any information, really. Pete’s whole purpose was to take a look at revenues, but you’ve got to look at what the consequences are.”

The ordinance failed on an eight-to-one vote, with only Sprague voting for passage.

In other assembly action:

n An ordinance requiring that late property tax exemption applications from senior citizens and disabled veterans be filed during the tax year for which the exemption is sought was enacted, with consideration given to veterans waiting for disability determination from the Veterans Administration;

n A resolution supporting reopening of the 1991 civil settlement from the Exxon Valdez oil spill and claiming the full $100 million for mitigation of long-term harm was adopted;

n A resolution opposing the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation’s proposal to allow increased mixing zones in spawning areas was adopted.

The next meeting of the Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly will be at the Borough Administration Building in Soldotna on Jan. 3.

McKibben Jackinsky can be reached at mckibben.jackinsky@homernews.com