Kake Tribal Corporation and the City of Pelican Reach a Purchase Agreement: In October, the City and KTC agreed on the financial terms which will see the City purchase the fuel dock, fish plant, cannery, bunk houses, utility, and all other KTC holdings in Pelican. In July Governor Parnell vetoed the legislative funds available to purchase the utility and fuel dock. The City stepped forward and initiated talks to purchase all the properties of KTC in Pelican. Both sides reached agreement and the terms were approved by the KTC Board of Directors and the City Council of Pelican. In early November the City became the owner of all but the Utility. The transfer of ownership of the Utility will take a few months to work its way through the bureaucracy. The Regulatory Commission of Alaska must evaluate the ability of the City to operate the Utility before approving the transfer.

Reduced Fuel Prices in Effect: On the day the ownership of the fuel dock changed from Kake Tribal to the City of Pelican, the change was immediately noticeable. The City slashed the price of fuel by nearly a dollar a gallon and became immediately competitive with other nearby communities. It is anticipated the prices will remain low in order to entice commercial fisherman, yacht traffic, sportsmen, government agencies, etc. to refuel at Pelican. The prices of fuels per gallon as of November 4th are:

• Gasoline: $4.97
• #1 Diesel: $4.95
• #2 Diesel: $4.87

Hydro Project: With the pending acquisition of the Utility by the City, the completion of the Hydro upgrade is all important. As of now, the hydro is expected to be back on line as early as March 2012 if the winter is mild and work can progress; otherwise June or July are likely completion dates. Once on line, the hydro is expected to produce 1.3 megawatts of electricity.

Commercial Ice Machine Grant: With the City becoming the owner of the fish house, the $800,000 federal grant can now move forward to replace the old ice machines. Keith Heller, grant writer, has agreed to spearhead the implementation of the grant. Wyatt Refrigeration personnel will travel to Pelican on April 10, 2012 to begin the installation.

Salmon Hatchery: The general manager for the Northern Southeast Aquaculture Association, Steve Reifenstuhl, came to Pelican in August and convened a public meeting concerning the potential for a salmon hatchery at Pelican. There is very strong interest on the part of NSRAA to establish a King Salmon and Chum Salmon Hatchery at Pelican Creek. The potential of hydro power and infrastructure in the form of the fish house, cannery, ice machines, etc. serves to incentivize new private investment in some form of fish processing at Pelican, particularly if there is availability of Chum in commercial numbers. More information on NSRAA may be obtained at www.nsraa.org.

New Business Opportunities: The City of Pelican is looking for new investors and entrepreneurs. The fish plant will have two new North Star ice machines installed. The City encourages a new operator to
contact them for lease terms, 907-735-2202.

The City now owns two bunkhouses and 6 residential houses that were once housed employees of Pelican Cold Storage. Some or all of these units could be leased, others could be sold.

The City owns 4 each Community Charter Halibut Permits, each for 6 poles. These permits are for lease at $1500 for the season. All charter trips must start or end at Pelican. This is a great opportunity for a new charter operator or an existing business needing a permit. Contact Norm Carson, 907-735-2460 in season or 907-321-1950 in winter months.

Pelican’s Latest Newspaper: High school student, Jasmine Mattson-Wolff has published the first issue of the “Lisianski Gazette”. The monthly newsletter will feature local stories and a “looking Back” column with stories and photos from the past. To obtain a copy of the January 2012 and future issues, email Jasmine at lisianskigazette@yahoo.com, Mail out subscriptions are available at $3.00 per month. Send checks or money orders to: Jasmine Mattson-Wolff, PO Box 94, Pelican, AK 99832