MEMO

To: Ronald Drathman, Assembly President

Members of the Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly

Thru: Mike Navarre, Mayor KPB

Thru: Jeff Sinz, Finance Director

From: W. Robson, PW/Major Projects Division WLR

Date: September 10, 1999

Subject: AN EMERGENCY ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR TO ACCEPT AND EXECUTE A GRANT FROM THE FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT ADMINISTRATION (FEMA) TO STABILIZE THE SHORELINE BELOW THE PORT GRAHAM SCHOOL, AND APPROPRIATING $200,000 IN GRANT FUNDS AND $66,667 IN LOCAL MATCHING FUNDS

The attached ordinance is intended to coordinate with the need to complete emergency repairs to the bluff, in two distinct areas, immediately below the school structure and play yard. Further delay of the work may create unnecessary hazard to the school property.

The school structure sits on an approximate 50' high promontory over the Port Graham Bay. Presently, the school's gym structure lies approximately 18 feet from the bluff's edge due to continual yearly degradation and significant loss in late 1998. The school's propane multi-tank farm and play ground lies immediately up gradient of the second bluff cusp. Both areas show continuing wave and surface erosion. It is highly questionable as to what extent of further damage this year's predicted highest-ever November tides will induce. The intent is to construct a rip-rap and shot rock buffer to ameliorate both wave and surface erosive actions and further stabilize the existing bluff surfaces. This is meant as a short-term fix and only future relocation will completely eliminate the possibility of danger from future significant bluff erosion.

This ordinance correlates directly to the recent announcement of a Federal Emergency Management Agency grant. The grant is for $200,000 and requires a 25% In-kind contribution from the KPB. The local match is expected to consist of locally provided rip-rap valued at $37,500, staff costs for contract administration time and other related expenses, all totaling the required $66,667. Coordination of the grant is through the AK DCED.

A field survey was completed this summer by the USACOE. The plan view and cross-sections of that work is being formatted into project plans and specifications and is being submitted to the various agencies previously notified for review. Coordination with FEMA concerning their need to draft and submit an Environmental Assessment is underway. Agencies expecting to join the review process are FEMA, USACOE, USF&W, AKDF&G, AKDGC, KPB Coastal Review. It is hoped that all review work can be expedited to fall within FEMA's expected 30 day period. This office will continue to attempt to accelerate the review process.