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Yol. 19 No. « KODIAK, ALASKA, FEBRUARY 14,1959 PRICE 19 CENTS
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Seeks to Hire Assessor
To devaluate Property
Calling for a revaluation, partic
ularly of downtown property, with
a view to establishing a more
equitable tax to property owners,
City Manager Bill Poland strong
ly urged the hiring of a qualified
to assesor for the coming fiscal
year.
Poland stated that there had
been xm actual valuation of tax
able property in Kodiak since
1953. At that time a man had
been sent to Anchorage for a
course of instruction in poperty
valuation. Upon his return he
valuated all real property and
improvements within the munici
pal boundries.
"This was done at an approxi
mate cost of $3,000,” Poland
stated. “In the years between
1953 and 1958 independent local
assesors were employed at a cost
«f from $1500 to $2500 annually."
During this time, he said, annual
depreciation from the 1953 valua
tion was figured and a limited
amount of field work accom
plished. In 1958 this was done by
to City office force, with a very
sheet term field evaluator, at a
vest of $334.
"The records are in very poor
shape,” Poland continued. “Un
doubtedly many tax inequities
exist which would require the
services of a qualified assesor to
tenrect ”
Poland then proposed the hiring
•f an assesor who had worked
for Anchorage and also Seward.
“This man is well qualified and
has proven himself so. Tue cost
to the City will be $6,000 for
three months work. This may seem
fiie a lot of money, but actually
it would be well worth it to have
property assessed equitably and
City hall records put in shape.
“After such a revaluation, and a
small amount of actual field
work, the City office force would
then be able to complete the tax
rolls, at a cost of approximately
one fifth of the former annual
figure, for the next four years.”
Poland concluded.
In addition to the assessor, a
local resident would have to work
with him as an understudy, for
future reference. The local asses
sor would then work on a short
time basis annually, as most of
the work could be handled by the
office force.
The object in making the re
valuation, it was pointed out, was
not to raise taxes or increase
revenue, but to tax on a more
equitable basis. Instances of wide
discrepancies in levying taxes on
adjoining properties were cited.
J The proposal was discussed at
length, but no action was taken.
A decision will be made at the
next Council meeting.
DEVEAU WILL ASSIST
WITH NEW LEGISLATION
Rep. Pete Deveau in a telegram
to the Mirror, urges all those
who would like to have legisla
tion introduced into the House,
contact him at Juneau. There are
only 28 days left in which to in
troduce a new bill, he said.
Deveau states that upon receipt
of a letter from anyone, telling
what they have in mind, he will
have it put in legal form, send it
back, and if OK he will introduce
it into the House. He stated that
if the bill has merit, he will speak
on it and seek support from other
legislators.
Deveau further stated that he is
introducing a bill outlawing seine
fishing in the State of Alaska.
Council Changes
Meeting' Night
Meeting nights of the City Coun
cil have been changed from Mon
days to the second and fourth
Thursday of each month.
Metting time will be at 8 p.m.
instead of 7:30 as heretofore.
JESS BALLARD NAMES
CRAB FESTIVAL COMMITTEES
Jess Ballard, chairman of the
annual King Crab Festival, which
will be Vheld early • this spring,
named his committee to formulate
plans for the event.
On the committee with him are
Eldon Lester, Lou Veerman, O. K.
Kincaid, John Gibbons, Art
Brooks and A1 Hochberger.
* *
Leadership Contest Winners Announced
Sharon Van Buren won first
prize, a $100 Savings bond, in Ihe
girls division of the Youth Leader
ship Contest. First in the boys
division was Adolph “Duffy” Jac*
insky. who won a similar amount.
Winners of the contest which
i5 sponsored by the B. P. O. *2hs
No. 1772, were announced this
weak by Norman Dinwiddie,
Chairman of the Lodge’s Youth
Leadership Committee.
Others who were declared win
ners were Nancy Jennings and
Jaaet Zieba, who won second and
(IM prizes of $50 and $25 bonds
ha the girl’s division; and Wayne
Kraft snid Dennis Gilman, each
whining a similar amount in the
boy’s division.
Dmwiddie stated the judges,
Dr. Bob Johnson, Rev. John
Molletti, and Cmdr. H. C. Ster
ling reported that all contestants
were very closely matched, which
made judging very difficult. Hon
orable mention went to Jeralynor
Smith and Gail Zieba, who were
very dose in total points to the
winners.
First and second place winners
automatically become State en
tries. Awards will be presented
at the National Youth Week
dnrezneiries at the Elks hall during
first week in May. ~ **;—■•
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Chamber OK’s
Ferry Study
ADOPTS RESOLUTIONS ON
HOSPITAL, LIQUOR LAW,
SCHOOL OF FISHERIES
Following a committee report,
the -Chamber of Commerce went
on record at its meeting Thurs
day as favoring a feasibility study
of the proposed ferry system
between here and the mainland.
A1 Hochberger, Dick Berg and
other members of the committee
appointed at ; an earlier meeting,
reported favorably on the project.
The idea has now been expanded,
to include stops at Bruin Bay,
King Salmon, Seldovda, Port Gra
ham and possibly- other ports. -
Bill Poland urged an enthusias
tic effort be made to determine
its feasibility, and the possibility
that it be incorporated in the bill
to go before the legislature on the
Southeastern Alaska ferry system.
Spokesmen favored private
enterprise operating the ferry, but
in a motion passed urged the
State government undertake a
feasibility study.
John Gibbons, chairman of the
legislative committee, introduced
several resolutions which were
voted on and passed. One resolu
tion urged the defeat of the bill
introduced in the legislature put
ting the State in the wholesale
liquor industry. The bill was read
and vehemently denounced by
spokesmen. Another resolution fa
vored the immediate construction
of the mental hospital, utilizing
the $6% milliori offered by the
Federal government for the pur
pose.
Another resolution called for
the establishment of a school of
fisheries in Alaska. Possible site
would be Kodiak.
A resolution urged the establish
ment of the fur seal industry in
Alaska. Purpose is to provide em
ployment to Alaskans. Furs are
now being processed in St. Louis,
Missouri, and have been for gen
erations.
Continued to page 4
I
1
Arrests Provide
Busy Court Week
Several persons were arrested
and appeared in court this week.
Their names, charges against
them and their dispositions as
reported by the police department
is as follows: Irene Hall for dis
orderly conduct. $150 fine. L. V.
Lancaster for speeding. $35 fine.
Allen E. Kamps, a minor, on a
drunk charge. $60 fine and $100
fine suspended. Charles F. Rush,
a minor, on a drunk charge. $25
fine, suspended; $25 bail forfei
ted. Clarence A. Sims, on a drunk
charge. $25 bail, forfeited. James
T. Deshazo, on a charge of op
erating a motor vehicle while
under the influence of liquor.
$100 fine, $50 of which was sus
pended and drivers license sus
pended for 30 days. Laura B.
Johnson, on the same charge.
$100 fine with $50 suspended and
her drivers license suspended for
4* months. - -
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Legislators Urge HS’s
For Island Villages
JUNEAU Uf)—Kodiak’s three
man legislative delegation has
urged the Department of Educa
tion to begin freshman high school
classes in the villages of Afognak,
Ouzinkie arid Old Harbor.
The requests were made in
letters to Don M. Dafoe, Commis
sioner of Education, by Sen. A1
Owen and Reps. Peter Deveau
and Henry Haag.
The Democratic lawmakers said
there is “A growing need for
advanced educational facilities be
yond the grades” now offered at
-the villages. “At the start of the
next school year would seem an
excellent time to establish the
first year of the high school in
the villages,” their letters to Da
foe said. “A start in this direction
would be in keeping with the
progress made by these people in
improving their economic condi
tions and general activity.”
The Kodiak delegation voted
with the majority on all roll calls
during last week, as the only
major piece of legislation that
cleared was the lawmaker's own
salary bill. They drew their first
pay check Wednesday, each of the
60 legislators getting $680 in per
diem expenses at the $40 a day
rate approved in the bill signed
by acting Gov. Wade. The first
$250 check on the $3000 annual
salary will not be cleared until
late this month.
Rep. Deveau lost a motion in
the House Thursday in his attempt
to reduce the residence require
ments in a divorce action. The
House passed a bill cutting the
length of residence from two to
one year. A proposed amendment
by Rep. Deveau to further reduce
it to eight months was defeated.
The bill now goes to the Senate.
Sen. Owen introduced a memor
ial in the Senate, urging the post
office department to accept com
Plans Out for
Jail Acquisition
Plans of the City Manager to
secure the abandoned Federal jail
to house the City library met a
snag this week. The building will
not be available to the City at the
present time if ever, it was
learned from two sources.
A letter from Hugh J. Wade,
Acting Governor, advised the
Council that the General Services
Administration has agreed to post
pone action on the disposition of
the Kodiak jail until Congress acts
on the omnibus bill to transfer
such properties to the State.
Similar information was recei
ved from John P. Gifford, Re
gional Property Coordinator,
Division of Surplus Property of the
Department of Health, Education
and Welfare. ,
He stated that G. S. A. had re
ceived requests from two State
departments to hold action in
abeyance pending transfer to the
State.---. “
petitive bids for va surfafct midi
contract for points between Sew*1
ard and- Nicteoleki, orf Umhakr
Island of the Aleutians. " • ’ ‘
The present contract, for service
on the Expansion, expiry June.;
30. Owen said he understood boats
supplying Shemya might be inter
ested in bidding for the contract.r.
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Doypi at Alaska -King f rab, Hans
Eide;*accountant, has been ill. Don
Eliason of San Juan Packing in
Seattle! 'arrived last week to help
with Eide’s work for a coupk1
of weeks.
The superintendent, Emil Nor
ton, says everything is running
smoothly. They are in full pro
duction. They froze and canned
about 13,000 crab this week.
&
At King Crab, Inc., the wind
curtailed their operations some
what Crab and shrimp wore re
ceived up to Wednesday. B4U
Olsen is the new foreman for the
night shift
The third shrimp peeler is now
being installed. The CELTIC and
the MCKINLEY from Seattle
arrived this week. They will drag
for shrimp..
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The EXPANSION tied »p at
the City Dock Thursday noon end
left 4 p.m. yesterday for the
Westward. They will be back in
ten days.
A new 19 foot smoke stack has
been installed atop the City dock,
office—it is hoped this will etmi
nate blowbacks and backfiring of.
the office heater.
Over at A1 vine’s Marine Repair,
they have finished repairs on A1
Fenner’s boat, the CHIGNIK 12,
which was burned awhile back.
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They are now working on Tiny
Cichoski’s SKIPPY and helping
Johnny Ketelnikoff ready gear on,
his new boat, the. .LEADING
LADY.
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The Foss barge 95 with the tug
ADELINE FOSS brought in duel
this week for Standard Oil Com
pany. The RUTH L, with skipper
Dale Kramer, refueled, at Stan
dard. He made three trips this
week from Jap Bay to Ouz^kie
Packing.
There’s just the usual traffic* at
Union Oil dock, according to
Jack Hinckel, consignee.
START SHOOTING FILM
Shooting for the film on %me
King erab industry on Kocbak
Island twill begin February 20,
according to an announcement by
Roy Rickey, Chairman
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