City manager outlines dock widening, new grants, fiber planning and boardwalk work

City Manager Heidi told the council the dock contract negotiation is nearly complete and that the design change to widen the dock by two feet reduced a line‑item cost while improving functionality. She also reported that a second tranche of grant funding — $482,000 — has been executed, that Denali Commission funds are part of the package, and that the dock construction is expected to move quickly once the contractor mobilizes.

Heidi said staff had a recent meeting with a fiber landing crew; while a full community build‑out is not yet funded, the fiber landing point work may occur in 2028–29 and could improve local data capacity. She also said the administration is recommending prioritizing the Fish Creek/boardwalk work in the city’s capital improvement plan and will bring draft CIP priorities and cost estimates to council for review. Other staff items included SFL building cost estimates, quotes for boatyard crane improvements, three notice and orders for vessel impoundment in the boathouse, and a reminder that the city is updating its Emergency Operations Plan and zoning code alignment per the new comprehensive plan.

Why it matters: These capital and planning updates inform council’s short‑ and mid‑term decisions on CIP prioritization, grant applications and community resilience projects, and set near‑term expectations for public works activity and possible temporary disruptions around the harbor and dock areas.