Kenai Peninsula assembly member praises Seldovia pool deal, flags school closures and land sale

Willie Dunn, Kenai Peninsula Borough assembly member for District 9, told the Seldovia City Council that the borough’s recreation service‑area model helped keep the Susan B. English pool open after voters approved increasing the service‑area mill rate from 1.0 to 1.75.

“The service area mill rate was increased from 1.0 to 1.75 and that gave you guys a enough of a budget to keep that pool open for the next year,” Dunn said, summarizing the funding move that the assembly supported. He described the arrangement as an experiment that has allowed Seldovia and Seward to secure pool contracts this year while other communities remain without operators.

Dunn also warned council members about broader education funding pressures across the borough: five schools have closed in the last two years and the assembly is working with the school district and state legislators to seek funding changes. “It’s a statewide thing,” Dunn said, adding that the borough covers a large share of education costs through property and sales taxes and that he did not foresee the Susan B. English School closing in the near term because Seldovia lacks an alternate nearby school option.

On land management, Dunn said the borough’s upcoming live auction on Oct. 10 will include a 0.28‑acre parcel in Seldovia with a starting bid of $75,000, and that most parcels are expected to sell in the live/online event. He also noted staffing changes at the borough landfill and the appointment of a solid‑waste director to manage that operation. Dunn offered to help the city follow up with borough staff on landfill questions.

Why it matters: Dunn’s briefing connects local priorities — recreation, schools and landfill management — to borough‑level funding and decisions that can affect Seldovia’s services and long‑term planning. Council members used the update to press for follow‑up and coordination on recruitment, contracts and capital projects.