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Economic Development and Advocacy for Southwest Alaska
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June 2013
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Greetings!
It's been a summer to remember so far, and here's hoping there are many months of good fishing ahead. Thanks for reading, keep in touch, and let us know if you have any questions.
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Submit Your Community Projects for Southwest CEDS Update
As the designated economic development organization for Southwest Alaska, SWAMC develops the Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) for the region. As we update the strategy this year to reflect the region's opportunities and respond to changes in the economy, we also want to collect the region's community improvement projects for inclusion in this year's update. SWAMC is the Economic Development Administration's (EDA) planning partner for SW Alaska, so if your community or borough plans to pursue EDA funds this year for a capital project, please submit your project list to us to make sure it is recognized in the CEDS as an economic development priority for the region. Erik Obrien of SWAMC will follow up with community leaders soon to incorporate project information into our CEDS. Please try to have project information to our office by June 15. Contact SWAMC Executive Director Andy Varner with any questions.
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SWAMC FY14 Membership Notices Going Out Soon 
With the Solstice rapidly approaching and July about to beckon, that equates to a new fiscal year and new membership opportunities beginning next month. This year, we will change up our online membership system a bit to try and encourage more online entrants. (If we're going to be pushing for broadband development and application in Southwest Alaska, then we need to do our part too!). So be on the lookout for new membership information coming to your inbox soon. And of course, we'll always gladly accept snail mail...we are here to serve our members!
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From the VISTA Desk: STEM Education Update 
As the school year wraps up, SWAMC is preparing our STEM programs for fall. We've looked at what has, and hasn't, worked this last year and are shifting our focus to respond to community needs and interest. STEM refers to science, technology, engineering and math, but we've always treated it as part of broader efforts to prepare students for the workforce, and the career mentorship program we introduced last month, which will pair high school students with mentors in their field of interest, reflects that focus. This summer, we will continue to reach out to schools and potential mentors and prepare the program so it can start next year. Additionally, we are building on our current financial literacy initiatives by working with Lemonade Day Alaska to expand Lemonade Day, a free (and delicious) youth entrepreneurship program that teaches kids how to start their own business by running a lemonade stand. For the past three years, Lemonade Day has been extremely successful in Alaska, this past year attracting over 3,500 participants from Barrow to Ketchikan, and we want to bring it to Southwest. We will also to continue to find ways to make broadband Internet access more useful and accessible through public Innovation Centers. We look forward to seeing the results of the mini-grants we awarded to the Kodiak and Dillingham libraries to purchase equipment and provide services that take advantage of broadband, and we will apply the lessons learned at those two sites to help guide development of the Innovation Centers idea throughout our region. |
Reminder: Comment on Southwest Transportation Plan Draft Update 
As we reported last month, the Alaska Department of Transportation and DOWL/HKM recently completed the Phase I draft of the Southwest Alaska Transportation Plan update. You can find the full document here, as well as the Executive Summary. Comments for Phase I are due June 24. Phase II work will commence later this summer. |
SWAMC Business Member Spotlight: TelAlaska 
Monthly spotlights on a member community/business. TelAlaska became a new member in FY13. The company offers a full suite of basic and advanced data services including local and long distance telephone, Internet, cable television, and cellular phone. It serves Cold Bay, Iliamna, King Cove, Port Lions, Sand Point, Unalaska, Saint Paul and Saint George in the southwest region, as well as 17 other communities in Alaska. TelAlaska has 75 employees and maintains offices in Dutch Harbor, Nome, Seward, and Anchorage.
This summer, TelAlaska will be replacing Unalaska's main switch and upgrading some areas to fiber while improving cellular coverage in the OSI offshore system area. It will install a new cell tower and add WiFi coverage to the boat harbor and Trident Seafoods in Sand Point, upgrade the emergency generator in Iliamna, and provide a full time local technician to service King Cove, Sand Point and Cold Bay. Ordinary stuff by some standards, but critical especially in times when federal regulators are switching cost supports and focus from rural to urban America, a fight in which TelAlaska is engaged with support from its Congressional delegation.
In 2008, the company was acquired by American Broadband, an outside company focused on serving rural America. TelAlaska is independently operated by the core employees who have stayed on, paying attention first to the basics of a well maintained infrastructure, as evidence by this summer's projects, and carrying forward TelAlaska's motto: Of Course You Can! |
SWAMC Community Member Spotlight: OLD HARBOR 
Monthly spotlights on a member community/business.
Nestled on the southeast side of Kodiak Island, Old Harbor is an Alutiiq village approximately 40 air miles from the City of Kodiak. The quaint and picturesque community has a thriving local economy based on commercial fishing, ecotourism, and a successful village corporation in Old Harbor Native Corporation (OHNC). According to the Corporation's website, "the community has a modern airstrip, a harbor for its fishing fleet and the modern amenities of water, sewer, electricity, internet and satellite services." Indeed, the community just received $4.5M in this year's capital budget for airport improvements, and residents and businesses can enjoy local high-speed internet through a recently completed fiber-microwave system that OHNC helped bring to the Island as part of the larger Kodiak Kenai Fiber Link project over 6 years ago. According to the latest census, the population of Old Harbor has been increasing, a good sign for any small Alaska town. The village was also one of the first to form a Community Quota Entity (a Gulf of Alaska long-distance cousin of Bering Sea CDQs), entitling the community to shares of halibut, sablefish, and Pacific cod. More recently, Old Harbor was in the news when the Kulluk, Royal Dutch Shell's Arctic oil drilling rig, was grounded near Sitkalidak Island, just off the community's front porch. Residents and businesses in town rallied with gear and response plans to prepare for any imminent disasters, but trouble never came. This sort of response is typical of a growing community known for good leadership, a vibrant economy, thriving business opportunities, and a strong culture. |
Job Vacancy: St Paul Island City Manager 
The City of Saint Paul, Alaska is seeking qualified candidates for the position of City Manager. The Manager reports directly to the City Council and will reside on St. Paul Island. A copy of the Job Notice can be found here. All interested applicants can send a resume and references to phyllis@stpaulak.com.
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Visit Southwest Alaska @
www.southwestalaska.com
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SWAMC Board of Directors
Louise Stutes, Pres.
Alice Ruby, Vice Pres.
Layton Lockett, Treas.Dan Clarion Dan O'Hara
Glen Gardner
Joe Sullivan Michelle Ravenmoon Paul Gronholdt
Shirley Marquardt Trevor Brown
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SWAMC Staff Andy Varner
Executive Director
Erik O'Brien Economist; Development Specialist Cameron Dean STEM Education Coordinator / VISTA |
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| Upcoming Events & Dates to Remember | |
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As always...
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Thanks for your support of SWAMC. Please don't hesitate to share your thoughts, ideas, concerns and events. For previous newsletters, click the link below.
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