Doc Meister - Critical Issues (Goals)

for Chignik Bay Community Plan

Critical Issues (Goals) (ID: 1323)

During a planning session, participants identified critical issues or goals that need to be addressed. They are:

Number one goal:
To achieve, improve, safeguard our subsistence cultural way of life and maintain a quality way of living in our community.

In respect to development I echo my forefathers when I say, "We would like to see the quality of our life improve, but not our way of life." TJ Aklin.

The community would like to see at least two emergency tsunami shelters one for each side of the bay. At the present time there is no shelter, the one that was built is now being used as a city office.

The community would like to see some of the current facilities updated to meet future demands. They stress how important it is to get the city dock completed. The need for a new post office - current facility is not adequate for present needs. The landfill is no longer environmental friendly. Airport has always needed runway lights. There is no public facility at the airport-- people must run to the bushes. Erosion control must be addressed soon.

20 year needs:
* New Sub-Regional Clinic
* City Dock
* Small Boat Harbor
* Two Tsunami Shelters with supplies
* New Solid Waste Dump/Incinerator
* New Post Office
* Grocery Store
* Improved Airport Needs i.e runway lights/bldg for passengers, restroom facilities
* Improved Roads & more street lights
* Water Truck for Dust Control
* Power - Electric Improvements
* Public Safety - update bldg
* FireHall - update bldg
* Library
* Subsistence Bldg - finish
* Cemetery
* Multi Purpose Bldg
* New Church & Housing
* New Russian Church & Housing
* City & Tribal Offices Improved
* Day Care Facility
* Repair Foot Bridge
* Road Intertie
* Erosion Control
* New landfill

During the planning session there were discussions and varied responses to the following topics:

• Boat harbor and benefit or non-benefit to the city
• Lack of work causing the population decline
• Lack of activities for the kids
• Transportation issues such as; the dock and ferry service road intertie
• High energy costs concerned many
• Completion of projects
• Solid waste management
• Erosion of outside beach
• Larger runway with lights
• Outdated power utility
• Outdated cable televison
• Year round store
• Protecting and preserving the subsistence harvesting grounds
• Roads maintenance

Other issues and goals discussed were jobs, city finances, balancing growth, subsistence resources/lands, the fisheries co-op, diversifying the fisheries - tanner crab - king crab - limited entry, sub-regional hub and oil development. When it came to the newly formed CO-OP Fisheries most felt that it divided the community and attribute the decline in the population to the co-op. Many feel it has hurt Chignik rather than help it as the number of participants in the fishery has decreased and with less people in the community it has caused a decline in revenue for the city. People feel things are going backwards rather then forward.