UTILITY CEREMONY CELEBRATION
The Village of Solomon, Nome Joint Utility Systems, King Island Native Community and Norton Sound Health Corp. recognized and acknowledged one another in a joint effort to complete a utility expansion down E. 6th avenue, after a long wait of coordination - planning - design - management - meetings - leveraging - securing finances, all of the ups/downs and challenges that arose over a 4 year period - to finally get to a point of completion, was a time to celebrate and recognize everyone’s contributions.
President Timbers started the discussion, openly thanking and sending gratitude to all of our partners, to follow with words from NJUS’ Ken Morton, Chief Heather Payenna, and Deilah Johnson, sharing the efforts and thanking each key stakeholder for committing to the expansion project.
The utility expansion was integral as one of the first steps in offering and constructing affordable housing units, owned by both Tribes - KINC & VOS, within their respective lots. The utility expansion first started as a utility line down to Greg Kruschek and looped back to N St., however, several coordination meetings and discussions between all the stakeholders, the tribes decided they’d offer to secure additional funds to add a lift station, which would then offer water/sewer further than just the tribal E. 6th developments. At this time, when Chief Payenna made the suggestion, she connected the conversation to include Norton Sound Health Corporation - to which, the NSHC board approved $1.325M toward the lift station and utility expansion. Now, each property owner now can receive an ANTHC SDS (if you need an application, please contact Tribal Resources Director, Deilah Johnson to connect you with ANTHC’s water/sewer sds program staff) finances to hire and get onto the list for service lines to your property.
Here is a map of the utility expansion project and below is a photo of partners at their celebration.
A list of funding partners are below; in no particular order.
King Island Native Community
Village of Solomon
Norton Sound Health Corporation
Denali Commission
Murkowski CDS Appropriation - EPA STAG
ANTHC SDS
EMI Charitable Trust
Kawerak, Inc. McKenzie Scott Foundation
Pictured L to R: Angie Gorn, Sherri Lewis, Kirsten Timbers, Heather Payenna, Leona Mayac, Deilah Johnson, Cameron Piscoya, Wilma Amaktoolik, Ken Morton. Green house - VOS new affordable housing 3 bedroom, 2 bath unit.
