February 10, 2005
Thursday

Nobody seems to grasp the concept that competition may be good for the long-established and vocal entrenched cold storage interests present in the community as well as all of Southern Southeast Alaska.

Perhaps all, including the assembly, should reflect on the fact that processing tonnage elsewhere in SE Alaska and to the westward continues to increase while Ketchikan processing tonnage declines from year to year.

The salmon capital of the world and the former primary halibut processing center are labels that no longer fit Ketchikan as they once did in earlier years.

Thus a new cold storage, able to process and store far greater quantities of seafood at substantially lower costs, may well be the economic incentive to warrant a renewed effort for local industry endeavors.

The need for strong support and assembly approval is essential in terms of future grant funding as to other projects and basically costs the borough nothing in terms of presently unused land. Once improved it should be operated in terms of a facility that is placed on the tax rolls and paying taxes for the betterment of the entire borough.

Pete Ellis
Ketchikan, AK - USA

Related News:

Listen to this KRBD story... The Ketchikan Gateway Borough Assembly put off action on transferring four acres of borough property in Ward Cove to the Ketchikan Cold Storage Association Monday night. As Deanna Garrison reports, the Assembly heard a number of concerns about the proposal to construct an eight million pound public cold storage in Ketchikan.
KRBD - Ketchikan Public Radio - Aired February 08, 2005 - Web posted Wednesday am- February 09, 2005

 

Write a Letter -------Read Letters

E-mail the Editor

Sitnews
Stories In The News
Ketchikan, Alaska