Fairbanks North Star Borough

The Interior Gas Utility celebrated its newly completed, $15 million North Pole natural-gas storage facility Thursday with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at its site near the old Flint Hills Resources Refinery.

A tax rebate for property owners who bought energy-efficient houses passed the Fairbanks North Star Borough Assembly last night. It would credit those who achieved the six-star energy rating on new construction.

The Fairbanks North Star Borough’s Interior Gas Utility will sign a new natural gas supply contract with Hilcorp. Meeting yesterday (Tues), the IGU board passed a resolution authorizing the 5 year deal. KUAC’s Dan Bross reports.

The Fairbanks North Star Borough set up grant programs to disburse $15,000 to about 600 businesses. But only 200 have applied. An ordinance before the Borough Assembly this week will expand the opportunities.

The fate of the Carlson Center in Fairbanks will partly depend on the results of a survey that closes tomorrow night (Wednesday.) Fairbanks North Star Borough Parks and Recreation Department is studying how best to manage the multi-purpose building.

The Fairbanks North Star Borough administration announced two employees have tested positive for COVID-19.

After an evening of amendments, most of which failed, the Fairbanks North Star Borough Assembly sought to keep the property tax rate below the current 13.892 mills.

Public pressure to reopen Fairbanks North Star Borough parks has that staff analyzing how to keep users and employees safe. Borough Chief of Staff Jim Williams says staff members are slowly being recalled to borough facilities with very strict social distancing guidelines.

“We’re just getting a lot of requests for services right now.”