City/Borough Formation and Boundary Changes

Sheinberg Associates will research and analyze fiscal, policy, land, service, voting and other impacts of city or borough annexation or formation.  Let us help you understand the implications of a new borough or boundary change. We can frame the policy issues to help leaders make informed decisions.  Sheinberg Associates can also help your area write a detailed petition for Local Boundary Commission review.

Representative Work:

Petition to State Local Boundary Commission to form a new Borough (2008)
Prepare a petition to the Alaska Local Boundary Commission to form a new borough government. This includes fiscal, government, land and other analysis to ensure regulatory and financial requirements are met.

Glacier Bay Chatham Borough Economic Feasibility Analysis (2006-2007)
Conduct an economic assessment of the feasibility of forming the Glacier Bay Chatham Borough.  Includes research, analysis, report writing, design and conduct of a public involvement program, and meetings in seven Southeast Alaska communities.  Client is the Alaska Department of Commerce Community and Economic Development.

Initial Borough Feasibility Study (2006)
Conduct analysis and prepare report on feasibility of Glacier Bay Chatham Borough. Work with the Hoonah City Council, School Board, others in the community and residents from the region to assess borough formation options and the implications for Hoonah and other communities in region. Work included: A) An initial economic feasibility and policy assessment of a Glacier Bay and a Glacier Bay-Chatham region borough; B) Assist state staff to prepare for and attend a presentation for elected officials in the region at a meeting hosted by Representative Thomas;  C) Prepare an Initial Borough Feasibility Study for Glacier Bay-Chatham region borough; D) Prepare a list of questions for residents in the region to consider to help them assess borough formation; and E) Distribution of report with a cover letter from Mayor Gray to over 125 entities and residents in the region for consideration. Client is City of Hoonah.

Borough Feasibility Study and Prepare Petition to Local Boundary Commission to Form Peterburg - Kupreanof Home Rule Borough (2006)
Summarize statewide and regional actions that may impact borough formation efforts and local government revenues. Prepare an update to economic sections of 2003 borough formation analysis to assist city council make decision on borough formation and borough boundary to pursue. Prepare petition to local boundary commission. Attend and/or facilitate several public meetings and presentations including with cities of Wrangell, Kake and Petersburg; Petersburg City Council (with school board superintendent and residents); Kupreanof residents and Council members; and Petersburg Borough Charter Commission.  Client is City of Petersburg.

Petersburg Annexation Feasibility Study and Prepare Petition to Local Boundary Commission (2005)
Work with Petersburg Planning Commission and City Council to develop a petition forannexation of approximately 34 square miles on Mitkof Island to the City of Petersburg. Facilitate twocommunity meetings and City Council/Planning Commission work session.  Petition was adopted by City Council and submitted to the State of Alaska Local Boundary Commission in August 2004 for review and action.  Later, prepare (for City Council approval and submittal) a Reply Brief to the Local Boundary Commission, addressing public comment received on the annexation petition.  Petition was later withdrawn by City of Petersburg after decision was made to go forward with borough formation.

Dillingham Annexation Feasibility Analysis and Borough Feasibility Study (2004)
Investigate education, government services and powers, financial (revenue and expenses), land, planning, and political/apportionment implications of annexing land between Dillingham and Aleknagik, to Dillingham. The second part of the project was analyzing the feasibility of two borough formation options for the City of Dillingham on behalf of the region.  Sheinberg presented and discussed the results at community meetings in Dillingham and Aleknagik.  Work included analyzing the economic impacts of borough formation to Ekwok, Manokotak, Togiak, Dillingham, Aleknagik, New Stuyahok, Clarks Point and to the new Borough.   An estimate of borough sales tax that could be generated for remote lodge operations was also included in the assessment.  Two reports were prepared. Client: City of Dillingham

Petersburg Initial Annexation and Borough Formation Feasibility Studies (2003)
Analyze and report on the fiscal, policy, land, education, apportionment and other impacts of a) annexing a corridor along Mitkof Highway, from the shoreline to approx one mile inland of the highway, to road’s end to the City of Petersburg; and b) forming a borough (either a Petersburg-
Kupreanof-Kake Borough, or the State's Model Borough for the area, or a Petersburg-Kupreanof Borough.  Facilitate public meetings to consider feasibility and options.

Implications of Forming Glacier Bay Borough (2002)
Research local government policy, services, revenue/expenditure, land and school implications of forming Glacier Bay Borough.  Also report on Senate Bill 48. Client was City of Hoonah.

Dissolve City of Skagway and Form 1st class Skagway Borough (2000)
Prepare petition to Local Boundary Commission for Skagway to incorporate as a Borough.  Petition was approved by State Local Boundary Commission in January 2007. Client was City of Skagway.

Investigate Borough Formation in Glacier Bay Region (1997)
Prepare report to investigate Borough formation in Northern Southeast Alaska, including land use, fiscal and government service implications. Research likelihood that Senate Bill 30 which mandates Borough formation, will pass state legislature. Client was City of Hoonah.

Choggiung, Ltd/Options for the Future Committee (1995)
Prepare a petition to the state Local Boundary Commission to annex the Dillingham census area into the Lake and Peninsula Borough.  Research and report on implications of annexation for government and school services, land use and finances; prepare Transition Plan.  Attended and presented at many meetings in rural Alaska.