Kenai’s efforts to mitigate bluff erosion are coming to fruition.

The city is looking to curb erosion on a mile-long stretch of bluff between the canneries and old town. The bluff needing stabilization is on the north side of the river mouth, from Mission Avenue east toward Kenai’s senior center.

City Manager Rick Koch said the project has been the city’s number one priority for the last 25 years, and is finally getting the green light.

“I fully expect (construction) to start in the next five years,” Koch said.

The city of Kenai is looking to attract development with a new industrial business complex.

Currently unoccupied land off of Marathon Road could provide room for businesses to establish offices, warehouses and other facilities as early as next year if the Kenai Industrial Park is built as planned.

City manager Rick Koch said the project could provide infrastructure and incentives for businesses to settle in Kenai.
"Things like this, that we can facilitate some development, and facilitate businesses, are the areas that (government) can be most effective," Koch said.

The state’s Senate Resources Committee met Thursday in Kenai to talk about resource development in Cook Inlet.

Kenai republican Tom Wagoner chaired the meeting. Wagoner is co-chair of that committee with Sen. Joe Paskvan, D-Fairbanks. The committee includes Sen. Hollis French, D-Anchorage, Sen. Lesil McGuire, R-Anchorage, Sen. Bert Stedman, R-Sitka and Sen. Gary Stevens, R-Kodiak.

Kenai Peninsula representatives Mike Chenault, R-Nikiski, Paul Seaton, R-Homer, and Kurt Olson, R-Soldotna, also attended the meeting.

The Kenai City Council had a changing of the guard Wednesday.

During its meeting, the council certified the results of the city’s Oct. 4 election. Mike Boyle and Tim Navarre, both of whom ran unopposed, were sworn in as newly elected council members and Ryan Marquis was selected as the new vice-mayor.