The Aleutian Pribilof Island Community Development Association is planning major expansions of its False Pass and Atka processing plants.
Larry Cotter, chief executive of Juneau-based APICDA, offered details of the expansions in a talk Friday at the Southwest Alaska Municipal Conference annual meeting in Anchorage.
APICDA is one of Alaska's six community development quota companies. Under the CDQ program, these companies hold lucrative Bering Sea fishing rights, proceeds from which are used to benefit Western Alaska villages.
Recently, the APICDA board decided on a new strategy for the small False Pass and Atka plants, Cotter said.
In the past, APICDA worried that growing larger operations might attract big processors, who could bring crushing competition, he said.
But what APICDA has learned is staying small doesn't work, and doesn't do enough for the local economies, Cotter said.
And so...
At False Pass, a tiny village near the tip of the Alaska Peninsula, the plan is to spend $11 million over the next three years — including $8 million this year — to greatly expand Bering Pacific Seafoods, Cotter said. Construction of worker housing also is planned.
At Atka, in the Aleutian chain more than 300 miles west of Dutch Harbor, the plan is to spend $10 million in 2013-14 to expand Atka Pride Seafoods.
The goal is to turn both plants, now open only seasonally, into diversified, year-round seafood processors, Cotter said.
Wow, what a novel idea. Using economic development funds to actually develop economic futures for the communities receiving CDQ dollars. Wonders never cease...
ReplyDeleteThe 2012 Decennial CDQ Review is coming up, so it's time to spruce up a Potemkin Village or two. Can fishermen earn union scale for performing as dancing peasants when Tsarina Wanetta Ayers of DCED does a driveby inspection this year?
ReplyDelete"Juneau based APICDA". It's easy to figure out why the office isn't out in the CDQ region. Keep the stakeholders at an arms length and they won't start demanding their rights to be involved in the decision making process of their CDQ funds.
ReplyDeleteHow many people live in False Pass and Atka - 100?
ReplyDeleteWonder who is holding who's hand down there in Juneau - Cotter to Ayers or Ayers to Cotter.
Perhaps they are frequenting the local watering holes playing London Bridges Falling Down and entraping supporters with their double teaming efforts. Wannita Ayers use to work as the WACDA Director. WACDA is the CDQ umbrella group. She's buddies with all of them.
what's up with you guys? Wesley's blog said it was the APICDA board that made the decision. They are the community members. This is a huge investment into these communities. And an investment that may allow them to surivie. Isn't that what you want? Or are you so sour that you can't positively recognize that what you have called for so long and is now happening? This isn't about Cotter. It's about those communities.
ReplyDeleteThe CDQs were established to reinvest their profits in their communities, so why the beef about APICDA doing what Ted Stevens wanted them to do when they reinvest their money as required by law?
ReplyDeleteThe CDQ asking for an Alaska State handout is the one run by Trevor McCabe, trying to get money from the Alaska State Legislature to build a port in Seward, which is far, far from Bethel and their home base (where their residents live) and far, far from where their boats have a home port.
Here is a question, are they going to buy land where Trevor & his Seward buddies own land, like he did with his Sealife project? Don't forget that Trevor's CDQ hired Bobby T to lobby the Alaska State Legislature, for Wind Energy funds paid for the State of Alaska, instead of using CDQ fund to pay for infrastructure funds like APICDA is doing or has done. This was a sweetheart deal for Dennis Meiner as well.
This kind of interesting. Atka was/is the the ONLY in-community APICDA business that either turned a profit or came close to it. All others are a net drain on treasury. The first permutation of Bering Pacific Seafood's was an utter disaster that burned millions from their treasury.
ReplyDeleteI could be wrong, but looking at their (published) balance sheet, they either will have to borrow the money or drain the rainy day fund.
One comment points out that the APICDA board made the decision, which is true. But, having been there, this comes as no surprise. If you are there, there is little doubt who runs the show. Once-upon-a-time, Kyle tethered Cotter's blimp. Who does now? Is this is 'go big or go home'?
All of the real benefits from the CDQ program have gone to people who live in Anchorage and elsewhere far from here pretending to be seafood industry executives. Some of our fellow citizens get a few crumbs but that is largely controlled by nepotism and cronyism.
ReplyDeleteWe have no say in the decisions about what gets done. The CDQ group board of directors is a farce. They don't represent anyone but themselves. We don't know how decisions are made because everything happens behind closed doors.
Whomever calls the shots in our CDQ group have been making a lot of risky debt financed investments in the big-time groundfish industry. During the past 40 years since ANCSA, investments made this way have not ended well. The fact that all of the financial information is kept secret doesn't inspire confidence.
There is no reason to think that things are going to get better so why shouldn't I be sour?
How many people live in Akutan? And then the federal government spends millions on an earmark courtesy of Lisa Murkowski for the exclusive benefit of Trident Seafoods - I don't see any grousing about THAT, and how many people live in Akutan? That was only taxpayers money, most of from those living in the Lower 48.
ReplyDeleteOnly problem with that earmark for Trident in Akutan, it was for a new airport located across the bay and the only way to access it is by hovercraft.
Another Trevor, Another Arni, and Another Political Wet Dream from Petersburg
ReplyDeleteNepotism and Cronyism, Go Ted Stevens!
And where in heck is Baby Ben today?
Yes, it's just one big secret, with all those those 501 C (1,2,3,4,) or name the number for illegal political campaign funds???? under those big complicated rules of the IRS.
1 Non-Profit fishin boat x a corrupt politician and it magic you too can go see Trevoe's Seward Sea Life Center, and every one in Seward still wonders who's William H. Seward(R)
Can we get another fleece jacket, three free fleas included?
Daddy sang Frank
Mama sang Trevor
Me and Baby Ben just joined right in there...
Got me chucklin' again! Thanks.
ReplyDelete"In the past, APICDA worried that growing larger operations might attract big processors, who could bring crushing competition, he said.
ReplyDeleteBut what APICDA has learned is staying small doesn't work, and doesn't do enough for the local economies, Cotter said."
Complete nonsense. The 'attract bigger processors' would only be uncle Chuck not approving of said expansion. APICDA has more than casual ties to Trident. How on earth would a bigger processor be attracted to Atka other than a floater? Sorry, no floaters in Isanotski. Very weird and untenable statement.
The Potemkin village comment makes some sense in lieu of the up-coming review. Back in the days of State oversight, APICDA was always the bad boy.
Ah the good ol' days of State of Alaska CDQ program oversight. As ineffective as that was, it was one hell of a lot better than what we have today.
ReplyDeleteThe Ted Stevens fantasy that a bunch of guys from the villages having limited education and no experience in handling money can magically be transformed into boards of directors responsibly managing multi-million dollar business corporations competing with the multi-nationals hasn't worked in 40 years and isn't going to work.
Where else but in Alaska would anybody even think that such a cockamamie concept would have any chance of succeeding?
2012 CDQ program review by former WACDA executive director Wanetta Ayers? Talk about a whitewash.
The Ted Stevens fantasy that a bunch of guys from the villages...
ReplyDeletealso applies to the ANCSA corporations, legislation that Ted Stevens also wrote and from which he profited so handsomely.
Riddle: How much slime does it take to make a ball?
ReplyDeleteAnswer: slime is too slippery to make into a ball.
Slimeballs are therefore too slippery to be held accountable for their actions.
CDQ - Crony Development Quota
ReplyDelete"This isn't about Cotter. It's about those communities." Well, this blogger says it's about time. Past blogs have pointed out the Over Inflated Salary Cotter got from managing APICDA. So now that he is a self made millionaire, it's time to get to work?