The Seward City Council voted unanimously June 22 to fund operations of the Seward High School pool with a $200,000 annual intergovernmental agreement intended to cover staffing, utilities and minimum public hours and to prevent any lapse in service on July 1.

Council voted to authorize a $60,260 contract with Respec for a transmission planning study to identify a second transmission corridor from Seward to Dave's Creek and to include it in the regional integrated resource plan; electric staff said the study supports long-term redundancy for future projects.

Providence Seward received approval for two Rural Health Transformation Program projects: a prenatal services expansion with an advanced practice nurse and telehealth connections, and a five‑year social‑services hub (transitional housing, food pantry, community health workers) funded entirely by RHTP year‑one funds.

Alaska Housing Finance Corporation told council it acquired 14 parcels statewide to catalyze housing and said an undeveloped Seward lot near Hotel Edgewater could be put out for developer proposals requiring permanent housing for Alaskans; AHFC said the program has more than 740 housing units projected in the pipeline.

City officials reported progress on a multi‑million‑dollar EPA shore power grant for cruise-ship shore power, including authorization for a 12 MW/24 MWh battery system and a design‑build contract; staff said recent pricing pressures require narrowre-evaluation but that construction remains plausible at about $50 million.

The Seward Planning and Zoning Commission granted a conditional use permit to Marathon Ridge Retreat LLC for a 44-acre, phased recreational resort on Mount Marathon (Resolution 2026-007) and added a condition that permanent tree-canopy removal shall not exceed 10% of the property as measured from a baseline at CUP approval.

At its June 22 meeting the Seward City Council approved three resolutions: a land swap in the Forest Acres/Frog Neck subdivision (Res. 2026‑056), a $200,000 annual agreement supporting the Seward pool (Res. 2026‑057), and up to $90,000 additional repairs for a CAT D6 dozer after ocean immersion (Res. 2026‑058). All passed by recorded roll call.

City staff told the Seward City Council that the new 18‑ft tunnel is at design milestones with 100% design due in August; $185 million in funding has been secured but full project estimates reach about $400 million, so the Army Corps will phase repairs and do immediate repairs on the existing tunnel in winter months.

At a June 22 Seward City Council meeting an NWS meteorologist outlined changes that move the Kenai Peninsula Borough into a different tsunami breakpoint to reduce Wireless Emergency Alerts for many magnitude‑7.4 and below events originating at Sand Point, aiming to limit false alarms and complacency.

Seward Planning & Zoning Commission approved Resolution 2026-004 updating city land-use rules for marijuana establishments; a proposed amendment to clarify application/transfer language failed after staff warned the change could create unintended nonconforming situations and invite litigation.

City electric manager Brian Hickeyi presented four options for Seward’s utility — sale, two co‑op models, or a municipal agency — and highlighted hydro opportunities (G4J). Residents sought more engineering and rate details, raised staffing and risk concerns, and staff pledged to post analysis and rerun the survey.

City staff and a consultant told the Seward City Council that public outreach (422-survey responses, focus groups, town halls) will continue; the city narrowed governance options to selling the utility, creating a municipal authority, forming a cooperative, or a municipal agency and will hold a fourth town hall to compare alternatives on cost, reliability and local voice.

The Seward City Council unanimously approved Resolution 2026-053 on May 26, 2026, authorizing up to $119,454 (plus 10% contingency) for CRW Engineering to design electrical and water hookups for 36 utility sites at Resurrection South and Iditarod-area campgrounds; staff said construction costs could be several times the engineering estimate and would be funded from capital-improvement and enterprise accounts.