Performance Details
Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development - Community and Regional Affairs
Mission
Promote strong communities and healthy economies.
Core Services
- Local Government Assistance - Training and technical assistance to develop and maintain local capacities for administering essential government services
- Rural Utility Business Advisor (RUBA) - Increase the managerial and financial capacities of rural water and wastewater utilities
- Land Management Assistance - Assist and train communities on regional and local basis to address and resolve land and planning issues
- Grants and Funding - Administer multiple grant and funding distribution programs
- Information Resources - Collect, analyze and publish local government and economic development information
- Local Boundary Commission staff - Prepare and distribute information and reports on incorporation, dissolution, annexation, or consolidation
- State Assessor - Technical assistance to municipal assessors on property value assessments to promote equity in the distribution of education funding and other shared revenue programs
- Serve Alaska - Provide National Service and volunteerism opportunities within Alaska
Mission Results |
Core Services |
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Mission Results |
Core Services |
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Performance Detail
A: Result -Local governments provide essential services and operate in a sustainable manner. |
Target #2: Reduce the number of communities (public entities) that are noncompliant with management sustainability indicators by five percent each year..
1. Workers" Compensation policy - If an entity has an active policy or not. 2. Municipal elections - If the required election was properly held and certified. 3. Liens - If liens or judgments are filed against the entity. 4. Fuel Loans - If an entity borrowed loans for purchase of fuel and is current on its payment; and 5. Financial Documents (budgets, audits/certified financial statements) - if an entity has completed and filed these documents. As noted in FY2021, the indicators measured have decreased from seven to five. The compliance rate of the 352 entities for the five indicators for FY2023 is 75.3%. This is an increase of 9.7%. Of the five indicators, the highest percentage of noncompliance was found within the financial documents metric with 19.5% non-compliant. That is a 3.8% decrease in non-compliance from last year. This metric indicates whether a community is filing their budgets and audits in a timely manner, which can affect their Community Assistance Payments (CAP). This decrease could be due to the increased amount of funds available in the CAP program for FY2023, which resulted in approximately twice the amount available than in FY2022. Additionally, there was a 5% decrease in non-compliance in the workers` compensation. This minor decrease may suggest that some local governments are still currently struggling to maintain filing their documentation with the appropriate approval entities. Of the 87 non-compliant entities, two entities were noncompliant in three different metrics; eight were noncompliant in two metrics; and the remaining 77 were noncompliant in just one metric. Target Last Modified: 11/14/2023 |
Target #3: 100 percent of municipal governments provide essential public services (i.e. elections, legal, health, financial/contracting, fuel)..
The most consistent means of assessing a local government"s provision of essential public services is by tracking which communities have met the requirements for receiving Community Assistance Payments (CAP) in accordance with AS 29.60.850-860 and 3 AAC 180.010-900. In order to receive CAP payment, each municipality must submit to DCRA a budget, audit or certified financial statement, and a tax report if applicable, as well as certain application materials. Management practices such as holding public meetings and elections, adequate public finances, and municipal codification are arguably necessary in order to complete the CAP payment requirements, thus CAP compliance can be used as a barometer for providing essential public services. Target Last Modified: 11/30/2023 |
A1: Core Service - Local Government Assistance - Training and technical assistance to develop and maintain local capacities for administering essential government services |
Target #1: The number of interventions required by staff to prevent disruptions of essential public services is reduced each year..
The increase in interventions observed from FY2022 to FY2023 can be attributed to an escalation in staffing vacancies. Each vacancy requires intervention to support new staff or facilitate a seamless transition. DCRA is currently in the process of analyzing turnover and vacancies within communities they work with and while this has been an ongoing issue, the current situation appears more critical. Target Last Modified: 11/29/2023 |
A2: Core Service - Rural Utility Business Advisor (RUBA) - Increase the managerial and financial capacities of rural water and wastewater utilities |
Target #1: Increase the number of users trained on the Utility Management training courses..
Target Last Modified: 11/29/2023 |
A3: Core Service - Land Management Assistance - Assist and train communities on regional and local basis to address and resolve land and planning issues |
Target #1: Provide appropriate site control for all identified uses of Municipal Lands Trust land..
Land settlements have been completed for 40 of the 93 communities served by the program, with approximately 11,500 acres currently held in trust by the state. Another 12 communities have partial settlement agreements conveying site specific parcels to the State in trust. Lands held in trust are used for airports, landfills, schools, roads, residential, and other community development or private commercial purposes, as well as future community expansion. The MLT program coordinates with tribal entities, community leaders and other state agencies to secure site control for existing improvements and for future projects. MLT staff is actively considering applications for site control, primarily for residential purposes, public or charitable uses, or for private non-exclusive use. Staff continue to locate and inventory other public, commercial, and residential improvements on Trust land to solicit the necessary site control. Target Last Modified: 11/14/2023 |
A4: Core Service - Grants and Funding - Administer multiple grant and funding distribution programs |
Target #1: Percentage of grant appropriations fully expended within the award period..
A review of the grants awarded for the five-year grant period ending in FY2023 indicated that 68.8 percent of grants awarded were successfully completed in that period. Target Last Modified: 11/14/2023 |
Target #2: All grantees are notified of funding appropriation within 30 days of capital bill being signed into law..
Target Last Modified: 11/14/2023 |
A5: Core Service - Information Resources - Collect, analyze and publish local government and economic development information |
Target #1: 75% of entities compliant with all managerial capacity indicators in communities with a population base of less than 2,500..
Using the five indicators, the overall performance of the entities in 238 communities had a compliance rate of 74.5% in FY2023. Target Last Modified: 11/14/2023 |
A6: Core Service - Local Boundary Commission staff - Prepare and distribute information and reports on incorporation, dissolution, annexation, or consolidation |
Target #1: All required reports are produced within regulatory deadlines..
In FY2023 staff completed the annual report to the legislature, one informal technical review, and received one new borough incorporation petition. LBC staff conducted three public meetings in FY2023. Target Last Modified: 11/14/2023 |
Target #2: Local Boundary Commission staff determines that all submitted petitions have met the statutory and regulatory requirements.
In FY2023, the Local Boundary Commission received one new borough incorporation petition. The Soldotna petition submitted in FY2020 was the subject of court actions and decisions. The LBC does not receive petitions every year. In late 2019 through 2020, LBC staff was actively working the Soldotna petition. In 2023, it received the Xunaa petition. In 2021-2022, LBC staff assisted local governments with boundary questions, but received zero boundary change petitions. LBC staff assisted multiple communities, individuals and agencies with technical questions regarding current boundaries or potential boundary changes. Target Last Modified: 11/29/2023 |
A7: Core Service - State Assessor - Technical assistance to municipal assessors on property value assessments to promote equity in the distribution of education funding and other shared revenue programs |
Target #1: All statutorily required determinations completed..
Target Last Modified: 03/29/2023 |
Target #2: 100 percent of municipalities respond to Tax and Debt Survey..
Target Last Modified: 11/17/2023 |
B: Result -Services and volunteerism in Alaska exceeds the national average ranking (among the 50 States) |
B1: Core Service - Serve Alaska - Provide National Service and volunteerism opportunities within Alaska |
Target #1: The number of beneficiaries being served by AmeriCorps members and recruited volunteers will increase annually..
Target Last Modified: 03/29/2023 |
Target #2: The number of volunteers recruited by AmeriCorps members in Alaska will increase annually..
In 2014 and 2015, two AmeriCorps programs chose not to reapply for funding, resulting in the significant reduction of the number of members serving the state. In 2016-2017, Serve Alaska brought on four new programs which has increased the number of AmeriCorps members serving and continues to rise as Serve Alaska partners more closely with the Corporation for National and Community Service and identifies new partners. In 2020, numbers dropped due to the limited opportunities for service as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2021, the division was able to offer more positions and help with recovery of COVID-19. Nationwide 2022 saw a recruitment crisis across the country, including Alaska, lowering the amount of AmeriCorps members serving. In response, Serve Alaska has redirected 1 staff person to work part time on recruitment with AmeriCorps programs across the state to bring up the number of AmeriCorps members serving moving forward. Target Last Modified: 11/30/2023 |
Last refreshed: 04/19/2024 12:00 pm