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            Two public hearings are scheduled for tonight's regular meeting of the Kodiak Island Borough Assembly; one on a proposed rezoning along Spruce Cape Road, the other is on a package of mid-year updates to the borough's budget.

            First up is the rezoning, which deals with the parcel of land that runs from the wastewater treatment plant to Cutoff Road and bounded by Rezanof Drive on the north, and Spruce Cape Road on the south. The Kodiak Island Borough Planning and Zoning Commission recommends rezoning the area from R-1 to R-2. In its report the commission said the location, access to roads and utilities, and its compact configuration makes it an appropriate to change to the heavier density zoning.

            The second public hearing concerns changes to the borough's budget to account for things that have come up that weren't accounted for when the assembly passed its budget in the summer.

            Some of those items include an increase of $500,000 for Baranof Park Improvements, a number of school related projects, and 50-percent of the cost of a fisheries consultant-which is another item on tonight's agenda.

            The assembly will consider a two-year contract with fisheries consultant Denby Lloyd that the city and borough will split the cost of. The contract is for $4,000 month plus reasonable travel expenses. The total will be split 50/50 with the city. Lloyd is a former commissioner of the Alaska Department of Fish and Game.

            Tonight's borough assembly meeting begins at 7:30 p.m. in the borough assembly chambers. KMXT will broadcast the meeting live.