Company Profile
Company Overview
SUMMARY
Cordova, Alaska:
Cordova is a community on Prince William Sound in the Gulf of Alaska. The town sits on Orca Inlet in the southeastern portion of the Sound. Mount Eyak rises above the town and looks over the untamed wilderness and protected waters that define the area. Natural geographic beauty lends itself to excellent recreational opportunities in and around Cordova such as USFS hiking trails, camping sites and cabins, Mt. Eyak ski area, sport fishing and hunting in PWS and on the Copper River Delta. Located in a temperate rain forest, temperatures are not at all extreme, winter averages about 20 degrees and summer highs can range between 60 and 80 degrees. Cordova receives 167 inches of annual precipitation and 80 inches of snowfall. Alaska Airlines offers daily jet service from Cordova’s Merle K. “Mudhole” Smith Airport (mile 13 on the Copper River Highway) to Juneau and Anchorage and the Alaska Marine Highway has scheduled ferry service to Whittier and Valdez.
Economy:
Cordova’s economy is dominated by the Seafood Industry. Home to most of the Prince William Sound and Copper River Salmon commercial fishing fleet and several processing plants, Cordova is certainly well-known as an Alaskan fishing town. Almost 350 residents own commercial fishing permits and nearly half of all households have someone working in the industry either harvesting or processing. Ancillary businesses are growing in number and have been expanding in size since the creation of the Cordova Shipyard and Boat Haul Out Facility including the City-owned and operated 150-ton Marine Travel Lift. Tourism, especially heli-skiing, sport fishing and hunting is a growing part of Cordova’s economy. Several annual festivals and events such as Copper River Delta Shorebird Festival, Old Time Downtown 4th of July, Salmon-Jam, the Fungus Festival and the Iceworm Festival contribute to Cordova’s hospitality industry.
The Organization:
The City of Cordova is a full-service municipality and runs on a $15 million budget including enterprise funds. There are 58 full time employees who serve the citizens in these departments: Finance, Public Works (Streets/Refuse/Water/Sewer), Planning, Public Safety (Police and Volunteer Fire Department), Parks and Recreation and Museum, Library and the Cordova Center (theater/meeting rooms/commercial kitchen/conference capabilities). Cordovans elect a Mayor and seven, at-large City Council members to staggered, three-year terms with a City Election held annually. The City Council appoints and employs the City Manager and the City Clerk.