HomeMy WebLinkAbout03272007 City Council Minutes
City of Seward, Alaska
March 27, 2007
City Council Minutes
Volume 37, Page 337
CALL TO ORDER
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The March 27, 2007 regular meeting ofthe Seward City Council was called to order at 7 :30
p.m. by Mayor Vanta Shafer.
OPENING CEREMONY
Police Chief Tom Clemons led the pledge of allegiance to the flag.
ROLL CALL
There were present:
Vanta Shafer presiding and
Willard Dunham
Bob Valdatta
Jean Bardarson
Linda Amberg
Steve Schafer
comprising a quorum of the Council; and
Marvin Yoder, Interim City Manager
Jean Lewis, City Clerk
Johanna Dollerhide, Assistant City Clerk
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ABSENT - Robert Thomas
CITIZENS' COMMENTS ON ANY SUBJECT EXCEPT THOSE ITEMS SCHEDULED
FOR PUBLIC HEARING
Representative Paul Seaton appeared telephonically to speak to the council about Spring
Creek Correctional Center. Seaton queried the council for their opinion on training programs and
expansion before he pursued moving forward. Council's consensus was to move forward and Seaton
asked for any input along the way.
Keith Campbell spoke on the process of the library museum project. Campbell was
frustrated with the length of time it took for the city to purchase the land, and he conveyed his
frustration with the planning department on property rezoning issues. He felt personal views were
being imposed on policies ofthe city. Campbell thought things were moving very slow and hoped
the situation could be remedied.
APPROV AL OF AGENDA AND CONSENT AGENDA
Motion (Schafer/Bardarson)
Approval of Agenda and Consent Agenda
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Motion Passed
Unanimous
The clerk read the following approved consent agenda items:
City of Seward, Alaska
March 27,2007
City Council Minutes
Volume 37, Page 338
The March 12, 2007 regular city council meeting minutes were approved.
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Resolution 2007-026. authorizing an employment agreement with Phillip Oates for city
manager services.
Resolution 2007-027. supporting adjusting the area cost differential for the Kenai Peninsula
Borough School District.
SPECIAL ORDERS, PRESENTATIONS AND REPORTS
Proclamations and Awards
A proclamation was read for Earthquake Day.
The Boys and Girls Club were presented with a proclamation.
City Manager's Report. Interim City Manager Marvin Yoder stated a bill had passed to
change the correction oflanguage in the funding bill for the research dock. It was expected for this
bill to be on the house floor later this month. Yoder stated this was accomplished in part by
Seward's lobbyists. Kent Dawson and University of Alaska President Mark Hamilton met with the J..
Department of Transportation last week. DOT was still concerned with the language correction and ..
that it may not satisfy requirements of federal highways.
A VTEC - The current lease draft was being reviewed for the fire training facility. Planning
and Zoning would be dealing with vacation ofB street and transfer of property. Both issues would
be coming to council soon.
Head Tax - House Bill 222 was in legislation currently which stated under certain
stipulations, a municipality could pass an ordinance where the money would go directly to them,
instead of the state. This bill would be heard next Tuesday.
Public Works - Yoder expected an agreement with QAP for paving 4th Avenue and a sewer
and water project to come to the council soon. Dairy Hill Culvert project funds would be directed to
the lift station funds.
The Mary Lowell Center replat final hearings occurred last week in the borough and the
Board of Adjustment had 30 days to deliberate and come to a final answer.
In response to council, Yoder stated the bond package for the Long Term Care Facility was
moving forward. Yoder was hoping to talk to DOT soon to address the language issue on the dock
funding. Meetings continued to occur regarding the levee and a solution would soon come forward.
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Chamber of Commerce Report. Chamber Director Laura Cloward stated the chamber
recently participated in a joint work session with P ACAB and it was a very productive meeting. It
was good to begin establishing the lines between the two committees and Cloward felt this would
City of Seward, Alaska
March 27, 2007
City Council Minutes
Volume 37, Page 339
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help out with city projects and the overall development ofthe city. The Chamber continued to have
several hits on their website. From their research, it looked like it would be a very successful year in
economic development. Cloward didn't think the high cost of fuel prices would deter the number of
campers, but predicted visitors would fly into Anchorage and drive down, rather than drive from the
lower 48. Fish restoration efforts continued with new 2007 decals for sale.
Other Reports, Announcements and Presentations
The Seward Chamber of Commerce gave a report on Seward's Ocean Festival in May.
PUBLIC HEARINGS
Resolution Requiring a Public Hearing
Resolution 2007-025. in support of the adoption ofthe City of Seward Emergency Operations
Plan, revised March 2007. Notice ofthe public hearing being posted and published as required by
law was noted and the public hearing was opened. No one appeared to address the Council and the
public hearing was closed.
Fire Chief Dave Squires stated under directives by the president in 2004, the city was
required to update and reform their emergency plans. To maintain eligibility for grants and disaster
funds, the city had contracted out to develop a new, improved plan to adhere to the new directives.
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Motion (Dunham! Amberg)
Approve Resolution 2007-025
Schafer asked if the plan was user friendly. Squires stated he hoped so, and an exercise
would be occurring to test the plan soon. If it wasn't, the city had the opportunity to change it.
Motion Passed
Unanimous
NEW BUSINESS
Resolutions
Resolution 2007-028. authorizing the city manager to enter into an agreement with
Resurrection Rentals to provide portable toilet service.
Councilmember Bardarson asked for a ruling on a conflict of interest. Mayor Shafer ruled
Bardarson a conflict did exist and Bardarson left the dais.
Yoder stated this was the same contract used in the past, and recommended approval.
Motion (Dunham/Valdatta)
Approve Resolution 2007-028
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Schafer felt the city was getting a good deal on this contract. Valdatta agreed but felt
Bardarson didn't have a conflict of interest, as Resurrection Rentals was the only bidder.
City of Seward, Alaska
March 27, 2007
City Council Minutes
Volume 37, Page 340
Motion Passed
Yes: Schafer, Dunham, Amberg,
Valdatta, Mayor Shafer
Abstain: Bardarson
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Resolution 2007-029. authorizing the city manager to enter into two purchase agreements for
wire products, for a total amount not to exceed $108,545.
Yoder stated this purchase did go out to bid, but the only response was not complete. After
this, he felt the city should select the vendor based on quotes in order to get the supplies needed.
Motion (Dunham!Bardarson)
Approve Resolution 2007-029
Amberg was concerned with the contingency clause in the resolution. Valdatta responded it
was different with materials, as prices could fluctuate.
Motion Passed
Unanimous
Resolution 2007-030. authorizing the city manager to enter into a settlement agreement with
IBEW for grievance COS 06-01 for an amount not to exceed $38,265.53.
Yoder stated this was a grievance settlement due to a ruling against the city.
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Motion (Dunham!Schafer)
Approve Resolution 2007-030
Valdatta felt that the fact that the city was short on man power should have been included in
the arbitrator's findings.
Dunham disagreed and felt this settlement was an accumulation of several grievances, and he
felt grievances never went away. Dunham was irritated the city had to settle this. This issue was a
large cost to the city. He hoped the city could pinpoint why they had so many grievances and solve
the problem.
Motion Passed
Unanimous
Resolution 2007-031. authorizing the city manager to enter into an agreement with Air Tec, Inc
for an amount not to exceed $60,504.00 for the construction phase of the #1 Lift Station
Mitigation Project, and appropriating funds.
Yoder stated this was a project that had grant money from the grant mitigation ofthe October
flood for repair to the lift station. As mentioned prior, the Dairy Hill Culvert repair project was
dropped and funding was moved to the lift station project. The city didn't have that funding as of
yet, and this was asking for the remainder of the money to finish up the project. f
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Motion (Valdatta/Bardarson)
Approve Resolution 2007-031
City of Seward, Alaska
March 27, 2007
City Council Minutes
Volume 37, Page 341
Motion Passed
Unanimous
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OTHER NEW BUSINESS
INFORMATIONAL ITEMS AND REPORTS (No action required)
COUNCIL COMMENTS
Valdatta complimented the new Chevron display. He felt the city needed to promote the
winter fisheries with gray cod and Pollock. He asked for a work session to discuss this issue more.
Dunham was displeased that Seward no longer had a postmark and asked a letter be written
by the mayor to ask for it back. Today was the mark ofthe 1964 earthquake. Dunham remarked on
school funding issues. The King Crab Festival this weekend was very successful and Dunham asked
where the city stood on fish restoration, as this was the last year to take a stand on this issue.
Mayor Shafer stated she had afternoon tea with Mary Barry, who presented on her writings
of the history of Seward. She intended to write a letter to the Seward Postmaster and would follow
up on it.
CITIZENS' COMMENTS - None
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COUNCIL AND ADMINISTRATION RESPONSE TO CITIZENS' COMMENTS - None
ADJOURNMENT
The meeting was adjourned at 8:38 p.m.
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Vanta Shafer
Mayor
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