HomeMy WebLinkAbout04092007 City Council Minutes
City of Seward, Alaska
April 9, 2007
City Council Minutes
Volume 37, Page342
CALL TO ORDER
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The April 9, 2007 regular meeting of the 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.
ROLLCALL
There were present:
Vanta Shafer presiding and
Willard Dunham
Bob Valdatta
Jean Bardarson
Linda Amberg
Steve Schafer
Robert Thomas
comprising a quorum ofthe Council; and
Marvin Yoder, Interim City Manager
Jean Lewis, City Clerk
ABSENT - None
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CITIZENS' COMMENTS ON ANY SUBJECT EXCEPT THOSE ITEMS SCHEDULED
FOR PUBLIC HEARING - None
APPROV AL OF AGENDA AND CONSENT AGENDA
Motion (Thomas/Bardarson)
Approval of Agenda and Consent Agenda
It was unanimously agreed to allow the School Board Report to be added onto the agenda.
Motion Passed
Unanimous
The clerk read the following approved consent agenda items:
The March 27, 2007 regular city council meeting minutes were approved.
John French was re-appointed to the Prince William Sound Regional Citizens' Advisory
Council, with a term to expire May, 2009.
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Resolution 2007-034. accepting a grant in the amount of $2,430.24 from the Alaska Highway
Safety Office for 2007 third quarter ASTEP Seatbelt Enforcement Campaign and
appropriating funds.
City of Seward, Alaska
April 9, 2007
City Council Minutes
Volume 37, Page343
Resolution 2007-035. accepting a grant in the amount of $1,518.90 from the Alaska Highway
Safety Office for 2007 third quarter ASTEP Driving Under the Influence (DUI) Enforcement .,..j
Campaign and appropriating funds.
Resolution 2007-036. appropriating lapsed matching grant funds back to the general fund
undesignated fund balance account in the amount of $50,000.
SPECIAL ORDERS, PRESENTATIONS AND REPORTS
Proclamations and Awards
A proclamation was read for National Telecommunications Week.
Judy Parris was presented with a Police Officer Certification.
Allen King was presented with a Correctional Officer Certification.
Certificates of completion for the first Citizen's Police Academy were given by Police
Chief Tom Clemons.
School Board Reoort. School Board Member Lynn Hohl stated budget and funding were
the most important items on their agenda. She was pleased the Chamber of Commerce wrote a letter
in support of the schools. The school board had no choice but to approve the budget as presented
which called for the cutting of 75 teachers. She said the reinstatement of as many staff as possible
was crucial for the schools. Hohl notified that the operational budgets in both the House and Senate
versions differ. She informed the district was conducting an annual review of its Wellness, and
comments could be made on the website. Hohl stated that resignations were accepted from the
librarian Daphney Hahn, teachers Herb W ottlin and Steve Pautz. Work sessions had been held
providing a brief history of the Alaska School Public Land Trust.
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Boroue:h Assemblv Reoort. Borough Assembly Representative Ron Long thanked the
council for their resolution on school funding. He thought it was important to remember when
lobbying in Juneau, to ask for area cost differentials not just formula funding, and to convince
legislators from other districts. An ordinance forming a motor pool to appropriate funds for a nine
vehicle pool failed, but was being reconsidered. Long did not feel the votes would be there to
overturn it. There was much debate in changing the sales tax from 2 to 3% and reducing the mill rate
to gain a net positive of$4 million dollars for the Borough. It was feared there would be a potential
to lose the Agrium and Conoco-Phillips plants. A proposed amendment failed and a 3% sales tax
passed by a narrow margin. A resolution setting the mill levy would be coming soon.
Although PIL T had been dwindling for the past few years, Long was optimistic that it would
be funded at 100% this budget cycle. Other upcoming ordinances being proposed were the annual
ordinance to set contributions to the school district, and requiring all roads be built to spec before
subdivisions and platting. He reminded the council that Seward would be hosting the Assembly for .,..j
their annual meeting May 1.
City of Seward, Alaska
April 9, 2007
City Council Minutes
Volume 37, Page344
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In response to questions, Long spoke of the computer and dispatch system and frequencies
project, flood service area mitigation plans, funding for the Kenai River Center programs, and
building expansion of the Kenai River Center.
City Manager's Report. Interim City Manager Marvin Yoder stated a community task
force was being created for coal dust emissions control. Concerns with the A VTEC lease were with
the city attorney and should be ready for an upcoming agenda soon. He also notified council he had
sent a letter and was keeping apprised ofHB 222 which dealt with the cruise ship fee. Other items of
interest were:
~ Fourth Avenue Paving. Yoder had met with Quality Paving last week and stated
paving of fourth Avenue through Jefferson street would be completed by June 1.
Two alternatives were suggested. Additional paving from Jefferson to Railway
including side streets, and paving a portion of Dimond. The total would be $900,000,
so funding was the issue.
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~ Forest Acres Levee. The permitting process was long and cumbersome with all the
various agencies like FEMA, RCS and the State. It looked like a private firm would
have to be hired which would be expensive, and certification of the existing levee
would be tough. He was not optimistic this could be easily completed and would
have more answers at a later date. The lower levee route was still on the north side of
the creek, but took the old red line route. The creek would have to be relocated from
Dimond to Resurrection Creek, and the city would have to purchase seven or eight
lots to turn it into conservation to keep wetlands.
~ Community Development Department. Scott Williams had resigned and Yoder
reminded council the Director position was not funded in the budget. He would
review the job description and council would have to make decisions on how to
reconcile any reorganization. Since quite a few ordinances had conflicts, Williams
would be working on cleaning some of those up from his home in Fairbanks on an
extended agreement or contract.
~ North Pacific Rim. Yoder had met with the Director of North Pacific Rim Housing,
Mr. Harris and said he was very interested in constructing housing in Seward and
there may be a way to tie in public safety housing. Harris also mentioned they were
interested in land at SMIC for a secondary home manufacturing business. Yoder
stated further talks would be required.
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Yoder also spoke of a grant application from USDA received for utility construction, and
thought a Community Development Director could be a possibility to put a package together. He
notified that a citizen wished to purchase land from the city across the bay, and stated council would
have to look at the comprehensive plan and decide whether to sell or not. Yoder also mentioned that
insurance claims were higher than expected and the city would possibly have to pay additional
premiums. In response to questions, Yoder stated sidewalk repairs were not part of the paving
project.
City of Seward, Alaska
April 9, 2007
City Council Minutes
Volume 37, Page345
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Police Chief Tom Clemons stated the Alaska mobile radio project was trying to get on line, !
and that it was true the State Troopers had went digital and was now totally dispatched out of .....
Soldotna. A system upgrade was in the works, but it would still only be able to contact the Troopers
when they wanted the city to.
Port and Commerce Advisory Board Report. Board member Ron Long stated they had
made their final draft ofthe SMIC Development Plan, and it was heading to the Planning & Zoninc
Commission for their comments. After a joint work session it should be coming to the council for
final approval.
PUBLIC HEARINGS - None
UNFINISHED BUSINESS - None
NEW BUSINESS
Resolutions
Resolution 2007-033. authorizing the city manager to enter into an agreement with CRW for
professional services for the Gateway to Forest Acres water storage tank project and
appropriating funds.
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Yoder wanted to have this engineered and ready for next grant application this fall. By ....
continuing the work with CRW we could apply for this grant.
Motion (Thomas/Schafer)
Approve Resolution 2007-033
Schafer wanted to go to bid but with the time frame involved, he thought the design should go
to CRW.
Yoder stated this would give the city more points for the application before it was ready for a
bid project.
Motion Passed
Unanimous
OTHER NEW BUSINESS
Council set a work session to discuss procedures, ideas, funding and site location for the
electric and public works shops for Monday, April 23 at 6:00 p.m.
It was decided that no council member could attend the Rural Energy Conference sponsored
by Alaska Energy Authority (AEA) in Fairbanks April 24-26, 2007.
A discussion ensued on eventual repair of the boardwalk by the lagoon. No decisions were
made.
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City of Seward, Alaska
April 9, 2007
City Council Minutes
Volume 37, Page346
INFORMATIONAL ITEMS AND REPORTS (No action required)
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Fourth Quarter of 2006 City Financial Reports.
COUNCIL COMMENTS
Bardarson gave her condolences to the residents of the Seaview home that caught on fire.
She commended the fire department for their quick response. She was glad to hear the ARR was
addressing the coal dust issue and thought it was a great step forward. She informed the community
that Seward had just been rated the #1 drop offport in the world by both Celebrity Cruise and Royal
Caribbean Tours.
Schafer had a nice Easter and hoped everyone else did.
Thomas also commended the fire department. He was glad to see the city financials back in
the packet. He thought if cruise ship legislation passed, Seward needed to pass an ordinance
adopting their own passenger fee instead of applying for grants annually.
Valdatta complimented Long and the Borough for getting house numbers on homes in the
borough subdivisions.
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Dunham notified everyone that council member Thomas had a half-century birthday on
Easter. He had traveled to Anchorage to the Wodd Trade Center and met with the Japanese
consulate. Dunham stated he gave a great presentation on the history of Japan, and thought it would
be nice to invite him to Seward. He stated the Director, Greg Wolf, wanted to bring his board of
directors to Seward for a meeting in the future.
Mayor Shafer stated there would be a task force established by the ARR to examine the
issue of the coal dust, on Wednesday, April 11, 2007 at the Edgewater Hotel. She had spoke with
the postmistress at the Post Office and was informed that the Seward stamp would be coming back
soon. Shafer displayed a very ugly witch on a pedestal that she had recently been the proud recipient
of, during the Mayor's Cup race held last weekend. After her tumbles from the dog sled, she now
had greater respect for sled dog racers! She thanked the Iditarod Trail Committee for their
fundraiser.
CITIZENS' COMMENTS
Ron Long stated had been a lot of public testimony during the process of updating the SMIC
Development Plan and he appreciated it.
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Lynn Hohl, referring to the property on the bench across the bay, stated the comprehensive
plan requested a development plan for that area so it was not piece-mealed, and urged the council to
subdivide now and figure out the best use of the land. She thought it would then generate more
interest
City of Seward, Alaska
April 9, 2007
City Council Minutes
Volume 37, Page347
COUNCIL AND ADMINISTRATION RESPONSE TO CITIZENS' COMMENTS - None
ADJOURNMENT
The meeting was adjourned at 9:00 p.m.
(City Seal)
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