HomeMy WebLinkAbout06102013 City Council Minutes City of Seward, Alaska City Council Minutes
June 10, 2013 Volume 39, Page 147
CALL TO ORDER
The June 10, 2013 regular meeting of the Seward City Council was called to order at 7:00
p.m. by Mayor David Seaward.
OPENING CEREMONY
Lt. Louis Tiner led the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag.
ROLL CALL
There were present:
David Seaward presiding and
Vanta Shafer Bob Valdatta
Ristine Casagranda Jean Bardarson
Christy Terry
comprising a quorum of the Council; and
Jim Hunt, City Manager
Brenda Ballou, Deputy City Clerk
Absent — Marianna Keil
CITIZEN COMMENTS ON ANY SUBJECT EXCEPT THOSE ITEMS SCHEDULED FOR
PUBLIC HEARING - None
APPROVAL OF AGENDA AND CONSENT AGENDA
Motion (Bardarson /Shafer) Approval of Agenda and Consent Agenda
Vice Mayor Bardarson pulled the non - objection to the liquor license applications for Eagle River
Brewing Company and Woody's Thai Kitchen from the consent agenda.
Motion Passed Unanimous
The clerk read the following approved consent agenda items:
The May 28, 2013 City Council Regular Meeting Minutes and the May 28, 2013 City Council
Special Meeting Minutes were approved.
Resolution 2013 -041, Authorizing The Discharge Of Fireworks By The Chamber Of
Commerce During The 2013 Fourth Of July Celebration.
Resolution 2013 -042, Supporting The Development Of A Multi -Modal Trail In Proximity To
Herman Leirer Road.
City of Seward, Alaska City Council Minutes
June 10, 2013 Volume 39, Page 148
Resolution 2013 -043, Authorizing $35,088.80 From The Harbor Reserve Account To The
Harbor Travelift Infrastructure Account To Pave The Road And Turnaround Area For The
50 Ton Travelift And Appropriating Funds.
Resolution 2013 -044, Appointing Jean Lewis As Temporary Deputy City Clerk.
Resolution 2013 -045, Declaring That The City Of Seward Is Officially A Purple Heart City.
SPECIAL ORDERS, PRESENTATIONS AND REPORTS
Proclamations & Awards
In Memoriam Certificate for George Gerald "Jerry" Tuthill.
Borough Assembly Report, Sue McClure stated the Assembly had met twice since her last
report. The Assembly approved a contract for roof replacements for the Cooper Landing /Moose Pass
schools, had passed a resolution of support for the multi -modal trail along Herman Leirer road, and
passed a very lean budget with a nominal increase to the mill rate at the Bear Creek Fire Service
Area to pay off the bond for the new Kenai Peninsula Borough multi -use facility building at Mile 5.
The borough accepted and appropriated funds from State Homeland Security as reimbursement for
the September 2012 flooding event, and the Assembly passed a fiscal note policy for ordinances
Nusti related to new development for projects over $5,000. At the June 18, 2013 the Assembly would be
addressing the topic of protection for anadromous streams, and on July 2, 2013, there would be a
controversial ordinance to repeal two -term limits for Assembly members.
City Manager's Report, City Manager Jim Hunt stated there had been no purchase orders
approved for between $10,000 and $50,000 since the last council meeting. The Electric Department
was going out to bid for the painting of four substation transformers, including the Lawing, Spring
Creek and Ft. Raymond locations. Any expected outages due to this project or its related
maintenance would be announced. The Electric Department would also be issuing a Request for
Proposals for the construction of the pre - fabricated warehouse building. The proposal scoring criteria
was:
Qualifications 50%
Schedule 15%
Deliverables 5%
Price 30%
The city completed negotiations for the collective bargaining agreement with the
International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) union starting July 1, 2013. The Planning &
Zoning Commission endorsed plans for warehouse, sidewalk, pedestrian path and drainage for
purging the city wells. Kristie Lyman was hired as the new office worker at the harbor. One
acceptable bid was received for the impounded vessel John Calvin. The Compass Rose at the
Mariners' Memorial was under construction.
Sales tax revenues for first quarter 2013 were down 0.64% from the same period in 2012.
City of Seward, Alaska C'iti' Council Minutes
June 10, 2013 Volume 39, Page /49
The annual budget was predicted on an assumed increase in sales tax revenues due to an expected
increase in taxable sales. It was possible that sales tax revenues for the first quarter would be
modified as a result of businesses either paying late or modifying their sales tax returns. The
Providence Seward Medical Center was undergoing some modifications, including road grading to
improve drainage, upgrading the heated sidewalk, and modifications to improve the transport of
stretchers to the helipad area. In addition, the new CT scan machine was expected to be installed in
July. A new culvert at Barnwell Street had been installed, the Wastewater Department was working
on a subdivision agreement related to the Gateway Subdivision Addition #2 replat referred to as the
North Seward Water Storage Tank, and the sludge compost pile (from 1991) were tested again
recently and were determined to be Class A bio- solids. A new waterline was installed to S -Float an
invitation to bid was released for the Dairy Hill Drainage project. Campground revenue for May
2013 was up slightly over 2012.
Assistant City Manager Ron Long said he attended a "Promise of the Arctic" Conference
in Seattle, Washington which focused on arctic ports and maritime transportation. Last week he
attended the World Trade Center's Tourism and Trade Conference in Anchorage, Alaska where they
specifically addressed the difficulties foreign tourists were having in getting visas to come to the
United States and Alaska to work. Long had lunch with representatives from the Rasmussen
Foundation and discussed the SMIC and Coastal Villages projects. He also had traveled to Barrow
and a visit to lobbyist Kent Dawson was planned.
Casagranda asked for clarification on how in -house worked into the bidding process for the
electric warehouse project. Utilities Manager John Foutz said in -house work was not in the actual
building of the warehouse and said there were two pieces to the project: the civil site work for the
warehouse, and the electric generators, some of which might be handled in- house.
Bardarson said the two exchange students going to Japan had inventoried and documented
the Japanese gifts the city had received over the years as a way of saying "Thank you" to council for
granting them a travel stipend. Deputy City Clerk Brenda Ballou explained to council how these
gifts were inventoried and would be displayed, and also what the trophies on display in council
chambers tonight from Japan were for and their historic significance.
Other Reports, Announcements and Presentations
PUBLIC HEARINGS - None
UNFINISHED BUSINESS - None
NEW BUSINESS
Resolution 2013 -046, Submitting An Advisory Ballot Proposition To The Qualified Voters At
The October 1, 2013 Regular Municipal Election Regarding Whether The Mill Rate Should Be
Increased By .77 Mills In Property Taxes To Generate A Revenue Source For Repayment Of
The $3.48 Million General Obligation Bond For The Construction Of The Seward Community
Library Museum.
City of Seward, Alaska City Council Minutes
June 10, 2013 Volume 39, Page 150
Motion (Valdatta /Seaward) Approve Resolution 2013 -046
Seaward explained that his intent was to provide the tax payers the opportunity to advise
council on their wishes. He said this mill rate increase would go to pay for construction costs only,
and not cover operating costs. He said he personally did not support this, but he wanted to give
citizens the option to provide their advice.
Valdatta said if council had passed the alcohol and tobacco tax, they wouldn't have to go
here. He thought it was time for non - profits and others to pay their fair share and council could not
keep tapping the general fund.
Terry said citizens had been telling her that it is cost - prohibitive for young families to live in
Seward. She said an advisory vote was not the only way to obtain citizen feedback and suggested that
they hold a public hearing instead. There had been an advisory vote done in 2010 and the results at
that time indicated clearly that people did not want a property tax increase. She said it was very
difficult for working class families in town, and required double incomes in order to get by.
Shafer said she also did not support an advisory vote because it morally obligated council to
adhere to the results. She did not want to bind a future council with the burden of an advisory vote.
She wanted to wait until it became known what the actual operating costs would be for the new
library museum.
Casagranda thought that interest rates were lower than 3.99% and Long explained that was •
the rate at which the bond was released, and that general obligation bonds were issued at a different
rate than other bonds. He reiterated that these bonds had been issued under the full faith and credit of
the City of Seward. Although Casagranda appreciated and respected Seaward bringing forward this
resolution, she also could not support it.
Motion Failed Yes: Valdatta, Seaward
No: Shafer, Terry, Casagranda, Bardarson
Other New Business
Non - objection to the liquor license applications for Eagle River Brewing Company and
Woody's Thai Kitchen.
Bardarson declared a potential conflict of interest because she was the landlord for Woody's
Thai Kitchen building. She stated the rent would not change, regardless of the outcome of this
issue. Seaward ruled a conflict did not exist.
Motion to Divide the Question (Terry) Divide The Question In Order To Handle
Each Liquor License Application
Separately.
Motion to Divide the Question Passed Unanimous Consent
City of Seward, Alaska City Council Minutes
June 10, 2013 Volume 39, Page 151
Approve the Restaurant Designation Permit application for Woody's Thai Kitchen.
Motion (Terry /Bardarson) Non - Objection to the Restaurant
Designation Permit #5239 application for
Woody's Thai Kitchen.
Ballou explained the distinction between "non- objection" and "approval" as it related to the ABC
Board requirements for this permit.
Motion to Amend (Terry /Casagranda) Amend the motion by striking the word
"Non- objection to" and replacing it with
the word "Approve ".
Main to Amend Passed Unanimous Consent
Main Motion Passed Unanimous Consent
Non - objection to the liquor license application for Eagle River Brewing Company.
Motion (Terry /Bardarson) Non - objection to the liquor license #5243
application for Eagle River Brewing
Company.
Motion Passed Unanimous Consent
INFORMATIONAL ITEMS AND REPORTS
May 30, 2013 letter from Obihiro, accepting Seward's Invitation to attend the 110` Anniversary of
Founder 's Day.
COUNCIL COMMENTS
Bardarson thanked the City of Obihiro, Japan for the Silver Salmon Derby and Mt.
Marathon trophies.
Terry welcomed several new businesses into the city.
Seaward thanked everyone for attending.
CITIZEN COMMENTS
Kate Rullman introduced herself as the new Library Museum Collections Coordinator.
ko„a, COUNCIL AND ADMINISTRATION RESPONSE TO CITIZEN COMMENTS - None
City of Seward, Alaska City Council Minutes
June 10, 2013 Volume 39, Page 152
J ADJOURNMENT
The meeting was adjourned at 8:50 p.m.
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