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HomeMy WebLinkAbout07102017 City Council Minutes City of Seward,Alaska City Council Minutes July 10, 2017 Volume 40, Page 242 111 CALL TO ORDER The July 10, 2017 regular meeting of the Seward City Council was called to order at 7:00 p.m. by Vice Mayor Marianna Keil. OPENING CEREMONY Lieutenant Doreen Valadez led the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag. ROLL CALL There were present: Marianna Keil presiding and Ristine Casagranda Dave Squires Sue McClure Deborah Altermatt Erik Slater comprising a quorum of the Council; and Jim Hunt, City Manager Johanna Kinney, City Clerk Will Earnhart, City Attorney Absent—Bardarson CITIZEN COMMENTS ON ANY SUBJECT EXCEPT THOSE ITEMS SCHEDULED FOR PUBLIC HEARING Kelley Lane wanted to know when the empty city lots on First Avenue would be for sale and was also hoping for a paving schedule for the summer. APPROVAL OF AGENDA AND CONSENT AGENDA Motion (Casagranda/McClure) Approval of Agenda and Consent Agenda Squires added to the agenda a discussion on directing administration and staff to enhance fireworks regulations and create a citation program for enforcement. Hunt requested council add to the agenda to schedule a work session to discuss the rebasing formula for the Long Term Care Facility. Motion Passed Unanimous The clerk read the following approved consent agenda items: Approval of the June 26, 2017 Regular City Council Meeting Minutes. City of Seward, Alaska City Council Minutes July 10, 2017 Volume 40, Page 243 Appoint Iris Darling to the Historic Preservation Commission,with a term expiring May,2020. SPECIAL ORDERS, PRESENTATIONS AND REPORTS Proclamations & Awards—None Borough Assembly Report. Kenn Carpenter said they haven't met since the end of June, so he planned to come back at the next council meeting to give a report. City Manager Report.Jim Hunt reported the following purchase orders between$10,000 and $50,000 were approved by him since the last council meeting: $19,933 to Sitelines Park and Playground for fire rings with tipback bases for the Parks and Recreation Department,and$11,600 to Harmon Construction for a windscreen door for the Branson Pavilion. In response to citizen comments, Assistant City Manager Ron Long stated he was organizing the lot sale and believed they were close to going up for bidding. Hunt recommended the public call Public Works with inquiries on the paving schedule. He would be attending the first meeting of the Eastern Peninsula Highway Emergency Service Area Board in Cooper Landing on July 11, 2017. In response to Casagranda,staff stated the electric lines and poles along the boardwalk lagoon would be removed when the boring project was completed. Casagranda stated she had many inquiries about the paving schedule and hoped some kind of tentative schedule could be compiled. Hunt agreed to provide such a schedule to the clerk to notice the public and publish on the city website. City Attorney Report.Will Earnhart stated he continued to work on contracts and record request inquiries.Things appeared to be running smoothly.Earnhart stated fireworks should still be considered illegal in the city limits, and was prepared to speak more about it later in the meeting. Other Reports, Announcements and Presentations—None PUBLIC HEARINGS—None UNFINISHED BUSINESS—None NEW BUSINESS Resolution 2017-038,Amending Rule 16 Of The City Council Rules Of Procedure To Reflect Changes Made To The Evaluation Process For The City Attorney, City Clerk, And City Manager. Motion (Casagranda/McClure) Approve Resolution 2017-038 Motion to Amend (Altermatt/Casagranda) Amend Resolution 2017-038,replacing the language "The employee will be invited to City of Seward Alaska City Council Minutes July 10, 2017 Volume 40, Page 244 complete a self-evaluation..." with "The employee shall complete a self- evaluation...." under the Self-Evaluation portion of Section 1. Motion to Amend Passed Unanimous Motion to Amend (Casagranda/) Amend Resolution 2017-038, inserting the language "Should the employee complete the evaluation," before the sentence, "It is the responsibility of the employee to...." Motion Died for a lack of second. Main Motion Passed Unanimous Other New Business Items Discussion on directing administration and staff to enhance fireworks regulations and create a citation program for enforcement. Squires stated he was informed the provision in Title 10 of the Seward City Code that prohibited the use of fireworks was removed last year. He did not think that was a change he would have supported,but did note in the adoption of the 2012 International Fire Code which was adopted by the City Council,a fireworks permitting process was established through that. Squires noted that process did not have to come to council, which he agreed with. Another section of this fire code stated fireworks were prohibited, other than an approved permitting process, by statute. Squires stated he would like to tighten up this prohibition by implementing a citation program. He didn't think a citation program needed to go as far as the State of Alaska's citation of a misdemeanor,but some kind of citation, especially with injury or property damages, would be ideal to him. Keil didn't know how the city could impose something like this because they didn't have a municipal court to enforce citations. In response to a question,Earnhart stated city parking tickets were written according to city ordinance. Police Lieutenant Doreen Valadez said if the police had to investigate on the illegal discharge of fireworks, they could use state statutes that pertained to assault and endangerment, if injury or property damage occurred. Beyond that, the Seward Police Department didn't currently have any grounds to prohibit fireworks, or a mechanism to enforce such a ban. Council directed administration to research information on prohibiting fireworks with a possible citation program to bring forward for public comment and review.Council could then determine if a work session was necessary at that point. City of Seward, Alaska City Council Minutes July 10, 2017 Volume 40, Page 245 Schedule a work session to discuss the rebasing formula for Providence Seward Mountain Haven Long Term Care Facility. Council scheduled a work session on this topic for Monday,July 24, 2017 at 6:00 p.m. INFORMATIONAL ITEMS AND REPORTS On-going City Project and Goal List. Second Quarterly Report from the Planning and Zoning Commission. Memorandum on using electronic devices at meetings. Letters from International Institute of Municipal Clerks, issuing the designation of Master Municipal Clerk(MMC) to City Clerk Johanna Kinney and Deputy City Clerk Brenda Ballou. COUNCIL COMMENTS Squires said Seward had a good Fourth of July, and he agreed with the attorney that the fireworks issue was not as prevalent this year as compared to other years. He was concerned about waiting too long to put language back in the code, though. McClure congratulated the clerks on their Master Municipal Clerk(MMC)designations.She was involved with the race committee, and thanked everyone who volunteered for the race. Other than the flies,the day went very well.There were few injuries and the whole day went smoothly.She reminded the public that the Seward Silver Salmon Derby was approaching and volunteers were needed for that as well. Casagranda complimented Wolfgang Kurtz with Seward Public Radio and their morning talk show.It was entertaining and informative. She said to use caution with athletes swimming in the water and biking on the highway this weekend. She gave compliments for a smooth Fourth of July. Casagranda noted there were a couple other paving companies in town working in conjunction with Knik Construction that could pave resident driveways, too. Altermatt congratulated the clerks again on their accomplishment of Master Municipal Clerk. The Fourth of July went very smoothly, it was quiet and it was well run. There was an incident recently in the harbor with a boat turning over. Altermatt noted this event received an immediate response by emergency and non-emergency personnel, as well as citizens, and that was amazing to see. Slater echoed the comments about the Fourth of July and agreed it went very smooth.Crews did a great job. He congratulated the clerks on their MMC designations as well. Slater thought paving seemed to be going well, crews were working well and doing a good job with traffic. Keil gave condolences of the council to the family of Leo Kunnuk Jr. and Leo Kunnuk III, who both recently passed away. She thanked Iris Darling for applying for the Historic Preservation City of Seward,Alaska City Council Minutes July 10, 2017 Volume 40, Page 246 Commission. Keil congratulated Will Earnhart's son, who placed fourth in the Mount Marathon Junior Race. Hunt thanked the Chamber of Commerce for the best fireworks show ever. He stated he would continue to follow up on his requests to get the Post Office parking lot cleaned up. CITIZEN COMMENTS Lynda Paquette said she spoke to the City Council in January,2017 about becoming a"We Love Us" community. In May, 2017, the council proclaimed their support for the "We Love Us" model for the community. Paquette offered some free workshops on intentional living and recommended the book Revolutionary Agreements by Marian Head.She stated information on these workshops was on Seward City News for those interested. She asked where the flowers that used to be downtown went. COUNCIL AND ADMINISTRATION RESPONSE TO CITIZEN COMMENTS Casagranda had the same question on the hanging flower baskets on the light poles. McClure said it was the Lion's Club that provided it last year, it was community/citizen driven volunteered. Casagranda suggested setting up an adopt-a-pot (or pole) to bring flowers back to downtown. Hunt thanked the Alaska State Troopers and all members of the police force for having a great visible presence before, during, and after the Fourth of July festivities. ADJOURNMENT The meeting was adjourned at 7:52 p.m. l ihia/f/P" Dom/ Jo anna Ki i MMC can Bardarson Ci Clerk Mayor ••• OF SEW" (City Seal) •;:�( ,q �? F0 ; • . SEAL k • •.• h1" e ti'.`OF . LA��S;,.