HomeMy WebLinkAbout04082019 City Council Minutes City of Seward, Alaska City Council Minutes
April 8, 20/9 Volume 40, Page 673
CALL TO ORDER
The April 8, 2019 regular meeting of the Seward City Council was called to order at 7:03
p.m. by Mayor David Squires.
OPENING CEREMONY
Police Chief Tom Clemons led the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag.
ROLL CALL
There were present:
David Squires presiding and
Sue McClure Suzanne Towsley
Jeremy Horn Sharyl Seese
John Osenga Kelley Lane
comprising a quorum of the Council; and
Norm Regis, Acting City Manager
Brenda Ballou, City Clerk
Excused—None
Absent—None
CITIZEN COMMENTS ON ANY SUBJECT EXCEPT THOSE ITEMS SCHEDULED FOR
PUBLIC HEARING
John French asked for council's support to be appointed as the city's representative to the
Prince William Sound Regional Citizens Advisory Council(PWSRCAC). He had held that position
previously for about a decade, and he now wished to get back on the council. French was a subject
matter expert on environmental toxicology,he had formerly served as the city's representative on the
Cook Inlet Aquaculture Association(CIAA),had chaired the oil spill response committee,and had
served on the Historic Preservation Commission.
Rob Chadwell wished to serve on the PWSRCAC. He was a boat captain,and an instructor
at AVTEC. He had a Master's Degree in Marine Affairs.He was a former employee at UAF teaching
oceanography.Chadwell asked council for their support to allow him to be the city's representative.
Tamara Filipovic wished to support the Seward Community Library Association(SCLA)
Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on tonight's agenda. She was an at-large member of the
SCLA board, and was a volunteer at the library.
Phyllis Shoemaker requested council approve the SCLA MOU resolution.The SCLA had a
long relationship with Seward. The SCLA board had spent a lot of time working out this MOU with
City of Seward, Alaska City Council Minutes
April 8, 2019 Volume 40, Page 674
former interim city manager Jeff Bridges. Shoemaker thanked everyone's efforts to bring this
memorandum together.
Mary Tougas was the president of SCLA, also known as Friends of the Seward Library.
SCLA had a volunteer, non-paid board, and had been a non-profit organization since the 1930s.
Tougas asked council to support passing the MOU resolution. The organization worked on the
summer reading program, the used book project, and the Swetman scholarship, and was currently
seeking scholarship candidates as well as volunteers.
Linda Lasota supported John French as the city's representative to PWSRCAC; she had
spent many hours with French in volunteer service. Lasota also supported the resolution for SCLA;
the volunteers for the Resurrection Bay Historical Society (RBHS) and SCLA worked very well
together.
Carol Griswold supported the SCLA resolution, but had some amendments to suggest.
Griswold also wished council would remove Resolution 2019-036 from the consent agenda in order
to correct the history contained in the Whereas.
APPROVAL OF AGENDA AND CONSENT AGENDA
Motion (McClure/Towsley) Approval of Agenda and Consent Agenda
McClure removed Resolution 2019-033 from the consent agenda.
McClure removed Resolution 2019-036 from the consent agenda.
McClure moved "Economic Impacts And Historical Rationale For Spring Creek Correctional
Center's Seward Location"from Other New Business to Special Orders,Presentations and Reports.
McClure removed the approval of the March 26, 2019 City Council regular meeting minutes from
the agenda.
Motion Passed Unanimous
The clerk read the following approved consent agenda items:
Ordinance 2019-009, Repealing 1975 Ordinance No. 412 And 1985 Ordinance No. 540, And
Amending Seward City Code. This ordinance is being introduced tonight and will come for public
hearing and enactment on April 22, 2019.
Resolution 2019-034, Approving Additional Funds In The Amount Of$60,000 To Be Spent
And Reimbursed By The State Of Alaska Department Of Transportation For Design And
Engineering Of The Transmission System Between Mile 17 And 22.5 Of The Seward Highway
In Coordination With Seward Highway Repairs And Upgrades. j
Resolution 2019-035,Authorizing The City Manager To Purchase Materials And Equipment
In An Amount Not To Exceed $89,478 For Commercial Upgrades At The Seward Marine
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April 8,2019 Volume 40, Page 675
Industrial Center Including LED High Mast Lights And A Larger Capacity Transformer And
Appropriating Funds.
Approval of the March 28, 2019 Special Meeting Minutes.
Approval of the April 1, 2019 Special Meeting Minutes.
Non-objection to the renewal of liquor license Restaurant/Eating Place #5239 for Woody's
Thai Kitchen.
SPECIAL ORDERS,PRESENTATIONS AND REPORTS
Proclamations & Awards
National Library Week and Amnesty Month
Borough Assembly Report.Kenn Carpenter stated the borough was putting up several
lots of land near Nikiski for sale. The school budget was a very large concern for everybody;the
state had not yet announced what the budget cap would be. The borough was funded 2/3 by the
state, and the funding was heavily regulated. In response to Lane, Carpenter said because the
school budget was so heavily regulated by the state, it made local funding of the schools nearly
impossible.
City Manager Report.Acting City Manager Norm Regis reported the following purchase
orders over$5,000 had been approved by the City Manager since the last council meeting:$7,479.31
to Kendrick Equipment, LTD for required annual maintenance for the 50 Ton and 300 Ton
Travelifts;$10,688.96 to Metco for street sand stockpile;$8,072 to Kustom Signals,Inc.for police
radars; $15,960 to T2 Systems Canada, Inc. for service fees for parking and campground pay
stations; $41,142 to Kendall Ford for police vehicle approved by Resolution 2019-025; $6,100 to
Alaska Safety for safety equipment for new police vehicle equipment approved by Resolution 2019-
026; $5,400 to State DEC Water Division for water quality testing for Lowell Point and SMIC
wastewater; $138,000 to YourCleanEnergy,LLC for design and engineering for heat pump system
approved by Resolution 2019-022;and,$30,000 to AVTEC for January-June 2019 student services
rental.
Regis said there was approximately$800,000 left in the SMIC grant,which had to be used by
June 30, 2019. He reported that the Teen Rec Room (TRR) was closed on Saturday due to short
staffing. Regis encouraged anyone interested in having a summer job to apply with the city.
In response to Seese,Assistant City Manager Brennan Hickok said the pay stations needed
to be serviced,and this was a regular annual event.
In response to McClure,Regis stated he would be willing to stay on as acting city manager
for one additional month.
Council directed the city clerk to prepare a resolution to extend Regis' term.
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April 8, 2019 Volume 40, Page 676
In response to Towsley, Electric Utility Manager John Foutz said the next ARCTEC
meeting would be either April 22 or 23, 2019.
Council directed the city clerk to work with Foutz on soliciting interest from the public to serve as
the city's representative on ARCTEC.
In response to Lane, Hickok said the AVTEC contract would expire on June 30, 2019, and
administration had started to work with AVTEC on a new contract.
In response to Towsley, Regis said the south harbor launch ramp contract required the work
to be completed by May 31, 2019.
Other Reports, Announcements and Presentations
2019 Northern Edge Presentation
Council recessed at 8:20 p.m.
Council resumed at 8:27 p.m.
Economic Impacts And Historical Rationale For Spring Creek Correctional Center's
Seward Location
PUBLIC HEARINGS
Ordinances for Public Hearing and Enactment
Ordinance 2019-008,Amending And Revising Seward City Code,Title 2,2.05.030,Exemptions
For Particular Records.
This ordinance was introduced on March 26, 2019 and is coming tonight for a public hearing and
enactment.
Motion (McClure/Towsley) Enact Ordinance 2019-008
Notice of the public hearing being posted and published as required by law was noted and the public
hearing was opened.
Kyle Walker said, speaking as a citizen, all 501.C.3 and non-profit organizations were
required by the IRS to report the highest compensated employee;he didn't feel that was an invasion
of those employees' privacy.He understood that the culture in America was generally not in favor of
disclosing compensation,but he thought it was the best policy because it eliminated speculation.He
supported the disclosure of employee salaries for the sake of transparency, and he thought being a
public servant came along with being subjected to a certain degree of scrutiny.
Carol Griswold supported this ordinance.The updates proposed with this ordinance would
promote openness and transparency of city government,and bring the city code in line with state law.
She thought it would also foster more trust between the citizens and the city.
City of Seward, Alaska City Council Minutes
April 8, 20/9 Volume 40, Page 677
Rissie Casagranda supported this ordinance. She thought it was time, that the majority of
citizens wanted transparency,and equal and fair treatment.Casagranda thought this was a great step
in the right direction.
Patrick Messmer thought there were good unintended consequences for disclosing this
information;some companies in the private sector had begun to disclose salary information more and
more, and discovered it revealed disparities in pay for women and minorities. He added that being
out in the open would put to rest the rumor mills.
Matt Chase didn't think anyone needed to know anything about his private life or his wages.
He didn't think it was equal and fair. He worked long and hard to get where he was and become an
asset to the city, and was concerned that people might question or criticize his earnings. He didn't
like it.
Lynda Paquette thought it was fair because city salaries were paid for by the taxpayers.
Everyone in the community paid into the city's coffers;that money belonged to everybody,and that
was why it was fair to make it transparent.
Kyle Walker announced that he earned $40,000 per year.
No one else appeared to address the Council and the public hearing was closed.
Osenga said the intent of this ordinance was to align city code with Alaska statutes. He
sympathized with employees who did not wish for this to be disclosed, but thought aligning with
state law was important.
Towsley said this code change would not result in all employee salaries being put online,nor
would it require the city to compile information for citizens.This ordinance would allow citizens to
submit public records requests for specific employee wages.
McClure pointed out that this ordinance had been reviewed by the city attorney.
Lane supported this ordinance. Seese supported this ordinance, as well.
Motion to Amend (Squires/Osenga) Amend Ordinance 2019-008 by adding the
words, "financial status," to City Code
Section 2.05.030 (D) (1) so that it reads,
"...City personnel records, including
employment applications and examination
materials,financial status,medical records
which reveal the medical status..."
Motion to Amend Passed Unanimous
Main Motion Passed Unanimous
City of Seward, Alaska City Council Minutes
April 8, 2019 Volume 40, Page 678
UNFINISHED BUSINESS—None
NEW BUSINESS
Resolutions
Resolution 2019-033,Authorizing The City Manager To Enter Into A Cooperative Agreement
With The Seward Community Library Association (SCLA)To Manage,Preserve,Research,
Interpret,And Provide Public Access To The Collections Owned By SCLA Utilizing A Signed
Memorandum Of Agreement Effective April 10,2019.
Motion (McClure/Seese) Approve Resolution 2019-033
Motion to Amend (McClure/Towsley) Amend Resolution 2019-033 by striking the
word "Agreement" and replacing it with
the word "Understanding" in the title.
Motion to Amend Passed Unanimous
Regis stated there would be zero additional money required for this new Memorandum of
Understanding (MOU).
McClure stated the MOU had been favorably received by the Resurrection Bay Historical
Society(RBHS), and RBHS welcomed having a member of SCLA on their committees.
Motion to Amend (Towsley/Seese) Amend Resolution 2019-033 in Section 1 by
striking the words, "...provide public
access to the collections owned by SCLA"
and replacing them with, "bring the
collections to the public".
Council suspended the rules to speak with Mary Tougas.
SCLA President Mary Tougas said"public access"might be interpreted to mean the public
could simply access the content of the collections at any time;there was an established procedure for
allowing public access.
Council went back on the rules.
Motion to Amend Passed Unanimous
Main Motion Passed Unanimous
Resolution 2019-036, Providing For The Disposal By Providence Seward Medical And Care
Center Of A Non-Operational Mobile CT Scanner In Accordance With SCC 7.01.010 By
Solicitation Of Quotes,With Proceeds Benefitting Future Hospital Capital Needs.
City of Seward, Alaska City Council Minutes
April 8, 2019 Volume 40, Page 679
Motion (McClure/Towsley) Approve Resolution 2019-036
Motion to Amend (McClure/Lane) Amend Resolution 2019-036 by accepting the
substitute resolution and agenda statement.
Motion to Amend Passed Unanimous
Council suspended the rules to speak with Kim Strehlow.
Radiology Technician Kim Strehlow said there was an environmental concern with the
broken CT scanner just sitting out and not being properly disposed of; also, it was costing the
hospital $60 per month for storage costs. Strehlow said this was an opportunity for the city and the
hospital to be paid for someone to take the CT scanner away, rather than the city and Providence
having to pay someone to take it away.
Council went back on the rules.
Motion to Amend (Towsley/Lane) Amend Resolution 2019-036 by striking the
first two Whereas.
Towsley withdrew her motion to amend.
Main Motion Passed Unanimous
Other New Business
Vote and appoint John French or Rob Chadwell to be the city's representative on the Prince
William Sound Regional Citizens Advisory Council(PWSRCAC)with a term to expire May,
2021.
City Clerk Brenda Ballou passed out Ballot#1 containing the names of the two applicants,and
instructed council to vote for no more than one name.
The results of the first vote were:
French 2
Chadwell 5
Council appointed Robert Chadwell to serve as the city's representative on the Prince William Sound
Regional Citizens Advisory Council (PWSRCAC)with a term to expire May, 202 L
Discuss Seward's diplomatic relationships and how to celebrate them with public art and
interaction. (Lane)
Lane said learning about the city's international relationships was new to her, and she
wondered if there could be a display in city hall or at the library to help people understand the
relationships.
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April 8,2019 Volume 40, Page 680
Towsley wondered if a council subcommittee would be helpful. McClure added that there
were many displays around the city that demonstrated the city's relationships with other countries,
including murals,the gazebo,and the statue at the waterfront.
Squires asked if Lane wanted council to agree on an outline for delegates visiting abroad,and
promotion of relationships.In response,Lane said yes,but she wanted to have some sort of display in
city hall.Squires was concerned with how much or little space was available in the hallways at city
hall.City Clerk Brenda Ballou updated council that several years ago,the display case which used
to be outside the utility counter area had been removed and the entire collection of gifts the city
received from the international relationships had been transferred to the museum.
Council suspended the rules to speak with Keith Campbell.
Keith Campbell said he had been involved with the international relationships visitors to
Seward took more interest in the city's international relationships than Seward did. He thought an
effort should be made to display the gifts when it was known that visitors were coming to Seward.
He knew that Obihiro was a much larger city than Seward,and the people in Obihiro understood that
as well and didn't expect the same level of red carpet, but that didn't mean that Seward couldn't
demonstrate how important the international relationships were by putting items on display.
Council went back on the rules.
Council directed the city manager to explore having the library museum create a display,and bring
back an answer to council at the April 22, 2019 meeting.
re
r issues.
requested uested that the delegates traveling to Yeosu focus on trade and commerce s
sues.
Reschedule the work session with Providence Seward from April 22,2019 at 5:30 p.m.to April
29,2019 at 5:30 p.m.
Regis said on April 29, 2019 there would be representatives available from Providence
Anchorage that could come to Seward for the work session.However,Regis and Hickok would be in
Washington,D.C. along with Squires and Osenga on that date.
Council suspended the rules to speak with Donald Hanna.
Providence Interim Administrator Donald Hanna said the new permanent administrator
would be in Seward on May 28, 2019,and Hanna would overlap him for four days. Hanna would
appreciate having an opportunity to discuss with council some of the items that he has addressed in
his time in Seward.
Council went back on the rules.
Council cancelled the April 22,2019 work session,and chose not to reschedule the work session to
April 29, 2019. Council directed the city manager to find a new date with outgoing administrator
Hanna and new incoming administrator for Providence,possibly on May 29 or 30,2019.
City of Seward Alaska City Council Minutes
April 8,2019 Volume 40, Page 681
INFORMATIONAL ITEMS AND REPORTS
On-Going City Projects and Goals.
Updates for the next meeting would include ADA accessibility at city hall.
Towsley mentioned that citizens were encouraged to use "Seward Listens" on the city
website to report damaged sidewalks,or any other issue that needed attention.
Clerk's Report on Public Records Request through April 3, 2019.
For the next meeting,the clerk's report would include more detailed information for pending items
that had received partial responses.
Clerk's Report on Special Election Expenses.
This report included only expenses incurred through the clerk's office.
Regis stated that the city attorney would bring an explanation of the legal fees incurred for the
special election at the April 22,2019 council meeting.
COUNCIL COMMENTS
McClure appreciated everyone who came out tonight. She gave a shout out to the Public
Works Department for their hard work cleaning up the streets.McClure was pleased that the South
Harbor Launch Ramp project was moving ahead.The Community Choir would be performing a free
concert on Thursday,April 11,2019 at the Methodist Church;canned food items would be accepted
as a donation for the He Will Provide food bank.
Towsley thanked John French for his years of service to Seward, and congratulated Rob
Chadwell for being appointed to PWSRCAC.She thanked everyone for coming to the meeting and
speaking.
Seese thanked everyone for coming and speaking tonight. She thanked John French for
running,and congratulated Rob Chadwell on his appointment.
Osenga appreciated the Northern Edge for the presentation and thought that training was
important.He also thanked Bill Lapinskas for the Spring Creek presentation and thought they were
moving in a positive direction. Osenga said he visited Obihiro in 1982,and he would like to make
the relationship more prominent in the city.
Lane appreciated the Spring Creek presentation. She reminded that she would be attending
the KPEDD meeting next week. On April 22, 2019, she expected the sale of the First Avenue
properties to be on the agenda.
City of Seward, Alaska City Council Minutes
April 8, 2019 Volume 40, Page 682
Squires received a letter of condolences from the Mayor of Obihiro. Squires reported he
would be out of state April 10-20, 2019, and Vice Mayor McClure would be covering him.
McClure shared that long-time resident of Seward, Monte Richardson, had passed away at
almost 102 years old.
CITIZEN COMMENTS
Tony Baclaan shared that the Seward Pride Alliance would be hosting a movie on Thursday,
April 11,2019 at 6:30 p.m. in their safe space called"How to Survive a Plague".There would be a
meeting on April 12, 2019 at 6:00 p.m. featuring a Mexican pot luck and social at the Breeze Inn.
Baclaan stated that the mission of Seward Pride Alliance was to provide Seward with inclusive
resources,education,outreach that fostered a strong engaged community,and support for LGTBQ+
citizens.
Carol Griswold thanked council for listening to her comments, and she appreciated the
substitute laydown for the CT scanner resolution. Griswold thought the city was making great
progress towards being more open and transparent. She wished there could be an extra day available
to review the agenda packets.
COUNCIL AND ADMINISTRATION RESPONSE TO CITIZEN COMMENTS
Towsley thanked Carol Griswold for examining the details.
Seese thanked Tony Baclaan for sharing the Seward Pride Alliance information.
Regis said there would be a city emergency drill on Friday, April 19, 2019. He reminded
everyone that the KPB Assembly meeting would be held at Seward High School on April 16,2019.
On April 16, 2019 there would be a public input session held about the 2017 storm surge damage.
ADJOURNMENT
The meeting was adjourned at 10:07 p.m.
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