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HomeMy WebLinkAbout07282008 City Council MinutesCity of Seward, Alaska City Council Minutes July 28, 2008 Volume 37, Page 605 CALL TO ORDER The July 28, 2008 regular meeting of the Seward City Council was called to order at 7:00 p.m. by Mayor Clark Corbridge. OPENING CEREMONY Police Chief Tom Clemons led the pledge of allegiance to the flag. ROLL CALL There were present: Clark Corbridge presiding and Linda Amberg Willard Dunham Bob Valdatta Tom Smith Betsy Kellar comprising a quorum of the Council; and Phillip Oates, City Manager Johanna Dollerhide, Acting City Clerk +... ABSENT -Jean Bardarson CITIZENS' COMMENTS ON ANY SUBJECT EXCEPT THOSE ITEMS SCHEDULED FOR PUBLIC HEARING Mike Navarre, spoke in favor of the Boys and Girls Club of the Kenai Peninsula. He felt the impact of the club was incredible in teaching citizenship, self esteem and helping build character. They received support from the Cities of Homer, Kenai, and Soldotna and they really needed the extra funding from the City of Seward. Margaret Anderson, also spoke in favor of the Boys and Girls Club. The program in Seward may be terminated if the city would not partner with them. Anderson prepared an outline on this subject for the council. The Club had already participated in the budget process last fall, and the Boys and Girls Club were interviewed by city staff. No action had been taken, and Anderson asked for council to donate the funds requested to keep the Boys and Club out of danger. Karin Sturdy, introduced two women to council that were in town to teach a camp basics basketball camp through the Parks and Recreation Department. The two women introduced themselves and stated their mission in teaching camp basics. Robin Smith and T'Neisha Turner were trying to promote life skills through their camp. They had come up from the Harlem Ambassadors earlier in the year and were excited to be back in Seward for this camp. APPROVAL OF AGENDA AND CONSENT AGENDA Motion (Dunham/Amberg) Approval of Agenda and Consent Agenda City of Seward, Alaska City Council Minutes July 28 2008 Volume 37, Page 607 On July 24, 2008, the library and museum staff and Steering Committee members devoted most of the day planning the programs and services for the new library museum. The Steering Committee would be bringing the new concept, the business plan and a funding plan to the council in September for review. The Public Works Department was doing a survey of the water system. No major problems were identified and the official report would be available in two to three weeks. The Department was continuing to do sidewalk work on the library and city hall. The asphalt machine was working when weather permitted, and the majority of Dora Way was repaired. The hydrant repairs were in full swing, the fish ditch repair work was in the permitting process and the Dairy Hill Culvert project and the Lowell Creek Bridge repairs (at the waterfall) were in the engineering phase, with permitting to follow. In the Police Department, Corporal Messmer and Officer Rouleau attended the annual APOA Pat Tobin Memorial shooting match in Fairbanks on July 19, 2008. There were two pistol stages and one shotgun stage. Messmer and Rouleau's combined scores earned them the first place team overall. There was a public meeting July 24, 2008 regarding the Mary Lowell Center Design. It was well attended with over 35 participants. The Park Service provided the city with public copies and were available at the Library and the Clerk's Office. ~~ ~... The City was working with the Seward/Bear Creek Flood Service Area Board to complete the letter of intent for the FEMA's 2009 Nationally Competitive Pre-Disaster Grant. The letter and scope of work would be submitted this week. Chamber Of Commerce Report. Laura Cloward stated the chamber was starting to see a decrease of visitor walk-in traffic. She thought that was due to the fact that most were already planning their trips at this point. Numbers still were up in town, with the exception of the aforementioned lack of walk-in traffic. Membership was continuing to grow. Destination guide requests were starting to drop a bit, and she thought the economy was a factor in this. The website was continuing to do well. She thanked administration for support with the derby. The chamber was competing directly with Homer's derby this year. The chamber reduced their fees and added more money to the prize tickets. Cloward noted it was difficult to get donations for prizes this year. She hoped for a successful tournament. She was attending meetings for a video project on quality of life in Seward. A goal was to have a series of podcasts on the web to entice people to Seward in the near future. NEW BUSINESS Resolution 2008-070, Authorizing The City Manager To Enter Into A Purchase Agreement For Two 500 KVA Transformers, For A Total Amount Not-To-Exceed $33,560.00. ~.. Motion (Kellar/Dunham) Approve Resolution 2008-070 City of Seward, Alaska City Council Minutes July 28, 2008 volume 37, Page 609 Oates stated the city had received four proposals for this project. All proposals were found to be responsive and reviewed by a committee of three. RBC Capital Markets was the best bidder ... overall and Oates recommended approval of this contract. The total cost for underwriting would be reimbursable upon the construction and completion of the project. Dunham congratulated staff for this and was pleased to see Don Grimes helped on the reviewing committee. He wondered if Native Corporations would be interested in activity like this. Motion Passed Unanimous Other New Business Items Discussion of the Boys and Girls Club request of $25,000 this year and a $50,000 donation for next year. Dunham had requested this be put on the agenda. He thought council had expressed support for this issue. Dunham felt it was a good program and with the situation the schools were in, the Boys and Girls Club offered assistance for Seward's youth. They were stuck with the condition of the schools, but they could do something about the Boys and Girls Club. Dunham would be in favor of setting up the $25,000 now and looking at the $50,000 donation during budget season. Amberg wanted to know if Hick's report that Anderson mentioned was available on paper. She wondered if there was a duplication of programs between the Boys and Girls Club and the TYC. If there wasn't, they should find some funding. ~.. Oates stated it was a verbal report. The recommendation was to not fund programs that overlapped with other programs. The efficiency study would come to the council in September. He felt part of the study would show how much staff recommended contributing to non-profit funding. He felt it was more preferable to address this after the efficiency study and during the upcoming budget season. Valdatta felt the program did not duplicate the TYC. He felt the public outside city limits should help with this issue as well, not just city residents. Corbridge didn't feel educated enough about the Boys and Girls Club's financial structure right now to authorize this. He wondered about corporate sponsorship for the club. His preference was to gather more information before deciding to put this question on the table. Kellar wished she had more information. She felt there was an increase in children who needed care. Kellar was in favor of drafting a resolution and felt there was a need for this. Smith felt he could support the $25,000, but felt they needed to develop a long term plan/policy for helping non-profits. This should be looked at logically and there should be a procedure in place for the future. Smith was concerned with the problem in Seward's schools. They needed to scream and holler at the borough and the state to solve the education problems. .~ Amberg felt the $50,000 for next year needed to be a part of the budgeting process. She felt it was a good program, but didn't feel her question was being answered if the programs were City of Seward Alaska City Council Minutes July 28, 2008 Volume 37, Page 611 Valdatta noticed large vessels at the SMIC dock. He felt there should just be a set pool of money for non-profit requests. Amberg congratulated Messmer and Rouleau on their shooting achievements. She thanked Laura Cloward for her excellent work and noted Cloward did a wonderful job and had terrific staff at the Chamber. Smith said the City Manager should get the sun fixed now that he was back in town. CITIZENS' COMMENTS Margaret Anderson thanked for the city's consideration in helping the Boys and Girls Club. She noted most of the corporate sponsorship was on the other side of the Peninsula and she hoped that the Seward Community Foundation would be a future sponsor of the program as well as other foundations. Anderson mentioned on the boat harbor issue, when she was on council 10 years ago it was brought up to finish the entire north harbor. Mike Navarre thanked the council for their decision tonight. COUNCIL AND ADMINISTRATION RESPONSE TO CITIZENS' COMMENTS -None ADJOURNMENT The meeting was adjourned at 9:17 p.m. ~~1~:~~ ~ ~.G , ~~ J arena Dollerhide, CMC Clark Corbridge ~cting City Clerk ~~~®~~~,~~,~i~~.,, Mayor (City Seal) ~~.,~/~'~~~''~~4;~.~~ ~j ~~~ .~' , .~ ~ ~ ~.~- t dr~`~`~. ~~;Pc,,~@ .~,t, rE 0~ P-~,~+~