HomeMy WebLinkAbout09222008 City Council MinutesCiry of Seward, Alaska City Council Minutes
September 22, 2008 volume 37, Page 634
CALL TO ORDER
The September 22, 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
Willard Dunham
Betsy Kellar
comprising a quorum of the Council; and
Phillip Oates, City Manager
Jean Lewis, City Clerk
ABSENT -Tom Smith
Linda Amberg
Bob Valdatta
Jean Bardarson
CITIZENS' COMMENTS ON ANY SUBJECT EXCEPT THOSE ITEMS SCHEDULED
FOR PUBLIC HEARING
Debbie Bond, thanked the council for the fixnding for the Boys and Girls Club. Children
within the Boys and Girls Club were present, introduced themselves, and also thanked the council.
Cindy Ecklund, requested support for applying for a seat to be a Planning & Zoning
Commissioner. She was a long time Seward resident who believed in grassroots government and
helping out where she was needed.
APPROVAL OF AGENDA AND CONSENT AGENDA
Motion (Bardarson/Amberg) Approval of Agenda and Consent Agenda
Motion Passed Unanimous
The clerk read the following approved consent agenda items:
Resolution 2008-091, Authorizing The City Manager To Purchase Repair Parts For The 1996
Oshkosh Snow Blower From Resurrection Bay Auto Parts For An Amount Not-To-Exceed
$27,200 And Appropriating Funds.
City of Seward, Alaska Ciry Council Minutes
September 22, 2008 Volume 37, Page 635
Resolution 2008-092, Authorizing The City Manager To Accept The Alaska Highway Safety
Office Highway Safety Grant In The Amount Of $17,960 For The Purchase Of A
"Radar/Message Trailer."
Resolution 2008-093, Accepting Grant Funds In The Amount Of $2,553 From The State Of
Alaska, Authorizing Purchase Of A Network Server For The Library And Appropriating
Funds.
The September 8, 2008 Regular City Council Meeting Minutes Were Approved.
The Name Change Of The Library/Museum Steering Committee To The Seward Community
Library And Museum Building Committee Was Approved.
Cindy Ecklund Was Appointed To The Seward Planning & Zoning Commission With A Term
To Expire February 2011.
SPECIAL ORDERS, PRESENTATIONS AND REPORTS
Proclamations and Awards
A Certificate Of Appreciation Was Given To Marsha Ambacher For Years Of Service
With Lil' Critters Daycare.
A Recognition Proclamation Was Read For The William H. Seward Elementary
School's Honor Of Being Named A 2008 No Child Left Behind Blue Ribbon School By
The U.S. Department Of Education. Principal David Kingsland and Teacher Kate
Turnbull Accepted.
Borough Assembly Report. Borough Assembly Representative Ron Long stated they had
found $250,000 for an in-kind match to offset the borough's share in purchasing portions of property
in Old Mill subdivision. This was supported by the Seward/Bear Creek Service Flood Service Area
Board. Although some comments from the public thought buying public land was an inappropriate
use of public funds, this measure passed.
Long also stated they passed an ordinance for general law cities on the peninsula to determine
their own fate on the October 7, 2008 ballot to exempt non-food items from their sales tax
collection. Many comments were heard from citizens about reporting and software change problems.
One member wanted to postpone this until after the election. The measure passed but a notice for
reconsideration was filed which froze it until after the election.
City Manager's Report. City Manager Phillip Oates stated it was fun seeing the Boys &
Girls Club present in the audience tonight. He informed council that Parks & Recreation Director
Karin Sturdy suffered an aneurysm last week and was recovering in the hospital with more surgeries
to come. He requested the community extend prayers that way.
City of Seward, Alaska City Council Minutes
September 22, 2008 Volume 37 Page 636
- Seward Ships Drydock had called for arbitration under their lease. Their arbitrator had been
selected. They wished to extend their lease for 13 years. The arbitrators would settle the
differences.
The fire department floor was completed and a field trip across the street would occur at the
break. Oates stated coal exports were up for 2008. He encouraged citizens to secure
garbage because of numerous bear incidents and complaints. He congratulated Seward
Elementary School for being recognized by the U.S. Dept. of Education as a Blue Ribbon
School.
- The Mary Lowell Partners would be withdrawing the plat with the Kenai Peninsula Borough
Platting Authority. All alternatives no longer required the building to be built across
Washington Street.
- Amass dispensing exercise would occur on November 8, 2008. Volunteers were needed and
free flu shots would be given while supplies lasted.
- The harbor was in the final process in establishing water to the T-dock before winter. Street
paving should be completed by the end of thE; week, weather permitting.
- The fire department would be asking to sole source personal protection equipment (PPE).
There would be quotes and specifications that each vendor would meet so in the future all the
equipment would be compatible for the future.
In response to questions by council, Oates statf;d the campground numbers were down but
revenues were up with higher fees, and harbor slipholders still had a substantial waiting list.
Other Reports, Special Presentations
Water Compliance Survey Report by Loren Leman. Leman prepared a table with capital
projects anal their priority order and stated continued investment was needed within the next
five years.
Seward Senior Center Update by Executive Director Dana Paperman.
Rural Energy Conference Report by Vice-.Mayor Dunham.
The council took a recess for 10 minutes to view the fire department floor, and recessed at 8:35
p.m.
The council resumed at 8:45 p.m.
NEW BUSINESS
City of Seward, Alaska City Council Minutes
September 22 2008 Volume 37, Page 637
Resolution 2008-094, Authorizing The City Manager For A Sole Source Purchase In The
Amount Not-To-Exceed $19,105.88 For The Purchase Of A LSCAN 1000TvS Live Scan .,,~
Finger Print Equipment From Crossmatch Technologies.
Motion (Bardarson/Amberg) Approve Resolution 2008-094
Police Chief Tom Clemons stated fingerprinting now took 45-90 days to receive back. This
system needed to be sole sourced so it could interface with all other systems and be compatible with
their standards.
Motion Passed Unanimous
Resolution 2008-095, Appropriating $500,000 To The Hospital Operations Reserve Account,
To Cover Anticipated Cash Flow Losses Of The Co-Located Hospital And Long-Term Care
Facilities.
Motion (Bardarson/Dunham) Approve Resolution 2008-095
Oates stated this loss was for cash flow losses associated with the Long Term Care Facility
(LTCF), but the good news was the losses were half of what they thought they would be. This
appropriation reduced the undesignated fund balance to just $500,000.
Motion Passed Unanimous
Resolution 2008-096, Authorizing The City Manager To Negotiate The Purchase Of Nine
Parcels Of Property Identified For Conservation Easement And Compensate For Impacts To
Fish Habitat As Required By Japanese Creek Levee Project Mitigation Plan, And
Appropriating $180,000 In Grant Funds. (Laydown)
Motion (Bardarson/Amberg) Approve Resolution 2008-096
Oates stated the city was still attempting to get the permits from the various agencies. Once
permits were obtained the city would go into property acquisition negotiations to pay for
compensating impacts to wetlands, fish habitat, and mitigation and conservation efforts. These nine
parcels would provide additional protection to the homeowners that put a bit of green space between
them and the levee. Oates informed that the money to mitigate came from the federal and state
government, and NRCS money was being used to complete this phase of the project.
Motion Passed
OTHER NEW BUSINESS
Unanimous
Discussed The City Of Seward's Financials For The Month Of July.
Motion (Kellar/Bardarson) Add A Column To The Monthly Report On
Page 42 That Would Reflect The Actual
Unencumbered Fund Balance.
City of Seward, Alaska City Council Minutes
September 22, 2008 Volume 37 Page 638
Mayor Corbridge Called Council Person Kellar Out Of Order.
Council Member Kellar Appealed The Ruling Of The Chair Which Died For A Lack Of A
Second.
Motion Failed Yes: Kellar
No: Bardarson, Dunham, Amberg, Valdatta,
Mayor Corbridge
COUNCIL COMMENTS
Amberg thanked Cindy Ecklund for volunteering for the Planning & Zoning Commission.
She wished Karin Sturdy a speedy recovery, and thanked Ambacher for all of her years of service
running the daycare.
Valdatta spoke about getting assistance to people that were to purchase energy efficiency
appliances.
Dunham thanked the Borough for moving th.e cruise ship tax money to Seward.
He noted the Borough Mayor candidates were in town to debate, and urged all citizens to get out and
vote.
Bardarson was pleased that Vice-Mayor Dunham and Tim Barnum went to the Energy
~...
Conference. Her thoughts were with Karin Sturdy and her family, and she too, urged everyone to
vote.
Kellar reminded there would be an Arts and Music Festival in town this weekend. She
thanked the parents and children of the community for all they do.
CITIZENS' COMMENTS -None
COUNCIL AND ADMINISTRATION RESPONSE TO CITIZENS' COMMENTS -None
EXECUTIVE SESSION
Motion (Bardarson/Amberg)
~~o Into Executive Session To Conduct The
City Manager Evaluation.
Motion Passed
Went into executive session at 9:37 p.m.
Came out of executive session at 10:17 p.m.
Motion (Bardarson/Amberg)
1Jnanimous
(io Into Executive Session To Conduct The
(~ity Clerk Evaluation.
Motion Passed iJnanimous
City of Seward, Alaska Ciry Council Minutes
September 22 2008 volume 37, Page 639
Went into executive session at 10:18 p.m.
Came out of executive session at 10:28 p.m.
ADJOURNMENT
The meeting was adjourned at 10:29 p.m.
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City Clerk
Clark orbridge
Mayor
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