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Home My WebLink About02282011 City Council Minutes City of Seward, Alaska City Council Minutes February 28, 2011 Volume 38, Page 537 CALL TO ORDER The February 28, 2011 regular meeting of the Seward City Council was called to order at 7:00 p.m. by Councilmember Bob Valdatta. OPENING CEREMONY Lt. Butch Tiner led the pledge of allegiance to the flag. ROLL CALL There were present: Bob Valdatta, presiding and Ristine Casagranda Vanta Shafer Marianna Keil Comprising a quorum of the Council; and Michelle Weston, Assistant City Manager Johanna Kinney, City Clerk Brenda Ballou, Deputy City Clerk Absent — Jean Bardarson, Tom Smith, Willard Dunham Valdatta stated that Mayor Dunham, Vice Mayor Bardarson and City Manager Phillip Oates were all currently in Washington DC meeting with our federal representatives regarding Seward's priority lists. Councilmember Tom Smith was sick. Valdatta welcomed the new Assistant City Manager and Community Development Director, Michelle Weston. He also said Happy Birthday to Lt. Butch Tiner. CITIZENS' COMMENTS ON ANY SUBJECT EXCEPT THOSE ITEMS SCHEDULED FOR PUBLIC HEARING - None APPROVAL OF AGENDA AND CONSENT AGENDA Motion (Keil/Shafer) Approval of Agenda and Consent Agenda Michelle Weston stated administration would pull Resolution 2011 -013 from the agenda. Casagranda pulled scheduling a work session to discuss alternative funding options on the Library Museum Project from the consent agenda. `m. Motion Passed Unanimous The clerk read the following approved consent agenda items: City of Seward, Alaska City Council Minutes February 28, 2011 Volume 38, Page 538 The February 14, 2011 Regular City Council Meeting Minutes Were Approved. Council scheduled a work session for an update with the Friends of the Jesse Lee Home for May 23, 2011 at 5:30 p.m. Council reappointed Steven Heinrich to the Planning and Zoning Commission for a term to expire February, 2014. SPECIAL ORDERS, PRESENTATIONS AND REPORTS Proclamations and Awards - None City Manager's Report, Assistant City Manager Michelle Weston stated there had been no purchases between $10,000- 50,000 approved since the last Council Meeting. The finance department was preparing for the annual audit that would take place March 21 through April 1, 2011. The department continued to conduct research related to alcohol and tobacco taxes, and continued to work with Alaska Waste, and the contractor for the North Forest Acres levee project. The electric department had two outages since the last council meeting; in the barge area where the damage and the power repairs were still ongoing, and on Bara Bara Road. At the harbor, the T -Dock repairs had been completed, the city sold 11 metal impounded and abandoned vessels at SMIC plus two old generators, and a proposal had been submitted to the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Trustee Council for a vessel wash down pad at SMIC. In response to Shafer, Weston was unclear whether the reports written by Harmon Construction for the Jesse Lee Horne would involve engineering scoping only or if it would include the stabilization. In response to Valdatta, Weston did not know where Bara Bara Road was located. Lt. Tiner suggested it was outside the city limits. Other Reports, Announcements and Presentations NEW BUSINESS Resolution 2011 -012, Authorizing The City Manager To Enter Into A Professional Service Agreement With PND Engineers, Inc., The Most Qualified And Responsive Proposer, For The Seward 2009 Tidal Surge Damage Engineering Services And Project Management For An Amount Not -To- Exceed $61,985, And Appropriating Funds. Motion (Keil /Shafer) Approve Resolution 2011 -012 Weston explained the extent of the damage to Lowell Point Road. Part of the work was 4111j completed last year and this portion would conclude the work. City of Seward, Alaska City Council Minutes February 28, 2011 Volume 38, Page 539 Unanimous consent was given to suspend the rules and allow Steve Lewis and Doug Kenley from PND to speak. Kenley stated that PND would oversee the work; work would start in March and end in May. Valdatta asked if the sewer line that ran under the bay would be within scope for this project; Kenley said he understood that it was not in scope and that they would be repairing the road shoulder. PND was the design contractor whose role it was to prepare the bid package for the construction contractors. The goal was to bring the road back to its pre -storm condition. Casagranda asked where the money was corning from; Weston stated it was part of the mitigation funding from Homeland Security & Emergency Management. Motion Passed Unanimous o . • .. •• 9 • • • • •• • • _ • • • • • . • . • —. Pulled by Administration OTHER NEW BUSINESS Council scheduled a work session to discuss staff's research on alternative funding options for the Library Museum Project for March 14, 2011 at 5:00 p.m. Council scheduled a work session with the Port and Commerce Advisory Board and the Historic Preservation Commission to go over yearly priorities for Monday, April 11, 2011 at 6 p.m. INFORMATIONAL ITEMS AND REPORTS (No action required) City Quarterly Financial Report through December. Erchinger briefed the council on the highlights of the financial report. Revenues were approximately 8% lower ($911,000) from 2009, primarily due to a large payment the city received for the Exxon Valdez oil spill settlement in 2009. The city was higher in property tax and sales tax revenues in 2010, and intergovernmental tax revenues were lower than prior year. The Kenai Peninsula Borough sales tax revenue numbers came in today and suggested that the overall taxable sales for the city were up 6.7% higher than prior year. They carne in higher than budgeted by $24,000. Intergovernmental revenues were down, primarily because actual receipts from raw fish tax were down by $119,000. General government revenues were higher by about $326,000, building permit revenues were slightly lower for the second year in a row, and business license revenues were down by $6,090. On the expense side, personnel costs were lower by approximately $296,000, general fund contributions to the motor pool were scaled back by $163, 000 and expenditures overall were down by approximately $600,000. Legal costs were up by $52,000, utilities, heating fuel and law gas were up $40,000, debt service was slightly higher, and the contingency account was up by $31,000. Relating to Resolution 2010 -083, Erchinger worked with the auditors to create a plan to repay the City of Seward, Alaska City Council Minutes February 28, 2011 Volume 38, Page 540 loan without having an adverse effect on the electric department's book. Erchinger clarified for Keil that the B Street Dock' line item that went from $9,000 to $1.2 million referred to the dredging project. Keil asked for clarification on the Police Capital Projects. Erchinger stated it referred to the security cameras, DUI grants, speeding grants (extra forces for holiday times) and radio grants. Valdatta asked how the sales tax was being handled for garbage collection, because the company who handled the billing was from Anchorage. Erchinger stated that the city was still getting the appropriate sales tax. In response to Keil. Erchinger stated the finance department had been making some changes to make things easier for the community, but the result was a more labor- intensive process on the back end, and the finance department was not overstaffed in her opinion. Providence Preliminary Financial Report for December. Port and Commerce Advisory Board Resolution 2010 -007, supporting and providing recommendations to attract new business and attract investment. Port and Commerce Advisory Board Resolution 2011 -001, supporting and recommending a partnership between the City of Seward and the Alaska Department of Fish and Game for fish esti enhancement programs. COUNCIL COMMENTS Shafer thanked the Road Department and Rex Davis for clearing the ice from 4th Avenue so well. Keil said Happy Birthday to Lt. Butch Tiner. Casagranda thanked Shafer for launching the Seward Journal; she said it was great that kids were delivering papers again. Keil stated that the Seward Community Health Center Board Meeting would be held March 9, 2011 at Legends from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Valdatta thanked the 3 1(1 grade students who sent in their thoughts and suggestions for alternative energy for the city. Weston said she was happy to be here. CITIZENS' COMMENTS - None COUNCIL AND ADMINISTRATION RESPONSE TO CITIZENS' COMMENTS - None Cm) o f Seward, Alaska City Council Minutes February 28, 2011 Volume 38, Page 541 i L ADJOURNMENT The meeting was adjourned at 7:42 p.m. , J anna KinheyCel\-4 / / / Bob Valda tt ( ity Clerk Councilmem l A.c (City Seal) e . , ...,. 01 i . -. . SE PL - 1; I . t a Lir N-L- 2 Les • • —e-- 0 — • % 0 IN 4 0 A *** 4 , 114 . Vs. a 0 -4e:Y e At ei, •., 4 p,. O ..... F x o _1 4 N: s L il . 1 113usetis I w* him