HomeMy WebLinkAbout09232013 City Council Laydowns 1/2 Zia
Report to City Council 23 SEPTEMBER 2013
Seward Chamber of Commerce, CVB
The Chamber Board of Directors has invited Bryan Zak of the AK SBDC to their
September meeting this Thursday to further their goal of creating a Business
Mentorship program. With the workshops and free business counseling that
Bryan offers, we know that he will be central to the program. The same is true
for Tom Tougas' Entrepreneur Workshops. We are aware that Alaska Source
Link is a great resource for small businesses as is the UA Center for Economic
Development. So ultimately this may be more of a promotional campaign -
getting the word out on what is available.
On Friday, Sept 13th Christi Bell ,rs brought Ed Morrison, partner to Laszlo
Kozmon in Strategy-Nets, to assist the Core Group in resuming the
implementation of Seward's Strategic Doing Plan --- with the drivers being
Business R&E, Attraction and Diversification.
So thanks very much to Council women Jean Bardarson & Christy Terry,
Assistant City Mgr. Ron Long & all the folks from the private sector for fitting
that workshop into your schedules.
Mr. Morrison encouraged us to collaborate. To change our conversation so that
our future will progress in the direction that we choose. And to look forward —
relentlessly!
"What should we do?" "What could we do together?"
"What could we do?"
"What will we do?"
Our four working groups are:
1. SMIC
2. Broadband
3. Alternative Energy
4. Entrepreneur's Row (industrial/commercial area near Port Avenue)
It was generally agreed that the community plan needs to integrate with the City
budget. With that in mind, Ed asked each work group to review the budget, and
in the context of the budget process, come up with a couple paragraphs
reporting how this could be done, how the City could help with private sector
development.
I feel like we mistakenly put City Admin in the position of defending the budget.
New conversations might include how an issue like paying for internet time at
the Public Library could happen, instead of why it can't. Donations?
If we can borrow from one fund and later repay, why can't we do that with
(for example) roads and sidewalks? There's always a reason why we can't do
something, why not change that conversation and figure out how we can?
Upcoming meetings & events:
Winter Tourism Focus Group, Tomorrow at Chinooks 5:30 pm
Meet the Candidates Night will be hosted by the Chamber on Wednesday, Sept.
25th at 7:00 pm right here in Council Chambers - televised by GCI.
The 10th Annual Seward Music & Arts Festival Cruise Ship Terminal Sept 27 — 29
Chamber luncheon Oct 4th, guest speaker Alyssa Shanks, State of AK economic
analyst
Marine Fire Fighters Symposium, AVTEC October 8 - 12, 2013 100 participants
Chugach Alaska Corporation Annual Meeting October 18 & 19, AVTEC
Seward com
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Ohayo gozaimasu (Good Morning)
Honorable Mayor Yonezawa, Honorable City Counil President Nohara, distinguished guests, and
citizens of Obihiro, thank you for inviting Seward Delegation here today to unvail the Mural,
Friendship Across Water.
Since 1968, Seward has had a remarkable sister city relationship with Obihiro, with many
cultural and educational exchanges, and generous gift exchanges taking place over the 45 years.
Today in Seward, we still marvel at the many, many gifts, including the gazebo you presented to
City of Seward in 1993. The Seward International Friendship Association (SIFA) president,Jim
Herbert with the help of many in the community has maintianed the gazebo over the 20 years.
It looks beautiful. The gazebo is a symbol of peace and wholeness amongst the trees in the
park, with birds chirping above. From the gazebo you can look out onto the waters of
Resurrection Bay and enjoy the snow covered mountains behind it that rise up into the
heavens.
When the Honorable Mayor and Council President visited Seward, a gentleman approached us
and said that when he and his family are visiting Seward, they enjoy sitting in the gazebo and
meditating. It brings peace and happiness, the gentlman said.
The community of Seward has a bright future in continued community development and
economic opportunities. We are truly blessed. We share this happiness with our sister city of
Obihiro. The community of Seward wishes the very best for the community of Obihiro.
On behalf of the City of Seward, thank you for allowing the Seward delegation to come to
Obihiro to celebrate the 45th anniversary of our sister city relationship. The Cty of Seward
hopes that everyone in Obihiro will enjoy this mural, Friendship Across Water, and feel the
friendship that our two communities share.
Thank You.
1
To: Jim Hunt, City Manager
From: John Foutz (i (I);
CC: Ron Long, Seward Site Council, Seward City Council X3/173
Date: 9/19/2013
Re: Concerns of Construction on Sea Lion Avenue
At the City Council meeting on September 9th the Seward Site Council presented
their concerns regarding the additional traffic onto Sea Lion Avenue due to the new
warehouse by the electric department. The City Council instructed administration from
multiple departments, and in particular, Ron Long, assistant city manager and
community development director, W.C. Casey, public works director, and Tom Clemons,
Police Chief to meet the Electric Utility Manager and discuss the situation and potential
solutions. The following facts and potential solutions discussed at that meeting are as
follows.
The roadway and driveway designs were engineered to current civil engineering
specifications. The civil engineer contracted to design the specifications is a licensed
civil engineer in the State of Alaska. Alternative entry points into the facility were
analyzed, but had to be discounted due to utility conflicts or geographic challenges. It
was also determined the only viable entry/exit lot side into the facility is on Sea Lion
Avenue due to the fact that the property does not have access to any other roads on the
west, east and south sides of the property.
The elementary school starts at 8:00 A.M. and the electric department crew
starts at 7:00 A.M. The elementary school has approximately one hundred ten (110)to
one hundred twenty (120) personal vehicles and five busses traveling through their
parking lot every morning. The electric department will add four personal vehicles and
four commercial trucks every morning. The electric crew is required by union contract
to have and maintain a Commercial Driver's License class B, which is more rigorous than
the common class D license held by most Alaskan drivers.
Most importantly we discovered a discrepancy in the speed limit. According to
City Code Section 11.10.020 the required speed in this area is to be fifteen (15) miles per
hour. Currently the limit in this area is twenty (20) miles per hour. The City will take
measures to correct this oversight. This oversight may not have been discovered had it
not been for the concerned citizens of Seward and the direction of City Council to
administration.
Thank you,
John Foutz
Utility Manager