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Home My WebLink About02112013 City Council Laydowns /lib )7,-(,\ frimpl Seward®com 1Ca.sto Slar1S�ltrt. Seward Chamber of Commerce Conference and Visitors Bureau A Brief Summary of the Seward Economic Growth Plan An increasingly integrated global economy and new technologies are presenting the Seward community with growth opportunities. Even though Seward has some important assets,growth has eluded it and the surrounding regional economy since before 2007. Population,business formation and retention,and other vital signs of economic health (e.g.workforce composition and missed business growth opportunities) continue their flat-to-negative trend. Since 2007,city and business leaders have undertaken various efforts to improve the situation,yielding many recommendations. However,the community has not been able to come together behind a common vision of what Seward is about to reverse this situation. CHALLENGES within the Seward community's power to overcome: • The continuing underutilization of potentially valuable assets. • Highly concentrated tax base that needs diversification. • A lack of pro-growth city policies. • A localized understanding of growth opportunities. • Inexperience working together in a disciplined way across many organizations for maximum effect. • The business community, residents,and the city at odds over what to do and how, including clear roles. The SEWARD ECONOMIC GROWTH PLAN provides influential members of the Seward community with a cohesive strategy and action plan for renewing the regional economy. Underlying the Plan are proven principles of regional economic growth,ways to grow,and a structured,disciplined approach to pull it all together. Adhering to these proven principles,a diverse group of interested Seward citizens developed the central aspect of the Plan. This group's work resulted in six initiatives and their desired outcomes. The first five initiatives will leverage Seward's various assets and attract private investment into the region. • SM/C Development Project-bring marine-related growth to the region through a physical area that, leveraging the harbor,will become a center of marine service excellence. • Railroad Dock Extension (Entrepreneur's Row)-reshape the dock area to be more tourism-friendly and an attractive location, in conjunction with the harbor,for new business formation. • Alternative Energy-lower the cost of energy to businesses and residents while providing different fuel sourcing options and creating knowhow that is in global demand and entrepreneurs can monetize. • Broadband-create new business and growth opportunities in industries-of-the-future by leveraging Seward's GCL location-based broadband asset. • Oil Spill Response-create new business opportunities by leveraging SeaLife and other Seward assets,and enhance existing knowhow that is in global demand and entrepreneurs can monetize. • City Permitting Process-streamline all permitting-related processes into one easy-to-use,fast,online permitting process to speed up and ease business formation. The PLAN APPROACH puts people,projects,and funding together through loosely managed networks of organizations. At the center of this network is The Chamber Of Commerce, providing the necessary help to Seward Chamber of Commerce PO Box 749 Seward, Alaska 99664 • - build the network and make it productive. The approach uses six-month timeframes and a repetitive sequence of actions to manage waves of planning, implementation,and learning. Each six-month cycle builds on the successes and failures of the previous six-month cycle. As the entire approach,each six-month wave is highly structured to ensure effective communications,project management,and coordination between multiple groups of people working on different projects. The University of Alaska's Center for Economic Development and Strategy-Nets have a network of experts,the techniques,and the tools for Seward to learn and use,making adopting the approach easier and more productive,with a lower risk of failure and a greater likelihood of success. PLAN BENEFITS: • Cohesive plan ties together the necessary components of economic growth and capitalizes on Seward's assets to shape the growth agenda. • Utilizing different ways to grow the economy,the Plan doesn't put all its eggs in one basket and will properly diversify the business and tax base. • As members of self-governing groups with clear roles,people working on each initiative will"own"the Plan,vesting them in keeping it current and relevant. • Six-month waves make the approach adaptive to new opportunities and changing economic conditions, leading to a broader understanding of growth opportunities and the ability to pursue them. • By increasing participation over time,the economic growth effort unites the business community,the city,and even residents behind a vision of the future, clear objectives,and measures of success. • Learning good strategy and implementation discipline ensures Seward develops pro-growth policies and can continue to chart its own future and improve its abilities to grow its economy and beat competing regions. • • The basis for the Plan have been proven in many business sectors and in regions where organizations that included governments and businesses came together to work effectively toward common goals. OTHER APPROACHES to creating regional economic growth plans and implementing them are hit-and-miss efforts at best. The usual reasons include lack of a cohesive strategy,lack of alignment between community leaders,and poor implementation and change management approaches. SEWARD'S OPPORTUNITY TODAY is to take the Plan to the next stage and begin a disciplined and adaptive approach to renewing its economy. The City Council has two important roles in this effort: • In its capacity as the council,use its influence to help mobilize city resources,repurpose city assets,and improve the city's effectiveness in its relationship with the business community. • Empower council members to participate actively in each of the planned work groups,finalizing the Plan and launching the six economic growth initiatives. Through these actions,the council will take a huge step forward toward building an alliance with the business community and ensuring coordination,sharing,and transparency of information. This will remove one of the first big barriers to economic growth. Recalibrating the Plan every six months and working it together will systematically remove subsequent barriers to growth. It will also put all the necessary conditions in place for growth to return to Seward. This in turn will result in a: • Renewal of the Seward economy. • Region better able to compete in the global economy. • Dynamic environment in which businesses and the city can flourish,and the community can become more prosperous. (97/ // 3 tint (Temp Name) Obihiro—Seward Mural Preparatory Committee Members Name Affiliation Duty Midori Ikeda Representative Artist Committee President Katsuhiko Kanazawa Tokachi Obihiro Design Promotion Paints, Supplies Convention Kaoru Shiroto Printmaker Paints, Supplies Akira Shioda Art Teacher (Sanjo HS) Citizen Networking (High School) Mika Umetsu Art Teacher (Daisan Middle) Citizen Networking (Middle School) Takehide Nosaka Calligraphy Teacher (Otofuke HS) Citizen Networking (High School) David Campbell Obihiro University Travel (Air, Bus, Hotel) (Seward Native) Noriko Campbell Seward Networking PR Norito Shimomori Obihiro, International Relations Executive Officer Hiroko Aoki Obihiro, International Relations Project Head, Accounting Josh Neta Obihiro, International Relations Communications . . . • 1 .10 , 11 ,.„. -11 .• ' ' "'.-' '''' --. ''''• • ,411.1k i , I . 11, • ...... I , 1 ........ 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(Temp Name) Obihiro-Seward Mural Preparatory Committee Members Name Affiliation Duty Midori Ikeda Representative Artist Committee President Katsuhiko Kanazawa Tokachi Obihiro Design Promotion Paints, Supplies Convention Kaoru Shiroto Printmaker Paints, Supplies Akira Shioda Art Teacher (Sanjo HS) Citizen Networking (High School) Mika Umetsu Art Teacher (Daisan Middle) Citizen Networking (Middle School) Takehide Nosaka Calligraphy Teacher (Otofuke HS) Citizen Networking (High School) David Campbell Obihiro University Travel (Air, Bus, Hotel) (Seward Native) Noriko Campbell Seward Networking PR Norito Shimomori Obihiro, International Relations Executive Officer Hiroko Aoki Obihiro, International Relations Project Head, Accounting Josh Neta Obihiro, International Relations Communications 0210113 pv ;71-$10n/Le__ of se* -1111W*NT 4lASKp'ri February 4, 2013 Mayor Mike Navarre Kenai Peninsula Borough 144 N.Binkley Soldotna,Alaska 99669 RE: Cruise ship passenger tax proceeds Dear Mayor Navarre, On behalf of the City of Seward, I would like to thank the Borough Assembly and administration for allocating the Commercial Passenger Vessel (CPB) excise tax to the cities of Seward and Homer, based on their pro-rata share of cruise ship passengers visiting each port. These funds continue to be critical to Seward's ability to provide improvements to our port infrastructure in support of cruise ships and their passengers. The City was asked to submit a letter requesting their allotment of 2012 cruise ship head tax proceeds, and to identify the intended use of these funds. AS 43.52.230(b) requires that "a city or borough that receives a payment under this subsection shall use the funds for port facilities, harbor infrastructure, and other services provided to the commercial passenger vessels and the passengers on board those vessels." We have identified the following projects for possible use of the CPV funds, including: 1) bus transportation for cruise passengers and crew; 2) ambulance services ($10,000 annually); 3) harbor restroom repairs and upgrades ($100,000); 4) cruise ship dock maintenance and repairs; 7) cruise ship berth enhancements and amenities such as signage, paving, and cruise-related pedestrian path awnings; 8) harbor float repairs/replacement; and cruise-related pedestrian improvements to and from the cruise dock. In the past, the City has used CPV funds for projects such as construction of a security dock in the Small Boat Harbor to enhance U.S. Coast Guard, fire, and emergency response; harbor and port dredging; bus transportation; outboard replacement for the fire and rescue boats; ambulance services;breakwater repairs,etc. We appreciate your support of our request and look forward to working with you to enhance facilities for the cruise ship industry in our region. Sincerely, James Hunt, City Manager Seward,Alaska 907.224.4047 .2.,/ / r /it___1, w► h Cie. CITY OF SEWARD Impact of Chugach December 2012 rate Increase(effective Feb 2013 bills) (Impact on Average Residential Customer) Inside City Limits Outside City Limits Pre-adjust Post-adjust Pm-adjust Post-adjust Average Average Average Average Monthly Bill Monthly Bill Monthly Bill Monthly Bill Electric Operations&Infrastructure Fee 18.19 18.19 18.19 18.19 Energy charge(rate)(a) 0.10836 0.10847 0.10836 0.10847 x Avg.out kWh(b) 625 625 747 747 Energy charge 67.73 67.79 80.94 81.03 Fuel cost(rate=80.08399 @ 10/12) 52.49 52.49 62.74 62.74 Total Electric 138.41 138.48 $161.88 $161.96 Water (c) 41.50 41.50 Sewer (d) 53.35 53.35 Total Electric,Water,Sewer: $233.26 $233.33 Increase per month: $0.07 Increase per month: $0.08 Percentage overall increase: 0.03% Percentage overall increase: 0.05% CITY OF SEWARD Impact of City of Seward 5%January 2013 Rate Increases (Impact on Average Residential Customer) Inside City Limits Outside City Limits Pre-adjust Post-adjust Pte-adjust Post-adjust Average Average Average Average Monthly Bill Monthly Bill Monthly Bill Monthly Bill Electric Operations&Infrastructure Fee 18.19 19.10 18.19 19.10 Energy charge(rate)(a) 0.10847 0.11389 0.10847 0.11389 x Avg.cult kWh(b) 625 625 747 747 Energy charge 67.79 71.18 81.03 85,08 Fuel cost(rate=80.08399 @ 10/12) 52.49 52.49 62.74 62.74 Total Electric 138.48 142.78 S161.96 5166.92 Water (c) 41.50 41.50 Sewer (d) 53.35 53.35 Total Electric,Water,Sewer: 5233.33 $237.63 Increase per month, $4.30 Increase per month: $4.96 Percentage overall increase: 1.84% Percentage overall increase: 3.06% CITY OF SEWARD Impact of Chugach February 2013 rate increase (Impact on Average Residential Customer) Inside City Limits Outside City Limits Pre-adjust Post-adjust Pm-adjust Post-adjust Average Average Average Average Monthly Bill Monthly Bill Monthly Bill Monthly Bill Electric Operations&Infrastructure Fee 19.10 19.10 19.10 19.10 Energy charge(rate)(a) 0.11389 0.1161 0.11389 0.1161 x Avg.out kWh(b) 625 625 747 747 Energy charge 71.18 72.56 85.08 86.73 Fuel cost(rate=80.08399(gt 10/12) 52.49 52.49 62.74 62.74 Total Electric 142.78 144.16 $166.92 5168.57 Water (c) 41.50 41.50 Sewer (d) 53.35 53.35 Total Electric,Water,Sewer: $237.63 $239.01 Increase per month: SI.38 Increase per month: S1.65 Percentage overall increase: 0.58% Percentage overall increase: 0.99% SUMMARY IMPACT Increase per month $5.75 $6.69 Percentage overall increase: 2.47%