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HomeMy WebLinkAbout08272018 City Council Minutes1 1 E City of Seward, Alaska City Council Meeting Minutes August 27, 2018 Volume 40, Page 506 CALL TO ORDER The August 27, 2018 regular meeting of the Seward City Council was called to order at 7:00 p.m. by Mayor David Squires. OPENING CEREMONY Police Chief Tom Clemons led the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag. ROLL CALL There were present: David Squires presiding and Marianna Keil Sue McClure Suzanne Towsley comprising a quorum of the Council; and Brennan Hickok, Assistant City Manager Jessica Fogle, Acting City Clerk Absent — None Ristine Casagranda Sharyl Seese Jeremy Hom CITIZEN COMMENTS ON ANY SUBJECT EXCEPT THOSE ITEMS SCHEDULED FOR PUBLIC HEARING Orson Smith, the city's representative for the Prince William Sound Regional Citizen's Advisory Council (PWSRCAC), said Squires was sent a letter from the PWSRCAC asking for suggestions from the city for PWSRCAC action, which was an annual request from all members of the organizations. Smith had represented Seward on PWSRCAC for the past three and a half years and some of his ideas were funded; he offered to meet with the council to discuss oil spill prevention and the city's response to it. APPROVAL OF AGENDA AND CONSENT AGENDA Motion (KeiUCasagranda) Approval of Agenda and Consent Agenda Motion Passed Unanimous The clerk read the following approved consent agenda items: Ordinance 2018-005, Amending The Land Use Plan And Zoning Designation of Two Portions of City Owned Land Located Within Tract 5C Forest Acres Subdivision Levee Replat, From Single Family Residential (R1), and Rural Residential (RR) To Resource Management (RM). This ordinance was introduced tonight and will come for public hearing and enactment on City of Seward, Alaska City Council Meeting Minutes August 27, 2018 Volume 40, Page 507 September 10, 2018. Approval of the August 13, 2018 Regular Meeting and the August 16,2018 Speeial Meeting tn Minutes. Clerk requests removing from agenda - will appear on September 10, 2018 agenda. SPECIAL ORDERS, PRESENTATIONS AND REPORTS Proclamations & Awards — None Chamber of Commerce Report. Cindy Clock requested that all membership renewals be turned in by August 30, 2018. The 63`d Silver Salmon Derby saw the most fish ever weighed in one day, which was 450 on Day 7; the chamber enjoyed having the Japanese and Seward dignitaries at the closing ceremony at the Breeze Inn. The First Friday Art Walk was September 7, 2018. Today was the first day of work for the new Blue Pipeline Incubator Manager/Business Advisor, Justin Sternberg. Clock thanked Kenai Fjords Tours for the cruise to Fox Island. The chamber would be hosting "Meet the Candidates" night from 5:00 - 6:30 p.m. on September 26, 2018 in the council chambers. The next chamber luncheon would be September 14, 2018 with Erin Kirkland of Alaska Huts. City Manager Report. Assistant City Manager Brennan Hickok stated the following purchase orders between $10,000 and $50,000 had been approved by the city manager since the last meeting: None. J, K, and L floats experienced an underwater line break. The South Harbor boat launch bid opened on Tuesday, August 28. Public Works wanted to thank Council members McClure, Towsley, Seese, and Casagranda for the special meeting they held August 22°d on the water tank refurbishment project. Parks and Recreation welcomed three new employees to their team. The library and museum wanted to highlight a two thousand dollar cost savings this past year. The electric department was working with the Finance department to resolve meter issues. The Finance Department had a new online bill pay option and auto pay for their customers. Hickok stated that the APA Audit was scheduled for September 18, 2018. A Planning & Zoning Commission meeting was held regarding the Air Force Recreation Camp on September 4, 2018. Staff met with Andy Baker about the Saltwater Heat Pump Project on August 30, 2018. A representative from the Division of Community and Regional Affairs (DCRA) offered to provide Title 29 training to council and Staff any time before November 1, 2018. City Planner Jackie Wilde explained that Community Development started a lodging audit in 2017, and they conducted a new lodging audit with L.T.A.S. this year. They found over two hundred lodging businesses within city limits that were running either unlicensed or licensed under the wrong type of lodging. Last year, the city collected a little over $500,000 in sales and bed tax and had a little over $1,700 in penalties. Wilde stated that this program would help ensure that businesses were safe and compliant. She also hoped this data would help finance enter information into a system that would make billing lodging businesses easier for them. Wilde said that a new lodging permit was in the works for 2019 and she hoped to start a Gold Star Program for compliant businesses. Wilde stated she was working with the Kenai Peninsula Borough to implement a similar program for them to use to track businesses that are not compliant outside of the city limits, as well. City of Seward, Alaska City Council Meeting Minutes August 27, 2018 Volume 40, Page 508 In response to Seese, Hickok said the automatic pay option had been added to the city website but it would not affect customers who already have their billing set to automatic pay. In response to Squires, Hickok stated that he had not heard of the vandalism occurring on Lowell Point Road. Squires asked the public to report any vandalism or anyone destroying city property to the Police Department. In response to Casagranda, Hickok said mid -level and low-level hiring were being done by department heads and there was no higher -level hiring that would require the acting city manager to make the decision. Casagranda requested to give direction to administration to freeze hiring, firing, and re -hiring until an interim city manager started. Council voted on this and it failed. Other Reports, Announcements and Presentations —None PUBLIC HEARINGS — None UNFINISHED BUSINESS — None NEW BUSINESS — None INFORMATIONAL ITEMS AND REPORTS On -Going City Projects and Goals. City of Seward and Providence Seward Medical & Care Center Financials for June, 2018. COUNCIL COMMENTS Casagranda thanked Darryl Schaefermeyer for attending the work session and council meeting and sharing his wisdom. She thanked Orson Smith and suggested he come back to tell council more about his ideas. She congratulated Cindy Clock for a great Silver Salmon Derby and thanked the clerk's office for doing a great job with the visitors from Obihiro last month. She encouraged everyone to attend kids' local sports activities. Keil apologized to council and citizens for missing a few meetings due to medical treatments. She really enjoyed meeting with the mayor of Obihiro and talking about differences between Seward and Japan during their lunch with council. McClure invited everyone to celebrate Founder's Day at the library from 1:00-4:00 p.m. on August 28, 2018. She was sad that Dr. O'Connell would no longer be coming to Seward for eye doctor appointments and believed this was a real loss for the community. She enjoyed meeting with the Obihiro delegation and participating in the activities with them. She made sure that they got to see the swan family out on Nash Road. She thanked the clerk's office for the opportunity to enjoy these activities. City of Seward, Alaska City Council Meeting Minutes August 27, 2018 Volume 40, Page 509 Towsley reminded residents to vote for the upcoming council election in October. Squires enjoyed the Obihiro delegation's visit and he was looking forward to Seward's delegation going to Obihiro, Japan. He wanted all registered voters to vote in the upcoming election. Council directed the clerk's office to start the application process for citizens interested in going to Obihiro, Japan in October. CITIZEN COMMENTS Elizabeth Dunn thanked the police chief for putting signs up showing how to get into the Police Department at night. She found Wilde's presentation very interesting and helpful. Hank West studied Japanese for three years and was looking forward to everyone going to Obihiro. He wanted to represent the City of Seward in Obihiro, Japan. He was concerned that airfare might be an issue if citizens were not chosen to go to Obihiro until a month before the trip. Lynda Paquette felt that there was hostility towards people who live within the town against people who live outside of the town. She recently started volunteering to do civic education for people who live within the city limits, so Seward's citizens could become more involved in local government. She asked for direction from council as to whether or not they wanted her to continue offering this service to citizens. Elizabeth Dunn stated that she lived outside the city most of her life and she never felt like she was treated differently at council meetings based on whether or not she lived inside the city limits. Carol Griswold appreciated Paquette's contribution to the city and she valued everyone's opinions. She was very disappointed that anyone could be treated so poorly. Griswold hoped that council's direction would be to allow Paquette to continue providing this education to Seward's citizens. Anthony Baclaan appreciated Paquette's classes and her contributions to the community. He emphasized that streaming videos and Facebook make meetings more accessible to the public. COUNCIL AND ADMINISTRATION RESPONSE TO CITIZEN COMMENTS McClure stated that it was a citizen and not the council who believed that people outside of the city limits should not be allowed to speak at council meetings. Seese enjoyed Paquette's meetings. Towsley thanked Paquette for providing classes and live streaming it to make it more accessible to the public. City of Seward, Alaska City Council Meeting Minutes August 27, 2018 Volume 40, Page 510 Casagranda thanked Paquette for providing classes. She enjoyed West's comments and was hoping to pick a sooner date to pick applicants for the trip to Obihiro. She addressed her concern with the audit that Community Development was conducting was based on nightly lodging only, rather than all businesses. Squires thanked West for his comments and wanted to wait until the end of September to pick applicants to attend the trip to Obihiro. He reminded citizens to put their best foot forward in their applications, so council could select Seward's best representatives. He was concerned that the lodging audit would lead to raised taxes. ADJOURNMENT The meeting was adjourned at 8:29 p.m. Jessica Fogle Acting City Clerk (City Seal) 1 1 David Squires Mayor