HomeMy WebLinkAbout10302019 PACAB Minutes City of Seward,Alaska Port and Commerce Advisory Board Special Meeting Minutes
October 30, 2019 Volume 3,Page 393
CALL TO ORDER
The October 30, 2019 special meeting of the Port and Commerce Advisory Board was
called to order at 12:00 p.m. by Vice Chair Bruce Jaffa.
OPENING CEREMONY
Erin Lemas led the pledge of allegiance to the flag.
ROLL CALL
There were present:
Bruce Jaffa presiding, and
Colby Lawrence
Lynda Paquette Laura-Schneider
Erin Lemas
comprising a quorum of the board; and
Matt Chase,Acting Harbormaster
Jessica Stallard,Deputy City Clerk
Excused—Schneider, Hughes
Absent—None
CITIZEN COMMENTS ON ANY SUBJECT EXCEPT THOSE ITEMS SCHEDULED
FOR PUBLIC HEARING—None
APPROVAL OF AGENDA AND CONSENT AGENDA
Motion (Paquette/Lemas) Approval of Agenda and Consent Agenda
Paquette removed"Discuss the Seward Airport Committee" from the agenda.
Jaffa postponed the following items to the November 6, 2019 regular meeting: "Discuss next
steps for the Climate Action Plan committee", "Discuss the Lowell Point sewage lagoon,"
"Discuss annual review of the SMIC Development Plan," "Discuss 5G," and, "Discuss electric
car charging stations."
Motion Passed Unanimous Consent
The city clerk read the following approved consent agenda items:
Approval of the September 18, 2019 PACAB Regular Meeting Minutes.
City of Seward,Alaska Port and Commerce Advisory Board Special Meeting Minutes
October 30,2019 Volume 3,Page 394
SPECIAL ORDERS,PRESENTATIONS AND REPORTS
Alaska Railroad Report. Christy Terry said the Alaska Department Fish & Game
(ADF&G) Fin Fish Conference would not be held at the Cruise Ship Terminal this December.
The Vice President of Engineering & Project Development and the Project Developer from the
Alaska Railroad made a presentation on the Alaska Railroad's progress with the Port
Development to council on October 28, 2019. She said there was someone in the public who
• came in after citizen comments but would like to speak to the board.
The board suspended the rules to speak to Deborah Altermatt.
Deborah Altermatt supported council's decision to automatically register all
commercial fishing vessels with the state. She was concerned that 6-pack boats and recreational
boats were not aware of this regulation. She said the Commercial Fishing website's explanation
of the"New Title&Registration Rules"was very helpful.
In response to Paquette, Altermatt suggested the City of Seward put the "New Title &
Registration Rules" in the electric bills to help inform dur citizens of these new rules and
regulations.
In response to Jaffa, Altermatt said she was concerned that only one group of fishermen
were covered under these New Title & Registration Rules for boats. She also restated that she
wanted to make sure that everyone was aware of these new rules and regulations.
The board went back on the rules.
Chamber of Commerce Report. Cindy Clock said this was her last PACAB meeting
and she was retiring on October 31, 2019. The Chamber was hosting a luncheon for U.S. Senator
Dan Sullivan at the Breeze Inn from 12:00-1:00 pm on November 4, 2019. The Chamber had
three new Chamber members: Snagg'n Wagon, Seward Taxi, and Seward Car Rental. The Blue
Pipeline Incubator position was being advertised. Justin Sternberg was relocating to Anchorage.
Mike Irving and his company, Alaska's Best Shellfish, won the 49th State Angel Fund Pitchfest
at the Accelerate Alaska conference for the Best Existing Pitch. Matias Saari was the new Mount
Marathon Race (MMR) Director. The Seward Chamber Board of Directors elections would be
help electronically in November. In response to Lemas, Clock said the Chamber would work
with Saari for the Mount Marathon Race.
Harbormaster Report by Norm Regis. Acting Harbormaster Matt Chase said most
boat owners had winterized their boats and the majority of boats were dry-docked. He said 56
stalls were available in their boat yard and 30 of them were full. Twenty-six of these stalls had
power; all of the 100 Amp stalls were taken. All of the water had been turned off at the harbor,
except for their four year-round water locations: the F Float trestle, the end of F Float, T Dock,
and Z Float. The harbor was working with the Alaska Department of Fish & Game (ADF&G)to
improve their northeast boat launch ramp. No deficiencies were found at SMIC during the
security audit by the U.S. Coast Guard. The Coast Guard will be visiting Seward during the week
of November 4-8, 2019 to review the sites and work out some minor issues about their cutters
City of Seward,Alaska Port and Commerce Advisory Board Special Meeting Minutes
October 30, 2019 Volume 3,Page 395
coming across the bay. He said Harbormaster Norm Regis was traveling to Juneau for the
Harbormasters' convention. While he was in Juneau, Regis had met with the Alaska Department
of Transportation (DOT) and delivered a resolution from council on the closure of the Silvertip
Maintenance Station, and discussed the airport. Chase said the harbor had hired a new
administrative assistant named Nancy. The harbor just finished their Remote Operating Vessel
(ROV) training, and they would be using this training to check the pilings on E float, F float, G
float, and H float. The new ramp at the north dock at SMIC was being used to offload all of the
FEMA rock from Lowell Point Road which would be stored at the uplands at SMIC. The harbor
would be earning five dollars per ton for these rocks being brought across their dock.
In response to Jaffa, Chase said the Harbor was not fully staffed, and there was one more
administrative assistant position being advertised.
In response to Jaffa, Chase said the crane was out of service,but was still under warranty.
In response to Jaffa, Chase said at least 1,000 rocks had been brought in to SMIC and two
more loads were still coming in.
Administration Report—None
Other Reports, Announcements, and Presentations
Seward Airport Committee Report by Bruce Jaffa
UNFINISHED BUSINESS—None
NEW BUSINESS
Resolutions—None
Other New Business Items
Nominate,elect, and swear-in a commissioner as Chair.
Laura Schneider was nominated as PACAB Chair, and no other nominations were received. The
clerk passed out ballots and Laura Schneider was unanimously elected as PACAB's Chair.
Nominate,elect, and swear-in a commissioner as Vice Chair, if necessary.
Motion (Jaffa/Lawrence) Re-Elect Bruce Jaffa as Vice Chair
Motion Approved • Unanimous Consent
iaiu�� ac Di t"n Se rd i rt Co mitt^ Removed from agenda.
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City of Seward,Alaska Port and Commerce Advisory Board Special Meeting Minutes
October 30,2019 Volume 3,Page 396
Discuss next steps for the Climate Action Plan committee. This item was postponed to
November 6, 2019.
Discuss the Lowell Point sewage lagoon. This item was postponed to November 6, 2019.
Review the 2019 budget year-to-date, and review and discuss the proposed 2020/2021
budget.
Motion (Paquette/Lawrence) Approve Proposed Budget for 2020-2021
Motion Passed Unanimous
Discuss sending a delegate to attend the Alaska Municipal League (AML) Conference in
Anchorage November 20-22, 2019.
Motion (Paquette/Lawrence) Appoint Laura Schneider to attend the
AML Conference November 20-22,2019.
Motion Approved Unanimous
Review and update PACAB's City, State, and Federal Priorities.
Motion to Postpone (Jaffa/Lemas) Postpone to November 6, 2019
Motion Passed Unanimous
Discuss-ann-ual-review of the SMIC Dev er P Tis item was postponed to November
6, 2019.
DSG-This item was postponed to November 6, 2019.
. This item was postponed to November 6, 2019.
Schedule a work session in November and set the topic.
Paquette said she would be out of town the first three weeks in November, but she could try to
attend the November 6,2019 PACAB meeting telephonically.
A PACAB work session was scheduled for November 13, 2019 at 12:00 p.m. This work session
would be to cover any topics that were not covered at the November 6,2019 meeting.
INFORMATIONAL ITEMS AND REPORTS
PACAB 2019 Goal Calendar.
City of Seward,Alaska Port and Commerce Advisory Board Special Meeting Minutes
October 30, 2019 Volume 3,Page 397
In response to Paquette, Jaffa said he believed the Seward Climate Action Plan was in a
good place. However, he did not believe PACAB was fully prepared to discuss this topic at this
time. Deputy Clerk Jessica Stallard proposed the Seward Climate Action Plan schedule a
meeting to discuss their next steps and report back to PACAB after they meet.
Jaffa encouraged PACAB to start laying the groundwork for their priorities for 2020.
PACAB Resolution 2019-01, PACAB Priorities from February, 2019 to February, 2020.
BOARD COMMENTS
Jaffa requested that the Utility Manager be present at the November 6, 2019 PACAB
meeting. He was not sure that PACAB was the correct forum for discussing 5G. He requested
participation from the community to fill the PACAB vacancy. He thanked the board members for
their time and effort. He reminded everyone that PACAB's role was advising council and
presenting strong arguments to them.
Lemas said she would like to see a list of where the Seward Climate Action Plan
committee would be receiving their money from.
Paquette thanked everybody who came to the meeting.
Lawrence congratulated Christy Terry on being elected Mayor of the City of Seward. He
congratulated Cindy Clock on her retirement from the Chamber of Commerce. He reminded
everyone that PACAB had one vacancy.
CITIZEN COMMENTS
Christy Terry said Schneider spoke to the University of Alaska about the Seward Action
Climate plan. She thanked everyone for their hard work.
Robin Coleman said he was concerned about the climate change. He said Fairbanks had
the worst climate problems in the world.
Jackie Wilde said cell phone towers were on the Planning & Zoning priorities list per
council direction.
BOARD AND ADMINISTRATIVE RESPONSE TO CITIZEN COMMENTS
Paquette said her reason for adding 5G as a discussion topic on this agenda was health
concerns associated with it. She suggested Planning & Zoning find out when 5G might be
implemented.
Jaffa said climate change was a real problem, and he did not think there was a simple
solution.
City of Seward,Alaska Port and Commerce Advisory Board Special Meeting Minutes
October 30, 2019 Volume 3, Page 398
ADJOURNMENT
This meeting was adjourned at 1:12 p.m.
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Deputy City Clerk Vice Chair
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