HomeMy WebLinkAbout06082014 PACAB Minutes City of Seward,Alaska Port and Commerce Advisory Board Minutes
June 8,2014 Volume 3,Page
CALL TO ORDER
The June 8,2014 regular meeting of the Port and Commerce Advisory Board was called to
order at 12:00 p.m.by Chair Deborah Altermatt.
OPENING CEREMONY
Darryl Schaefermeyer led the pledge of allegiance to the flag.
ROLL CALL
There were present:
Deborah Altermatt,presiding, and
Bruce Jaffa Bob Linville
Darryl Schaefermeyer Carl Hughes
Steve Fink Daniel--Oliver
Comprising a quorum of the Council; and
Mack Funk, Harbor Master
Ron Long, Assistant City Manager
Suzi Towsley, Executive Liaison
Absent—Daniel Oliver
SPECIAL ORDERS,PRESENTATIONS AND REPORTS
Alaska Railroad Report—None
Harbormaster Report. Harbormaster Mack Funk said there were missing plugs on B
Float. The 250-ton boat lift had been experiencing problems for more than two months. A
hydroelectric expert was working on the lift.Administration was making plans to purchase a 330-ton
boat lift.Three engineering firms submitted proposals to design the Northeast Fish Cleaning Station.
In response to Jaffa, Funk said the harbor would trade in the 250-ton boat lift for a newer
330-ton boat lift. The 330-ton lift would work better for lifting small boats.
In response to Altermatt, Funk said the new wash down facility was being used often.
In response to Hughes,Funk said the price of the 330-ton boat lift was$1.75 million.He was
working with the Finance department to borrow the money from the Motor Pool Fund at a low
interest rate. Then,the harbor would pay the money back over a 7 year timeframe.
In response to Linville, Funk said Kodiak had the biggest 650-ton boat lift and Wrangell
recently bought a new 330-ton boat lift.
City of Seward,Alaska Port and Commerce Advisory Board Minutes
June 8, 2014 Volume 3,Page
Chamber of Commerce Report. Chamber Director Cindy Clock said the Seward
Economic Plan group would have a brainstorming session at the Seward Airport at 7:00 p.m.on June
26,2014.Clock said she was on the Kenai Peninsula Tourism Marketing Council,and an ordinance
was introduced last night on the 4% visitor bed tax. The Kenai Peninsula Tourism Marketing
Council was funded as a non-departmental for$300,000.An Alaska Maritime Report Development
Plan was on the State of Alaska's website.
In response to Fink,Clock said part of the visitor bed tax money would go to the city and part
of it would be used for the tourism marketing industry.
Administration Report.Assistant City Manager Ron Long said the citizens of the Kenai
Peninsula Borough dedicated 1/10t of$1 million to property tax. If the voters approved the City of
Seward opting out of the visitor bed tax,then it would not make a difference in Seward's revenue but
it would make a difference with the cost. Two people who were leasing land at the Seward Marine
Industrial Center(SMIC)proposed to purchase the land outright at Monday night's council meeting.
Administration had been working on making sure the sidewalks in town were ADA compliant.
In response to Fink, Long said the City of Seward would continue to contract with the
Chamber of Commerce for tourism marketing.
In response to Jaffa, Longsaid the Vigor lease was transferred and amended,and a level of
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environmental cleanup and liability was added to the lease.
CITIZENS' COMMENTS ON ANY SUBJECT EXCEPT THOSE ITEMS SCHEDULED
FOR PUBLIC HEARING—None
APPROVAL OF AGENDA AND CONSENT AGENDA
Motion (Fink/Hughes) Approval of Agenda and Consent Agenda
Linville added"Utilization of the S-Dock Area in the Harbor for Work Infrastructure"to the agenda.
Motion Passed Unanimous
The May 7,2014 PACAB regular meeting minutes were on the consent agenda.
INFORMATIONAL ITEMS,REPORTS AND PRESENTATIONS
$39,576 Grant from Alaska Department of Fish & Game for Replacing Sewage Pumps at E&F
Floats
Application to the Alaska Department of Transportation of Public Facilities for a Harbor Matching
Grant to Replace B, C&F Floats
Work Session Handouts and Plans for Funding Research
City of Seward,Alaska Port and Commerce Advisory Board Minutes
June 8, 2014 Volume 3,Page
UNFINISHED BUSINESS—None
NEW BUSINESS
Discuss utilizing S-Dock in the harbor for work infrastructure.
Linville wanted to use S-Dock as a grid or an area to work on boats.Fink wanted S-Dock to
be designated as a loading/offloading area for boat passengers.
Assistant City Manager Ron Long said that it was possible to change the use of S-Dock after
submitting the grant application for harbor-matching grants to the Alaska Department of
Transportation of Public Facilities.
Deputy Harbormaster Norm Regis said S-Dock would have to be reengineered to use it as a
grid.
CORRESPONDENCE,INFORMATIONAL ITEMS AND REPORTS(No Action Required)—
None
BOARD COMMENTS
Hughes looked forward to continuing to make decisions regarding the harbor.
Fink said he would do more research on S-Dock and bring back more ideas for its usage at
the next meeting.
Linville said he had a vision of what would be a good working harbor.He thanked the board
for working with him on this idea.
Jaffa thanked the City of Seward for upgrading the sidewalks.
Schaefermeyer said there was a sidewalk across from the Alaska Sealife Center that was not
ADA compliant.
Altermatt said she would be absent on June 26, 2014.
CITIZENS' COMMENTS
Cindy Clock said when discussing the utilization of S-Dock,the harbor needed to look at the
big picture.She wanted them to think about what would make a better harbor for the community and
draw more tourists to Seward.
BOARD AND ADMINISTRATIVE RESPONSE TO CITIZENS' COMMENTS
Regis said the 250-ton travel lift was back up and running.
City of Seward,Alaska Port and Commerce Advisory Board Minutes
June 8, 2014 Volume 3, Page
Towsley said this board was the only board or commission that was full at this time.
Altermatt thanked Towsley for her hard work.
Fink said Christine Sheehan had a heat pump.
Long said administration and the board would look at the big picture when deciding how to
move forward with the S-Dock.
ADJOURNMENT
The meeting was adjourned at 1:45 p.m.
Jessica Stallard Deborah Altermatt
Deputy City Clerk Chair
(City Seal)
The city clerk was not present for this meeting; the minutes were drafted from the audio recording.
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