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Home My WebLink About01062021 PACAB Minutes City of Seward,Alaska Port and Commerce Advisory Board Meeting Minutes January 6, 2021 CALL TO ORDER Volume 4,Page 1 The January 6, 2021 regular meeting of the Port and Commerce Advisory Board was called to order at 12:00 p.m.by Chair Schneider. OPENING CEREMONY Board Member Lynda Paquette led the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag. ROLL CALL There were present: Laura Schneider(via Zoom)presiding and Bruce Jaffa (via Zoom) Carl Hughes (via Zoom) Colby Lawrence (via Zoom) Lynda Paquette Erin Lemas (via Zoom) Benjamin Smith (via Zoom) comprising a quorum of the Board; and Norm Regis, Harbormaster,Acting City Manager Stephen Sowell,Assistant City Manager Karen Corrigan,Acting Deputy City Clerk Excused-None Absent-None CITIZEN COMMENTS ON ANY SUBJECT EXCEPT THOSE ITEMS SCHEDULED FOR PUBLIC HEARING-None APPROVAL OF AGENDA AND CONSENT AGENDA Motion (Hughes/Paquette) Approval of Agenda and Consent Agenda Schneider removed the December 2, 2020 Regular Meeting Minutes and the December 16, 2020 Special Meeting Minutes from the agenda. There was no objection from the board. Motion Passed Unanimous There were no consent agenda items. SPECIAL ORDERS, PRESENTATIONS AND REPORTS Proclamations & Awards- None City of Seward,Alaska Port and Commerce Advisory Board Meeting Minutes January 6, 2021 Volume 4, Page 2 Alaska Railroad Report. Christy Terry reported that the status updates on cruise ship agencies could be located on the particular agency's website, under COVID mitigation, for uNdiinformation on how the cruise ship industries were working to get ships back into Alaska. In response to Jaffa, Terry said that the railroad's south line was not closed, and maintenance would be done on the lines when there were projected freight movements. Chamber of Commerce Report. This report was included in the packet. Harbormaster Report. Norm Regis stated that the proposed property for the United States Coast Guard was being surveyed and was still in process. Other Reports and Announcements—None Presentations—None UNFINISHED BUSINESS Discuss, review, approve letter to Council for the Heat Pump Rebate. Schneider added in the second paragraph, as a last sentence, "An additional benefit of this program would be the increase in the predictable demand to the electric utility." Jaffa added the phrase "up to" in the first paragraph so the sentence read, "recommend to council approving utility rebates for heat pump installs at 50/50 or [up to] $1700". Per Paquette's suggestion, Schneider added at the end of the first sentence in first paragraph, "(These numbers are just a starting point for discussion)". Jaffa requested Phil Kaluza's presentation, which was mentioned in the letter, be included with the letter to council. Paquette requested the"50/50"be removed from the third paragraph, first sentence. Motion (Jaffa/Lawrence) Approve the Chair's Letter to Council for the Heat Pump Rebate with following changes; first paragraph, add "[up to]" $1,700 (These numbers are just a starting point for discussion)"; second paragraph, add "An additional benefit of this program would be the increase in the predictable demand to the electric utility."; third paragraph, removed "50/50" from first sentence. Motion Passed Unanimous City of Seward,Alaska Port and Commerce Advisory Board Meeting Minutes January 6, 2021 Volume 4, Page 3 NEW BUSINESS Other New Business Items Discuss January 20, 2021 work session topic. Schneider wanted to set topics for the 2021 calendar year. Jaffa wanted the board plan on how to reinvigorate our economy as the city comes out of COVID-19 restrictions and align with the Kenai Peninsula Economic Development District and the Chamber of Commerce of the direction the city should proceed. Schneider suggested the topic of"Discuss the city's economic development recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic" be added. Motion (Schneider/Jaffa) Set Work Session topic as set goals calendar for 2021 and discuss the city's economic development recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. Motion Passed Unanimous Discuss a virtual energy fair. No updates to discuss. Discuss PACAB report to Council. Schneider did not have the report prepared, and wanted to include the goals for 2021 in the report to council. Schneider would present a report to the board in March to review before submitting it to council. INFORMATIONAL ITEMS AND REPORTS —None CITIZEN COMMENTS —None BOARD AND ADMINISTRATION COMMENTS & RESPONSE TO CITIZEN COMMENTS Lemas thought the Zoom meeting was nice and wished everyone a Happy New Year. Smith responded that the climate discussion was important and believed there were broader items that would have a more quantifiable impact on our environment than heat pumps. He felt the need to reinvent our local economy away from tourism was imperative due to the drop in tourist numbers. City of Seward,Alaska Port and Commerce Advisory Board Meeting Minutes January 6, 2021 Volume 4, Page 4 Paquette wished everyone a Happy New Year, and wanted to transition from the discussion of the energy fair to turn into training sessions for the community and looked forward to 2021. Lawrence wished everyone a Happy New Year and Zoom meetings made it convenient to attend. Hughes apologized for missing previous meetings and wished everyone a Happy New Year and looked forward to the challenges ahead. Regis pointed out that Schneider was scheduled on the next agenda to give a report to council. Schneider said she would present a verbal report. Regis added that the airport was open again. Jaffa thanked all the board members for a full board meeting today and believed the contribution the board can make to the city was large when the board could all be present. Jaffa thanked the administration for all they did. Jaffa stated that the board needed to remember they have a role in commerce and not just the port. Jaffa mentioned there were developments in off- shore windmills, and there were great developments in energy conversation engineering. Jaffa pointed out that under citizen pressure, the State of Alaska Department of Transportation reopened a highway maintenance station and that citizens needed to continue the pressure the governor to keep our airport open. Schneider welcomed the new year and looked forward to all the projects this board had in the future. She thanked the board members for a full attendance. Schneider highlighted the Historic Preservation Commission's (HPC) work on historic location signs, and believed the project would be a great asset for Seward. Schneider thanked HPC for all their hard work. ADJOURNMENT The meeting was adjourned at 1:06 p.m. Karen Corrigan La a Schn ider Acting Deputy City Clerk air (City Seal) on OF i" ( wE Q"eo, • i SEAL • .• • 4: a tPx 41,4ee j ot, 9ati. P ey°•c OF A1+-/I`5•' ��0��tsos9°0�