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Home My WebLink AboutORD2025-002 Title 2 PACABism L 4 Sponsored by: City Clerk Introduction: February 10, 2025 Public Hearing: February 24, 2025 Amended and Enacted: February 24, 2025 CITY OF SEWARD, ALASKA ORDINANCE 2025-002 AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SEWARD, ALASKA, AMENDING SEWARD CITY CODE, TITLE 2, CHAPTER 2.30, ARTICLE 3 — PORT AND COMMERCE ADVISORY BOARD WHEREAS, Title 2, Section 2.30 of the Seward City Code, pertains to the City of Seward Boards and Commissions; and WHEREAS, the Port and Commerce Advisory Board reviewed these proposed amendments with the City Clerk during the December 4, 2024 meeting; and WHEREAS, in order to better serve the Council, administration and the public, and to better reflect the Board's current role, the City Clerk has brought forward this ordinance to amend Title 2, Article 3 — Port and Commerce Advisory Board. NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY OF SEWARD ORDAINS, that: Section 1. Seward City Code Title 2 is hereby amended to read as follows with new language underlined and deleted language is stricken: 2.30.310 Established. A. Composition. The Port and Commerce Advisory Board is hereby created, consisting of seven residents of the City of Seward and/or surrounding arcs, general Seward area spanning from Lowell Point to the Tern Lake Junction on the Seward Highway, who shall be appointed by the council. voting. 1. Applicants must receive at least four votes in order to be appointed. The council may use ballot voting to make the appointments- or make a nomination and call for a vote. Council may also choose not to make an appointment and re -advertise the vacancy. 2. At least four seats shall be filled by residents inside Seward city limits. If there are no city residents applying, council may consider filling the seats with non-residents. 3. No officer or employee of the city may be appointed a member of the board. B. Chair and vice chair. 1. The board shall select a chair and vice chair annually. CITY OF SEWARD, ALASKA ORDINANCE 2025-002 Page 2 of 4 2. The chair shall preside at all board meetings, may participate in the debate, and vote on any matter of the board. 3. In the absence of the chair, the vice chair shall exercise all the powers of the chair. 2.30.315 Terms of office; filling vacancies. A. Members of the Port and Commerce Advisory Board shall be appointed for a term of three years; provided, that the terms of initial appointments shall be staggered so that as nearly as possible a pro rata number of members shall be appointed for each year. B. The council may appoint any qualified person to fill a vacancy of any member of the board provided that the appointment shall be for the unexpired term of the vacancy. C. Following a member's absence from three consecutive meetings or 25 percent of scheduled meetings of the board, the remaining board members may decide whether the board member should be retained or dismissed. Any recommendation from the board or administration for dismissal of a board member shall be forwarded to city council for action. D. Members shall not be paid for services on the board or participation in board activities without prior approval of the city council. E. New members shall take the oath of office with the city clerk. F. Members who serve one full term may receive a plaque in recognition upon end of service. G. Members serve two or more full terms on the commission may receive an engraved gold pan in recognition upon end of service. 2.30.317 Staff assistance to board. A. The city manager, or designee from the harbor department, shall: 1. Assist the board and shall be qualified by special training and experience in the field of ports, harbors, and commerce.; 2. Be the regular technical advisor of the board, but shall not have the power to vote. B. City staff shall provide a clerk to the board. The clerk shall: The city manager's office staff, or designee, shall: Properly advertise the meetings as required by the Alaska Open Meetings Act; 1. Prepare the board packet.; and 2. Attend the board meetings and work sessions. and keep a record of board proceedings. C. The city clerk's office shall: 1. Advertise the meetings as required by the Alaska Open Meetings Act. w 1 CITY OF SEWARD, ALASKA ORDINANCE 2025-002 Page 3 of 4 2. Attend and clerk the board meetings and take meeting minutes of board proceedings. 2.30.320 Meetings and quorum. A. The Port and Commerce Advisory Board meets on the first and third Wednesday of the month, excluding June, July, and August in city council chambers. B. Four members of the board shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business except that, in the absence of a quorum, any number less than a quorum may adjourn the meeting to a later date. C. The affirmative votes of at lest a majority of those board members present shall be C. Four affirmative votes are required for any action. D. The clerk to thc commission shall keep minutes of proceedings showing thc vote of each J immediately filed in the office of the city clerk and shall be a public record. D. The format of the monthly meetings shall be determined by the city manager and city clerk. The meeting options are Regular Meeting or Work Session. E. Special meetings or additional Work Sessions may be called by the city clerk upon written request of the city manager or three board members. 2.30.325 Powers and duties. A. It shall be the responsibility of the port and commerce advisory board to: 1. Report annually to the city council at the last council meeting prior to the year end and at any other time as may be requested by the city council. The annual report shall include, at the minimum, a report on the current year's activities, and a list of the upcoming year's planned activities. 2. Make recommendations to the city council concerning the design and coordination of projects to promote and develop transportation, trade, energy, commerce, and related infrastructure throughout Seward.; 3. Provide input to the city council on policy and procedural matters involving the establishment and continuance of commercial activity to improve the quality of life and to protect the public's best interest. 4. Advise the city council on matters involving the establishment of support services towards the objectives outlined in subsections 2.30.325(A)(2) and 2.30.325(A)(3).; 5. Perform other duties as requested by the city council. CITY OF SEWARD, ALASKA ORDINANCE 2025-002 Page 4 of 4 B. The board shall have no authority to solicit, expend or commit city funds without first obtaining approval by and any necessary appropriations from the city council. Section 2. This ordinance shall take effect ten (10) days upon enactment. ENACTED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SEWARD, ALASKA this 24th day of February 2025. THE CITY OF SEWARD, ALASKA Sue McClure, Mayor AYES: Barnwell, Crites, Warner, Osenga, Finch, Wells, McClure NOES: None ABSENT: None ABSTAIN: None ATTEST: Kris Peck City Clerk (City Seal) s%sy1OF,SEj ' SEAL i;nry ALP.ss' 1 1 City Council Agenda Statement Meeting Date: February 10, 2025 To: City Council From: City Clerk Subject: AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SEWARD, ALASKA, AMENDING SEWARD CITY CODE, TITLE 2, CHAPTER 2.30, ARTICLE 3 — PORT AND COMMERCE ADVISORY BOARD Background and justification: The current city code for Boards & Commissions leaves several unanswered questions that need to be defined or answered more clearly, such as the boundaries of Seward's "surrounding areas" and the line about "city staff shall provide a clerk to the board." This ordinance intends to better define the roles of city staff and the clerk's office in relation to PACAB, as well as tighten other aspects of the board. New additions include a requirement for one board member to reside inside city limits. Another major change is the voting would require a minimum of 4 votes rather than a majority of those present. This ordinance also provides more clarity to standard operating practices such as board members taking the Oath of Office, a mechanism for calling a special meeting, and receiving recognition for service on the board. Lastly, the frequency of meetings would be reduced to once per month and retain the summer hiatus. The current code requirement of PACAB meeting twice per month feels like a burden on city staff. By comparison P&Z is only required to meet once per month, and the Historic Preservation Commission is only twice per year. The City Clerk has calculated that one PACAB regular meeting includes x6 different city staff members for a combined total of 30 hours which equates to roughly $1,000. X Yes Attorney Signature: Not applicable Comments: