HomeMy WebLinkAbout02242025 City Council Laydown - Jaffa250224 CC Laydown - Jaffa
Bruce Jaffa
P.O. Box 107 Moose Pass, Alaska 99631
Bruce@JaffaConstruction.com
Mobile 907-240-0362
March 3, 2025
Opening remarks:
2.30.320 A. Meetings The benefits from PACAB to the City of Seward
over the years have come from Regular meetings and many Work
Sessions and special committee meetings. The CC has made little use of
PACAB, rarely acknowledging their work, suggestions, or minutes. No
joint meeting with Council has been called for several years. Rarely do
Council members attend or participate with PACAB. Open seats often
exist, and I would suspect that many potential applicants wonder what
good can they do by serving on an Advisory Board to a Council that has
little or no interaction with it.
I joined PACAB when Jim Hunt and Ron Long often both attended, I
participated in many joint meetings with CC. The City's need for PACAB
seems to be a lot less than what it has been in my memory. Think about it.
Who of you have called me to discuss any issue. Was PACAB even asked
to provide input on Code changes? I do get calls from your community
members re issues. I won't give up and I remain enthusiastic for Seward's
future. I see the role of local resident input greater today than ever before.
I do think that some rules and application of the OMA, intended to provide
openness at all levels of government have interfered with small advisory
group activity. I am looking forward to completing my tour of service, if I
can hold on until my term is up.
Regarding 2025-002. Changes always come with mixed views.
Improvements are viewed differently by different people. The last City
Manager and Assistant Manager felt broad changes to City Code were
required although the proven need for any of those that were implemented
was mostly lacking.
2.30.310 A. does offer clarity to ambiguous terms. The surrounding area
by modern transportation extending to the Tern Lake Junction makes the
boundary clear and by coincidence includes my resodence.
NEW: No member shall serve more than 3(?) consecutive terms or 9
years. CC may elect to extend any members term for 1 year as many times
as they choose.
2.30.310 A. 2. City Residents should always fill four (4) seats. I do not
think this advisory group to Seward Council should ever be convened with
a majority of non -City voters..
2.30.310 F. & G. Citizen Volunteers do not serve for rewards. Public
service is to benefit a community and members provide their voice,
thoughts, and time toward the community improvement. Council has
regularly rewarded outstanding community members. It should not be
mandated by Code.
2.30.320 E. Special Sessions or Work Session should also be allowed by
request of 2-3 Board members.
Bruce Jaffa
250224 CC Laydown - Jaffa