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Home My WebLink About06232025 City Council MinutesCity ofSeward,Alaska City Council Meeting Minutes June 23,2025 Volume 42,Page 70 CALL TO ORDER The June 23,2025,regular meeting of the Seward City Council was called to order at 7:00 p.m. by Mayor Sue McClure. OPENING CEREMONY Police Chief Louis Tiner led the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag. ROLL CALL There were present: Sue McClure,presiding,and John Osenga Kevin Finch Randy Wells Robert Barnwell Julie Crites Casie Warner comprising a quorum ofthe Council;and Kat Sorensen,City Manager Jason Bickling,Deputy City Manager Kris Peck,City Clerk Jodi Kurtz,Deputy City Clerk Excused —None Absent —None PROCLAMATIONS AND AWARDS -None CITIZEN COMMENTS ON ANY SUBJECT EXCEPT THOSE ITEMS SCHEDULED FOR PUBLIC HEARING Porter Wilkerson,inside city limits,spoke in support of funding for school libraries,swimming pool,and theater.He was concerned these facilities were all going to be shut down. Amanda Sweeting,outside city limits,represented the Chamber of Commerce and updated council on the events,games,and race schedule for the upcoming Fourth of July Festival. Ristine Casagranda,inside city limits,addressed the Developer Reimbursement Program process.She was not aware of any opportunities to submit an application at this time.The DRP could use some refinements regarding the application process and knowing when funding was available.On another topic,Casagranda said the City Clerk and his office staff were amazing. City ofSeward,Alaska City Council Meeting Minutes June 23,2025 Volume 42,Page 71 APPROVAL OF AGENDA AND CONSENT AGENDA Motion (Osenga/Barnwell)Approval of Agenda and Consent Agenda Motion Passed Unanimous The clerk read the following approved consent agenda items: Approval ofthe June 9,2025,City Council Meeting Minutes Introduction of Ordinance 2025-010:Amending Seward City Code §15.10.220 and Table 15.10.222 Development Requirements Regarding the Language and Regulations Pertaining to Building Height Resolution 2025-061:Recommending Council to Accept and Appropriate Funds from the Alaska Historic Preservation Fund HPF-CLG Grant #24007 for the Hoben Park Restoration Project Sponsored by the Seward Historic Preservation Commission and City Manager IN-PERSON REPORTS AND PRESENTATIONS City Manager Report City Manager Kat Sorensen said the City of Seward was conducting a water service line lead survey.She explained residents can help by sending photos oftheir water service lines to the Public Works Department.On another topic,Sorensen was looking forward to the Fourth ofJuly Festival. The city was setting up an Emergency Operations Center to prepare for the big holiday event. Lastly,Sorensen said the city would be requesting proposals for Advanced Metering Infrastructure. Wells complimented the P&Z commission for their work session on parking.Wells hoped to set up a council discussion with administration regarding parking changes. City Clerk Report City Clerk Kris Peck updated council on clerk’s office staff attending out-of-state training conferences.Peck also noted the Mt.Marathon Race awards had arrived from Obihiro,Japan and were on display in council chambers. Presentations Kenai Peninsula Economic Development District Annual Update by Cassidi Cameron PUBLIC HEARINGS -None UNFINISHED BUSINESS -None City ofSeward,Alaska City Council Meeting Minutes June 23,2025 Volume 42,Page 72 NEW BUSINESS Resolutions Resolution 2025-059:Approving an Update to the 2025 City of Seward Community Library & Museum Fee Schedule Motion (Osenga/Warner)Approve Resolution 2025-059 Sorensen explained the shift away from cash and trending towards credit card payments for small transactions without losing money on the credit card processing fees.The library also wanted to add items that were requested by popular demand such as stickers,hoodies,and tote bags.This resolution was a good opportunity to combine items into one amendment to the 2025 fee schedule. Warner asked about other city departments passing on the credit card processing fee to the user. Sorensen said it was a common practice among departments.She described how different departments had different methods of processing credit cards and Sorensen was working to make them more unified. Motion Passed Unanimous Resolution 2025-060:Approving Amendment #2 to the Employment Agreement with the City Clerk [This resolution is to be discussed and voted on after the annual evaluation has taken place] Other New Business Discuss the Developer Reimbursement Program Application Process Deputy City Manager Jason Bickling explained some of the current issues with city code in regard to the DRY being open or closed.He was interested in making changes to city code to make the program a more transparent and flexible process.Bickling envisioned the DRY being able to accept applications even while the program was closed.Work sessions could be held with council and developers to openly discuss the projects. Council discussed the DRP application process. Finch noted how the window for the program would close and all the money would go into that one direction. Barnwell commented on having a checklist matrix for scoring the developer applications.He was concerned it could get ugly or political without a checklist in place. Council directed administration to bring back an ordinance with the proposed changes. City ofSeward,Alaska City Council Meeting Minutes June 23,2025 Volume 42,Page 73 INFORMATIONAL ITEMS AND REPORTS Other Items The Importance of Flag Day by Council Member Finch Upcoming City Council Meetings City Council Meeting Monday,July 14,2025,at 7:00 p.m. CITIZEN COMMENTS Ristine Casagranda,inside city limits,thanked council for the discussion on the DRP.She recalled when the DRP was only a dream.The program had so much potential and there was still a lot of fine tuning to enhance the DRP.Seward was still way ahead of the curve with the DRP and needed to find ways to keep this project going. Amanda Sweeting,outside city limits,also wanted to add that the road closures for the Fourth of July Festival were listed in the race guide and online. COUNCIL AND ADMINISTRATION COMMENTS &RESPONSE TO CITIZEN COMMENTS Sorensen thanked the Chamber of Commerce and the Mt Marathon Race Committee.She wished everyone a Happy Fourth of July. Bickling wished everyone a Happy Fourth of July. Crites thanked Cassidy Cameron for her KPEDD presentation. Warner thanked Cameron for coming to Seward in-person and presenting on KPEDD.Warner thanked the library for their summer reading program.Warner was really looking forward to the Fourth of July. Finch thanked Cameron for the presentation.He hoped the DRY would continue to grow.He wished everyone a safe Fourth of July weekend.Finch wanted to spread the word to avoid congesting Lowell Canyon with car traffic. Barnwell thanked Cameron for the KPEDD data and presentation.He encouraged everyone to be careful on the Fourth of July.He was always scared for the runners in the Mt.Marathon Race. Barnwell thanked the Chamber of Commerce for their efforts during this crazy time of year. Wells thanked Community Development for their book collection and recommended reading The High Cost of Free Parking.He thanked the,P&Z commissioners who discussed parking at the last work session. City of Seward,Alaska June 23,2025 City Council Meeting Minutes Volume 42.Pacse 74 Osenga thanked Cameron for the KPEDD presentation.He wished everyone a safe and fun Fourth of July. McClure thanked Cameron for the presentation on KPEDD.She appreciated all the folks who came out for the Solstice Cemetery Tour.On the topic of the Mt.Marathon Race,McClure noted the City Manager was still trying to beat the Mayor’s fastest race time.McClure encouraged all the racers to be careful on the mountain.She recalled one year during the race,a falling rock broke her collarbone.On a sad note,McClure announced her dear friend Margaret Anderson passed away last week. Council recessed the meeting at 800p.m. Council resumed the meeting at 8:0.5 p.m. EXECUTIVE SESSION Annual Evaluation of the City Clerk Motion (McClure/Osenga)Go into Executive Session to Evaluate the City Clerk City Clerk Kris Peck invited City Manager Kat Sorensen and Deputy City Manager Jason Bickling to stay for the executive session. Motion Passed Council went into executive session at 8.05 p.m. Council came out of executive session at 828p.m. Unanimous Resolution 2025-060:Approving Amendment #2 to the Employment Agreement with the City Clerk Motion (Osenga/Barnwell) Motion Passed ADJOURNMENT The meeting was adjourned at 8:30 p.m. Approve Resolution 2025-060 Unanimous Kris Peck City Clerk Sue McClure Mayor