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HomeMy WebLinkAbout06222026 City Council MinutesCite of Seward, Alaska City Council Meeting Minutes June 22, 2026 Volume 413, Page 235 CALL TO ORDER The Monday, June 22, 2026, regular meeting of the Seward City Council was called to order at 7:00 p.m. by Mayor Sue McClure. OPENING CEREMONY Chief of Police Louis Tiner led the Pledge of Allegiance. ROLL CALL There were present: Sue McClure, presiding, and John Osenga Robert Barnwell Julie Crites Casie Warner Lori Draper Mike Calhoon comprising a quorum of the Council; and Kat Sorensen, City Manager Jason Bickling, Deputy City Manager Kris Peck, City Clerk Jodi Kurtz, Deputy City Clerk Sam Severin, City Attorney Excused — None Absent — None PROCLAMATIONS AND AWARDS — None CITIZEN COMMENTS ON ANY SUBJECT EXCEPT THOSE ITEMS SCHEDULED FOR PUBLIC HEARING Sarah Tougas, inside city limits, spoke in support of the resolution to provide funding for the swimming pool. She recalled a near -fatal drowning incident with her child and spoke in support of swimming lessons and the importance of having a pool. Amanda Sweeting, outside city limits, provided a Chamber of Commerce update. She showcased the new Mt. Marathon Race guide publication. She provided an update that the Fourth of July Boat Parade was no longer happening do to insurance liabilities. Lastly, Sweeting acknowledged the recent whale strike incident with the cruise ship and said agencies were looking into how this could be prevented from happening again. City of Seward, Alaska City Council Meeting Minutes June 22, 2026 Volume 43, Page 236 APPROVAL OF AGENDA AND CONSENT AGENDA Motion (Osenga/Calhoon) Approval of Agenda and Consent Agenda Motion Passed Unanimous The clerk read the following approved consent agenda items: Approval of the June 8, 2026, City Council Meeting Minutes Resolution 2026-059: Authorizing the City Manager to Accept Grant Funding from the Seward Community Foundation Mini -Grant Program and the Alaska Community Foundation Nourished Communities Initiative in the Total Amount of $2,000 No grounds for protest to the AMCO liquor license renewal for The Seward Alehouse IN -PERSON REPORTS AND PRESENTATIONS City Manager Report City Manager Kat Sorensen announced that Seward was selected as a home port for a U.S. Coast Guard Arctic Security Cutter. There would be two other icebreakers home ported in Kodiak. She thanked the federal delegation, Senator Dan Sullivan and Vice Mayor John Osenga for their support in advocating for Seward as a home port. Public Works Director Doug Schoessler updated Council on the Lowell Creek Diversion Tunnel Project. He said the full tunnel project was now estimated at $400 million dollars and there was not enough funding to cover the complete project. It was not currently listed in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers [USACE] budget for this year. They were looking to switch gears and focus on repairs of the existing tunnel this winter. Sorensen added the USACE wanted to make sure they had full funding in place to complete the project before they started blowing holes in the mountain side. Council discussed the repairs, the rebuild, and the time -table for the project. Sorensen also added that she and the Finance Director will have a booth in Kawabe Park as part of the Fourth of July Festival. This public comment booth will field community suggestions for the 2027/2028 city budget. Draper commented she was excited to see the design phase for the harbor included a crane and a drive down dock. Lastly, Sorensen thanked Deputy City Manager Jason Bicking for his years of work on the Jesse Lee Home site, and the project was now being transitioned to Community Development. City of Seward, Alaska City Council Meeting Minutes June 22, 2026 Volume 43, Page 237 City Clerk Report - None City Attorney Report City Attorney Sam Severin noted the report was from the previous meeting packet and provided a few highlights. His office had assisted with the swimming pool resolution that was on the agenda tonight. He noted the Railbelt Transmission Organization decision had been pushed back to September. Overall, May had been a relatively quiet month. This month he was assisting with reviewing an upcoming ordinance regarding Title 3 and personnel. Other Reports and Announcements - None Presentations National Weather Service / Tsunami Alerts by Aviva Braun Seward Senior Center by Dana Paperman PUBLIC HEARINGS Ordinances for Enactment - None Resolutions Requiring Public Hearing Resolution 2026-056: Authorizing the City Manager to Negotiate and Execute a Land Swap of Equal Size in the Forest Acres Afognak Subdivision with Afognak Logging for Improved and Required Right of Ways Motion (Osenga/Barnwell) Approve Resolution 2026-056 Bickling explained the review process, the cul-de-sacs, a gravel pit, and why it made the most sense to do this land swap with Afognak Logging. He referred to the diagram in the packet that showed the land being exchanged. The city had no use for the gravel pit and Afognak Logging was interested in obtaining a continuous piece of land in that area. If approved, there would be more plat notes and other minor details to be sorted out in the near future. Notice of the public hearing being posted and published as required by law was noted and the public hearing was opened. No one appeared and the public hearing was closed. Motion Passed Unanimous UNFINISHED BUSINESS - None City of Seward, Alaska City Council Meeting Minutes June 22, 2026 Volume 43, Page 238 NEW BUSINESS Resolutions Resolution 2026-057: Authorizing the City Manager to Support Operations of the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District Pool Serving the Seward Community in the Amount of $200,000 Annually and Appropriating Funds Motion (Osenga/Calhoon) Approve Resolution 2026-057 Sorensen explained the agreement between three parties, City of Seward, Kenai Peninsula Borough School District, and the Kenai Peninsula Borough, in order to maintain, operate and fund the pool. The City of Seward's contribution would be the funding aspect. She thanked Severin for his assistance with the contract. Sorensen explained the "appropriating funds" on the resolution title was a bit of a misnomer, because the pool would be operating using other funds until January 1, 2027. She further explained the operating agreement and the potential for off -setting costs with user revenue. Barnwell noted similar pool situations in other communities. He wondered what would happen if the pool funding was restored. Sorensen noted provisions in the contract that would apply to various scenarios with funding being restored. Barnwell and Sorensen further discussed electric rates and user fees. Sorensen did not expect to re -coup the full $200,000 by any means. Motion Passed Unanimous Council recessed the meeting at 8:03 p.m. Council resumed the meeting at 8:08 p.m. Resolution 2026-058: Authorizing the City Manager to Approve the Additional Repairs from NC Machinery for the Caterpillar D6 Dozer Following Ocean Immersion in an Amount Not to Exceed $90,000 and Appropriating Funds Motion (Osenga/Calhoon) Approve Resolution 2026-058 Schoessler explained the current status of the repairs on the dozer. The $90,000 was the balance of what was left of the insurance money following the ocean immersion. He didn't intend to spend the full amount but rather wanted to have this extra cushion. Calhoon wanted to clarify that the insurance money went into the motor pool fund and not the Public Works Department fund. Sorensen explained the motor pool was technically the owner of the dozer and the Public Works Department and the General Fund pay an annual lease for it. Major repairs or replacements such as this would come from the motor pool. Motion Passed Unanimous City of Seward, Alaska City Council Meeting Minutes June 22, 2026 Volume 43, Page 239 Other New Business Discuss PACAB term expiration dates being shifted from July to January [Sponsored by the City Clerk] City Clerk Kris Peck summarized from his memo in the packet. The PACAB terms were currently set to expire in July, which was poor timing since the board took a summer hiatus for June, July, and August. Peck recommended January as the new month for terms to expire and in order to make this shift happen the new terms being advertised would be for 2.5 years instead of 3 years. McClure confirmed that PACAB was supportive of this change being made to January. Mandatory trash collection [Sponsored by Council Member Warner] Warner noted she had received community feedback about the mandatory trash collection and she wanted to bring it forward to have a public discussion. Sorensen explained the contract agreement with Alaska Waste and how it was a utility franchise that was approved by the majority of the voters. Residents inside city limits are required to pay for the trash pickup service. Barnwell noted how some people in the community wanted to opt out of the mandatory service. Sorensen said the trash pickup was a utility and the minimum amount had to be paid each month. Crites asked about financial assistance for anyone who couldn't afford to pay. Sorensen explained the city was ultimately responsible for collecting the debts for residents who don't pay the monthly bills. Then the outstanding charge is included on their city electric bills. INFORMATIONAL ITEMS AND REPORTS Upcoming City Council Meetings Regular Meeting on Monday, July 13, 2026, at 7:00 p.m. CITIZEN COMMENTS Nita Hollingsworth, inside city limits, thanked Council and Sorensen for all their work to keep the pool open. This was so important to the entire community. As Pool Manager, Hollingsworth wanted to make sure the pool would make money. Sarah Tougas, inside city limits, echoed previous comments on keeping the pool open. She noted a mixed response from other communities on their efforts to keep their pools open. Lastly, she complimented McClure on her time estimates of when agenda items would come up. City of Seward, Alaska City Council Meeting Minutes June 22, 2026 Volume 43, Page 240 COUNCIL AND ADMINISTRATION COMMENTS & RESPONSE TO CITIZEN COMMENTS Sorensen noted there was now a 3-week break between council meetings due to June having five Mondays. During the course of those weeks would be the massive Fourth of July holiday. She was excited about the City's festival booth on the budget. Lastly, she noted an update on the Seward Middle School was coming up within the next couple months. Calhoon thanked the public and presenters for sharing information. He was ready for a great Fourth of July and looking forward to regular summer after the big holiday. Warner thanked everyone for coming out today, especially the Tsunami Swim Team kids. She wished everyone a happy and safe Fourth of July weekend. Barnwell thanked Dana Paperman for the presentation on the Senior Center. He thanked Amanda Sweeting for bringing up the whale strike incident with the cruise ship. He wanted the cruise ship industry to be safe for both humans and animals. He was excited about the resolution for swimming pool funding and thanked Sorensen for her work on the contract. He wished everyone a Happy Fourth of July. Draper congratulated Sorensen on completing Grandma's Marathon in Duluth, Minnesota. Draper appreciated the public engagement on budget. She thanked Dana Paperman for all her fantastic work at the Senior Center. Lastly, Draper shared a couple highlights from the new Mt. Marathon Race Guide regarding the Alaska Sports Hall of Fame and runner Ephraim Kalmakoff. Crites appreciated the support for the swimming pool. She felt the Seward kids get short-changed for sports compared to the other side of the peninsula. Osenga appreciated the two presentations. He looked forward to the successful operation of the swimming pool. He wished everyone a Happy Fourth of July. McClure was excited about the swimming pool as kids should not have to learn to swim in First Lake. She appreciated the comment about Ephraim Kalmakoff and noted he was featured in her Solstice Cemetery Tour last night. Lastly, she hoped everyone will have a safe and fun Fourth of July weekend. Calhoon said this July 4th was the 250th birthday of the greatest country that has ever existed. ADJOURNMENT The meeting was adjourned at 8:34 p.m. Kris Peck City Clerk