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HomeMy WebLinkAbout08272007 City Council MinutesCity of Seward, Alaska City Council Minutes August 27, 2007 Volume 37 Pa~e405 CALL TO ORDER The August 27, 2007 regular meeting of the Seward City Council was called to order at 7:30 p.m. by Mayor Vanta Shafer. OPENING CEREMONY Police Chief Tom Clemons led the pledge of allegiance to the flag. ROLL CALL There were present: Vanta Shafer presiding and Willard Dunham Linda Amberg Bob Valdatta Steve Schafer Jean Bardarson Robert Thomas comprising a quorum of the Council; and Phillip Oates, City Manager Jean Lewis, City Clerk ABSENT -None CITIZENS' COMMENTS ON ANY SUBJECT EXCEPT THOSE ITEMS SCHEDULED FOR PUBLIC HEARING APPROVAL OF AGENDA AND CONSENT AGENDA Motion (Bardarson/Amberg) Approval of Agenda and Consent Agenda Motion Passed Unanimous The clerk read the following approved consent agenda items: The August 13, 2007 regular city council meeting minutes were approved. Election workers; Jean Cripps, Betty Casey, Rose McSwain and Mary Williamson, and canvass workers; Kim Reierson, Lori Draper, Jackie Campbell and Debbie Bond were approved for the October 2, 2007 municipal election. Non-code Ordinance 2007-005, Authorizing An Exception To SCC 3.65.020 To Permit Retroactive Application To July 1, 2007 Of Provisions In A Collective Bargaining Agreement ~... As And If Approved By Separate Resolution Of The City Council, was introduced and set for public hearing on September 10, 2007. City of Seward, Alaska City Council Minutes August 27 2007 Volume 37, Page406 Ordinance 2007-006, establishing Section 15.15.025, Historic Preservation, Seward Historic Plant & Tree Register, was introduced and set for public hearing on September 10, 2007. Resolution 2007-083, approving the expenditure of $16,883 from the 2007 street department operating budget for additional costs associated with paving of various sections of city streets authorized in Resolution 2007-044. Resolution 2007-084, authorizing the city manager to spend an amount up to $28,750.00 for the repairs to the 1997 436C Caterpillar Backhoe to NC Machinery. SPECIAL ORDERS, PRESENTATIONS AND REPORTS Proclamations and Awards The Resurrection Bay Lions Club Presented Seven AED's To The Seward Police Department. A Proclamation Was Read For Founder's Day August 28. Jenny Kaiser Was Awarded A Police Certification. A Plaque Of Appreciation Was Presented To Lynn Hohl For Over Seven Years Of Leadership And Dedicated Service On The Seward Planning & Zoning Commission. School Board Report. Lynn Hohl stated the School Board had passed goals to increase two-way communication of site councils, and to evaluate the delivery of education relative to school size. A $30 activity pass or user fee, that may not benefit smaller schools, failed to pass and would be addressed again in the fall. Hohl remarked that the special education task force ended this past week but standing committees that could propose education legislation were enacted and she urged support. She said substitute teachers were needed and that salaries had been raised. Training for anyone interested in substitute teaching would occur in September. Both Moose Pass and Seward Elementary received a performance incentive award by the State for schools whose students showed significant improvement from the year before. Hohl stated the School Board would have their October 1, 2007 meeting in Seward. In response to questions, Hohl said bus drivers were needed in Seward and when drivers came from other areas, bus trips became expensive. Declining enrollment was the reason for the reduction in programs and teachers. City Manager's Report. City Manager Phillip Oates thanked the volunteers for a Great Silver Salmon Derby. He noted a task force would be assembled from the community to identify areas of the budget process. Oates stated the city was soliciting volunteers for both the fire department and the volunteer ambulance corps., along with membership on various boards and commissions. City staff, the Chamber and PACAB would be hosting an economic forum at the High School on September 19, City of Seward, Alaska City Council Minutes August 27, 2007 Volume 37, Page407 2007. He thought they would break into work groups to look at development for new businesses, how to help existing businesses, and look at government. ^ The Japanese Creek Levee Repair invitation for bid was advertised for requesting temporary work to repair the levee. He would go further into detail on why later in this agenda. An annual floodplain outreach notice had been drafted that addressed flood insurance and emergency contact information. ^ The Alaska Railroad Coal Task Force would be resuming meetings, with coal shipments scheduled for October, November, and February. ^ Long Term Care Facility platting and zoning dates with Planning & Zoning and the Borough would be running from September 4, 2007 through October 16, 2007. ^ The Oak Street extension would not go out for bid this fall. The school district route would be utilized in the meantime. ^ Phase II of the harbor expansion was complete. New restrooms were open, fresh water and power were in to all slips, the new pump out station at the end of Q float was operational with tokens distributed from the harbor office. ^ A power pole breaker failure created severe fluctuations of power in some of the downtown area, which took 40 minutes for the line crew to fix the problem. Other Reports, Announcements and Presentations PUBLIC HEARINGS -None NEW BUSINESS Resolutions Resolution 2007-085. Authorizing The City Manager To Pursue Funding For Two Electric Generators And Associated Components And Design/Build Proposals For Fort Raymond Generator Building And A Warehouse With Office Space. Oates stated the results from an extensive work session were to purchase two used generators, controls, housing building and office space for a total of $8 million dollars. He recommended two phases. Phase I would pursue funding to purchase two refurbished generators and a building to house them for $6.5 million. Phase II would build a separate warehouse with office space for $1.5 million on the Fort Raymond site selected with Resolution 2006-37. Oates stated if the public works shop was combined, the city would have to purchase property ~ outside the Seward area big enough for a combined site, significant rate increases would be needed for electric, water and sewer, and the price of building materials was increasing daily while a site selection process went on. Although this did not offer a solution for the public works shop, and there City of Seward, Alaska City Council Minutes August 27 2007 Volume 37, Page408 would be a minor loss of savings and efficiency by not combining the shops, Oates stated it was time to address the generator problem now. He stressed the advantages to purchasing the generators, •~ warehouse and office space were: no rates would be increased, they could bond the project, total cost to build would only increase with time, it met all immediate and foreseeable needs, could be used for an EOC or backup location, saved office lease costs, solved equipment, office and storage needs by combining all electric materials stored in three different locations, was expandable, and allowed for automation of the control system that was badly needed. Oates expressed the Public Works property on 6`h Avenue would only generate around $1 million dollars and would continue to explore the possibility of combining shops with the State of Alaska for the future. Motion (Thomas/Schafer) Approve Resolution 2007-085 In response to questions, Utility Manager Tim Barnum stated the city could use Chugach' switches but he did not think it was advantageous and warned there would be a cost to oversee this. Barnum stated the cost estimates were as good as they could get without going into design. He stated cost estimate figures came from a Delta Junction project from Dryden and Larue, and were thought to be a bit on the high side. Over $2 million was built in for contingencies. Schafer stated contingencies were needed and necessary for overruns. Mayor Shafer liked the phases and felt there was no alternative but to start improvement now because of the need for the new generators. Motion Passed OTHER NEW BUSINESS Unanimous Pull the work session on the Library/Museum and schedule a work session to discuss the Nash Road Bench Area which includes SMIC, for Monday, September 24, 2007 at 6:00 p.m. The City Manager updated the council on non-compliance of previously passed Resolution 2007-079 by the property owner which addressed levee repairs and subdivision agreements in the vicinity of Japanese Creek, and his intent to put the repairs to bid and bill the owner for half the cost of those repairs. Council member Schafer had a conflict and left the dais and sat in the audience. Oates referred to the two letters submitted by Afognak Construction which declined paying for a portion of the levee repairs, and stated the city was forced in a position to put a bid out to repair the levee with opening on September 18, 2007. Since Afognak was declining in the sharing of repairs, the city would bill the property owner for reimbursement. Oates stated the bridge and culvert were still not removed and needed to be before flood season. He also noted the Schafer's would not elevate to base flood elevation (BFE). Oates reminded that the only reason this was platted before a subdivision agreement was in place was because of the original plan to locate the City of Seward, Alaska City Council Minutes August 27, 2007 Volume 37, Page409 Long Term Care Facility on the property. Oates further stressed the problem was the letter from Afognak was eliminating the city's ability to manage the risk of the levee. FEMA had determined the city would not be eligible for any federal dollars for building on the alluvial fan. He was told by Nelson & Associates that the levee design was curved because it was the only easement they could get from the property owner at the time. Oates would not enter into a subdivision agreement until all code provisions were met. In response to questions, Oates stated the BFE could be established, but bed loading would have to be managed. If there were houses built, that would be a different paradigm. Oates said the Charter of the Flood Service Board specifically kept them from planning where the city already had agreements in. Mayor Shafer was concerned about the bed load removal. When the city changed the way water flowed with the levee, and now had responsibility, she did not think the community should have to take responsibility for a portion of the creek that the city did not own. Oates stated the City should not be afraid to make the right choice in fear of a lawsuit. He stated FEMA recommended the land be used for other purposes than homes. Bardarson and Amberg agreed the bed loading needed to be addressed now. It was eternal and would not go away. Answering a question by Dunham about the road not being where the city had granted it, Oates explained that nothing in the creek bed had ever been permitted by the city, thus the city could not manage the risk. Thomas thought seeking state help was a pipe dream. They had no legal obligation and the Borough would not help out the situation either. Administration would move forward with Resolution 2007-079 and update the council periodically. INFORMATIONAL ITEMS AND REPORTS (No action required) Providence Seward Medical Center July Financial Report. City of Seward July Financial Report. COUNCIL COMMENTS Amberg thanked the Resurrection Bay Lions for their generous donation of the AED's, and would welcome the school board in October. She noted all the yards in the community looked great. Bardarson thanked Sam Daniel for cleaning up the highway and encouraged citizens to participate and volunteer. City of Seward, ,4laska City Council Minutes ,4ugust 27, 2007 Volume 37, Page410 Schafer thanked the Resurrection Bay Conservation Alliance for their bear proof garbage cans. He recently found out first hand that they worked when a bear worked on his can for 45 minutes to no avail. Dunham thanked the Chamber for a great Salmon Derby, and the Resurrection Bay Lions Club for the AED's in every police car. He thought with budget talks coming up, a fund could be established for improvements and growth to the city computer system, possibly contracting services and out sourcing, and changing the three hour parking lot. Dunham wanted to start talks about the new property around the south harbor area and to clean up the north launch ramp fish cleaning station. Oates iterated that they were applying for navigational servitude by the Corps. of Engineers and then would get guidance to bring back to the council. Mayor Shafer stated volunteerism could be very rewarding and encouraged people to consider volunteering. CITIZENS' COMMENTS Steve Schafer spoke with Mr. Cline who refused to do a BFE where none was required by zoning. He stated Mr. Nelson had designed the levee straight at first, but it was the building manager of the city that made it curved to not fill through a part that was excavated. Cline said the dike did not fail, it was damaged a bit but worked marvelously well considering the magnitude of the flood. He thought the city needed to fix its levee and was kicking the little guy. The road was across the creek before the levee was even thought of. He stated the city took over floodplain management after that. Schafer said the levee easement stated the city would put a road over the levee at Schafer's grade, up to but not crossing the creek, for the purpose of the Schafer's to access the property. He felt it was the city's levee, and they should fix it. The city changed the design and made it curved. COUNCIL AND ADMINISTRATION RESPONSE TO CITIZENS' COMMENTS -None. ADJOURNMENT The meeting was adjourned at 9:12 p.m. <:....~ n e s1~'0~ Jea Lewis Cit~ Clerk q~~ ~~ ,,,,: ~ y~a® ~° G; ~D~~O~ gj:•~~ °~ , G • A ~'~ F••: (City Seal) " ~ 5~~~~ ; ;~ ti :; ~• ~, -~- :• d •» a ~ f7 ~~ ~ , ; - ;~ ~~~AF~A435~S.~ f~~v~~ Vanta Shafer Mayor