HomeMy WebLinkAbout10082012 City Council Minutes City of Seward, Alaska City Council Minutes
October 8, 2012 volume 39, Page 19
CALL TO ORDER
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The October 8, 2012 regular meeting of the Seward City Council was called to order at 7:00
p.m. by Mayor David Seaward.
OPENING CEREMONY
Police Chief Tom Clemons led the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag.
ROLL CALL
There were present:
David Seaward presiding and
Jean Bardarson Christy Terry
Vanta Shafer Bob Valdatta
Ristine Casagranda Marianna Keil
comprising a quorum of the Council; and
Jim Hunt, City Manager
Johanna Kinney, City Clerk
Absent — None
CITIZEN COMMENTS ON ANY SUBJECT EXCEPT THOSE ITEMS SCHEDULED FOR
PUBLIC HEARING - None
APPROVAL OF AGENDA AND CONSENT AGENDA
Motion (Bardarson /Terry) Approval of Agenda and Consent Agenda
Casagranda added a discussion on direction to administration for the fluoridation compromise.
Motion Passed Unanimous
The clerk read the following approved consent agenda items:
Resolution 2012 -076, Accepting Funds From A Rasmusson Foundation Tier I Grant In The
Amount Of $6,750 To Update Seward Library's Non - Fiction Collection And Appropriating
Funds.
Resolution 2012 -077, Restoring Budgeted Line Items To Account For The Cost Of Credit Card
Fees Charged To The City When Customers Pay By Credit Card.
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The August 27, 2012 City Council Regular Meeting Minutes were approved.
City of Seward, Alaska City Council Minutes
October 8, 2012 Volume 39, Page 20
Certification of the October 2, 2012 Municipal Election results was approved.
Budget Work Sessions were scheduled for November 5, 6, and 7, 2012 at 6:00 p.m.
SPECIAL ORDERS, PRESENTATIONS AND REPORTS
Proclamations & Awards
A Proclamation was presented to the individuals and agencies who took part in the 2012
Mount Marathon Rescue for the missing male runner.
A Fire Prevention Week Proclamation was read.
October was proclaimed Domestic Violence Awareness Month.
October was proclaimed Archives Month.
Borough Assembly Report, Sue McClure stated the Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly
met on September 18, 2012 in Homer and toured the South Peninsula Hospital. One item that
impacted Seward was the Assembly pulled the ordinance that would have appropriated funds for the
purchase of the property for the new site location of the Bear Creek Multi -Use Service Area Facility.
After environmental testing, stability problems were discovered and the plan was adapted to build on
the existing site even though it's in a flood plain. She complimented the city, borough and flood
board for their coordinated efforts to combat this flood. As a result of the flooding, the Assembly
held a special meeting on September 28, 2012 to extend the State of Emergency Declaration by 60
days so they could continue to file claims, and they appropriated $500,000 from the General Fund to
begin paying for some of the costs associated with repairs.
The Assembly would be certifying the election on October 9, 2012, and would include all
ballots received through the mail until then. On October 13, 2012, she would be traveling to outlying
communities to gather capital improvement project priorities and also to have them decide on how to
spend state revenue sharing monies.
Valdatta announced that October 15 -17, 2012 the state would have a disaster field team in
Seward to collect claims from citizens who suffered flood damages. McClure added the state
representatives would be available from 9:00 a.m. — 7:00 p.m. on those dates at the Legends
Building.
City Manager's Report, Acting City Manager Kris Erchinger stated the City Manager
and Assistant City Manager were both traveling on city business. Upon their return, they would bring
to council updates on the Coastal Villages Region Fund, the Seward Community Library Museum
Project, the AVTEC contract revisions and the flood debriefing.
There were no expenditures between $10,000 and $50,000 approved by the City Manager Y Y er g Illj
since the last council meeting. Dredging work started on October 2, 2012 at Z -Float in the harbor.
The recent flooding did not cause any major damage at the harbor. There was a new dock worker
City of Seward, Alaska City Council Minutes
October 8, 2012 volume 39, Page 21
hired, August Aga, who previously worked at the Kodiak harbor. Parks and Recreation Director
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Karin Sturdy attended State of Alaska's Behavioral Health Prevention Grantee training in Anchorage
through the Seward Prevention Coalition. Public Works personnel did an outstanding job safely
protecting and recovering the bridge at the waterfall, and restoring access to Lowell Point during
flooding. The Electric Department was pursuing a more permanent solution for the customers in the
Camelot subdivision.
On behalf of Willard Dunham, Erchinger reported that the Seward Mural Society was very
grateful to the city for its ongoing support. Consul Koichi Funayama from Japan was very impressed
with our city and the coal- loading facility and was surprised that Chile was the largest buyer. He was
aware of the new contract that had been agreed to between Japan and Aurora Energy and was also
aware of our fish sales to Japan.
In response to Terry, Erchinger said Providence Seward Medical Center had been
interviewing for a new administrator, but had not yet hired anyone to fill Chris Bolton's vacancy.
Bardarson stated she was in Anchorage on October 5, 2012 and met with lobbyist Kent
Dawson and representatives from the Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority
(AIDEA), along with Jim Hunt. They discussed the plan that needed to be ready if the General
Obligation Bond Package passed this coming election.
Mayoral Report, David Seaward stated he attended the Multi - Agency Flood Debriefing
Meeting last Saturday. The State of Alaska was one of three in the U.S. that helped residents
impacted by flood. There were two programs in Alaska to assist individual homeowners: a family
grant program and a temporary housing program. He was grateful there were no injuries caused by
the flood. Representatives from the State of Alaska's Emergency Management Team would be in
Seward on October 15 -17, 2012 at the Legend's Building to assist individuals and homeowners in
filing claims. Also, well water testing coordination efforts were under way at the Kenai Peninsula
Borough office at the Seaview Plaza on October 8 -10, 2012.
Other Reports, Announcements and Presentations
NEW BUSINESS
Resolution 2012 -078, Allocating Additional Funds For Dredging The Small Boat Harbor
Pursuant To The City's Agreement With The Us Army Corps Of Engineers And Authorizing
The City Manager To Enter Into The Change Order In The Amount Of $161,602.56
Motion (Terry /Shafer) Approve Resolution 2012 -078
Erchinger stated that the harbor was surveyed several years ago and provided an estimate of
how much material would need to be dredged at that time. Since that time, it had become apparent
that additional dredging would be required. The original estimate for $603,983 was for an estimated
2,250 cubic yards of dredging, and the city was planning to stockpile the dredged materials. The
source of funds that council previously appropriated was $550,000 from the Commercial Passenger
Vessel Tax Program and $53,983 from the Small Boat Harbor Fund. Resolution 2012 -078 was
City of Seward, Alaska City Council Minutes
October 8, 2012 Volume 39, Page 22
asking for an additional $161,602.56 that would allow an additional 896 cubic yards to be dredged
and bringing the total dredging to 3,146 cubic yards. rrr
Terry said Seward had done a great job to make sure the Commercial Passenger Vessel Tax
Program funds were appropriately used per state statute. The area that required additional dredging
was an area originally identified as the most beneficial for cruise ship passengers, and that was good
justification for using the monies since that float (Z- Float) served the cruise ships with emergency
response vessels.
Harbormaster Mack Funk said in Seward they were fortunate they didn't have to dredge
every year unlike other municipalities in Alaska. Valdatta thought the city should send a letter to the
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (ACE) regarding the breakwater project and how poorly it was
designed. Erchinger said the cost of dredging was good because the city was partnering with ACE
and, although it wasn't a great design to begin with, they tried to maintain a good relationship with
ACE. Valdatta's concern was that projects be done right the first time so they didn't have to be re-
done.
Motion To Amend (Terry/Keil) Add a new 6 Whereas that states,
"WHEREAS, the restricted CPV Funds
will be spent in compliance with AS
43.52.230 (b) for Alaska's cruise ship
passengers with additional dredging in the
area of Z- Float, or L -1, directly benefitting
two life safety emergency vessels, the U.S.
Coast Guard Cutter Mustang, and the City
of Seward's fire boat that respond to cruise
ship emergencies; and,"
Motion To Amend Passed Unanimous Consent
Main Motion Passed Unanimous
Other New Business
A Work Session was scheduled for December 10, 2012 at 6:00 p.m. to review the contract for
Seward Providence Medical Center.
Council re- scheduled the Work Session to discuss Ordinance 2012 -010, Amending Title 14 of
the City's Code of Ordinances to provide for Interconnection of Small Renewable Energy to
October 24, 2012 at 5:00 p.m.
Council directed administration to alert council prior to spending any time or money pursuing
or lobbying for grants or funding that would support or further water fluoridation.
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INFORMATIONAL ITEMS AND REPORTS
City of Seward, Alaska City Council Minutes
October 8, 2012
Volume 39, Page 23
Hazard Mitigation Plan Update
Progress Report for the Library /Museum Project
COUNCIL COMMENTS
Bardarson thanked the public for their support for her re- election and she would work hard
for them. She congratulated Council Members Casagranda and Keil as well, and thanked Ken
Blatchford and Tim McDonald for putting their names into the hat.
Keil thanked the public for their votes and looked forward to working with everyone.
Shafer asked council to give direction to the mayor to attend newly - elected official training
being held at the Alaska Municipal League (AML) Conference in November. Seaward said he
would be willing to go if that was council's wishes.
Casagranda thanked everyone for their support during the election and she was grateful to
be re- elected. She would be traveling on vacation from October 15 - December 6, 2012 and while
she was away she planned to participate in work session discussions and listen to the council
meetings.
Terry welcomed the U.S. Coast Guard Cutters Sycamore and Maple, congratulated those
who were re- elected, and thanked Ken Blatchford and Tim McDonald for their participation.
Valdatta said since the cruise ship season ended it was unclear if and when the free shuttle
bus system was ending and there appeared to be confusion by visitors. He hoped next year it would
run more smoothly and the shuttle bus schedule would be communicated better.
Seaward thanked everyone for coming, Martha Fleming for running the camera, and GCI for
providing the broadcasting service. He reminded citizens to contact the state and borough if they
needed assistance with flood claims.
CITIZEN COMMENTS
Patty Linville mentioned the new tiles on the outside walls of the new Library Museum and
said they had been well received and had heard a lot of great comments about them. Visitors to the
Library Museum verbalized their excitement about the project.
COUNCIL AND ADMINISTRATION RESPONSE TO CITIZEN COMMENTS
Keil said she also had heard a lot of positive feedback about the outer walls of the new
Library Museum and she congratulated Sue McClure on being re- elected as Seward's Kenai
Peninsula Borough Representative.
ADJOURNMENT
City of Seward, Alaska City Council Minutes
October 8, 2012 Volume 39, Page 24
The meeting was adjourned at 8:37 p.m. ror
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Johanna Kinney, _ C David Seaward
C ty Clerk Mayor
(City Seal)
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