HomeMy WebLinkAbout01232017 City Council Special Meeting Minutes City of Seward, Alaska City Council Special Meeting Minutes
January 23, 2017 Volume 40, Page 165
CALL TO ORDER
The January 23,2017 special meeting of the Seward City Council was called to order at 6:30
p.m. by Mayor Jean Bardarson.
OPENING CEREMONY
Police Chief Tom Clemons led the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag.
ROLL CALL
There were present:
Jean Bardarson presiding and
Marianna Keil Dave Squires
Sue McClure Deborah Altermatt
Erik Slater
comprising a quorum of the Council; and
Jim Hunt, City Manager
Johanna Kinney, City Clerk
Absent—Casagranda
CITIZEN COMMENTS ON ANY SUBJECT EXCEPT THOSE ITEMS SCHEDULED FOR
PUBLIC HEARING—None
APPROVAL OF AGENDA AND CONSENT AGENDA
Motion (Keil/McClure) Approval of Agenda and Consent Agenda
Motion Passed Unanimous
NEW BUSINESS
Resolution 2017-009, Declaring A State Of Disaster Emergency Due To Extreme Weather
And Heavy Snow In The City Of Seward And Requesting Assistance.
Motion (Keil/McClure) Approve Resolution 2017-009
Hunt stated beginning January 20, 2017, Seward received record snowfall in a very short
period of time. Crews were stretched to the limit of their manpower.Hunt made the declaration the
morning of January 21,2017 and alerted the Kenai Peninsula Borough that Seward was in a state of
emergency.He hoped there were outside resources available for cleanup.The borough was in contact
with the State Department of Transportation,but resources were not available. The city was on their
City of Seward, Alaska City Council Special Meeting Minutes
January 23, 2017 Volume 40, Page 166
own and Hunt was requesting council ratify his declaration in case they potentially had to call the
National Guard to assist. Crews were exhausted and equipment was breaking down.It was dangerous
out there now,and with rain coming next,it would become worse and structures could be in danger
of collapsing.
Long added the city was at full capacity for equipment and manpower and it was time to ask
for assistance. For this state of emergency to last longer than seven days,they needed to have council
confirm this declaration. Streams did not appear to be in danger of overflowing, but private and
public infrastructure could be dangerously affected, especially those that didn't have a high load
capacity; he encouraged the public to be proactive in clearing roofs. Administration needed the
declaration to go beyond seven days to keep this window open for potential reimbursement.
In response to Squires, Long said the Kenai Peninsula Borough had not declared an
emergency at their level as of yet. Squires noted a state declaration was needed to call in the National
Guard.Hunt noted he could go forward when council ratified tonight,first to the borough and then to
the state.
Squires requested they put out a notice for citizens to help by parking parallel downtown,
shoveling their infrastructure, and not traveling unnecessarily.
Altermatt asked where the financial relief would come from. Long said it was unknown at
this point,possibly borough, state, or even federal. Altermatt asked about shoveling for those who
did not have means,such as the elderly or sick. Keil said the Senior Center had been putting notices
out for those who needed help.
Slater asked how the city dealt with the massive snow fall that occurred in 2012. Hunt said
that snowfall occurred a little slower over time than being hit all at once, and they had more
manpower and more equipment. This snowfall occurred all at once and hit the crews hard.
In response to McClure, Long there was more snowfall than the city could handle. They
weren't able to contain it in an appropriate manner,even with all the equipment and contractors that
they have already obtained. Hunt said they couldn't drive their staff further than what was already
asked of them,they needed rest and the snow was predicted to continue.
Long stated they hired as many local private contractors as they could. He said the city
anticipated routine snowfall, but did not feel it was prudent to budget for these rare occurrences.
Keil said if the city needed to,perhaps they should appropriate money in the snow budget,as
they did in 2012.
Motion Passed Unanimous
COUNCIL COMMENTS
Keil said she got a call from a downtown business who commended staff for berm removal.
City of Seward,Alaska City Council Special Meeting Minutes
January 23, 2017 Volume 40, Page 167
Squires thanked administration for bringing this forward because this was only the second
time he had seen this done for snow.
Slater thanked everyone working on clearing snow.
Bardarson echoed the thanks.
Long said they would continue to use their resources as best they could.
CITIZEN COMMENTS
Kelley Lane wanted to know where the snow went.
COUNCIL AND ADMINISTRATION RESPONSE TO CITIZEN COMMENTS
Long said Public Works was currently hauling snow to the South Harbor Uplands.They were
not allowed to push the snow into the water. Long stated they would likely need to haul that snow
again in the spring off the uplands to a space designated in Forest Acres,but to save time they were
using the uplands right now. He added they needed to control and contain the run off from those
piles.
ADJOURNMENT
The meeting was adjourned at 6:50 p.m.
c
Joh a Ki - MC4 ean Bardarson
Ci Clerk Mayor
(City Seal) .' S Of SE •.
( ...•p ?C•';-..t,�'.. #:
• •... iJ L i
■ y ® �
■ 0 SE ice! ■
.. —r a
s
. d
*4',.f OF•F'-y r,
,,.f Soil flint ii
From: Ristine Casagranda [mailto:sewardhomes@gmail.com]
111 Sent: Monday, January 23, 2017 7:27 PM
To: Johanna Kinney
Subject: Re: waiving notice requirements
JO,
Here is my statement. Sorry, my phone died and I was on the other side of the island.
I, Ristine Casagranda,waive the right to be present and agree the need for the emergency special meeting occurring on
January 23,2017,I agree to waive the required notice requirements of SCC 2.10.032 due to the emergency declared in
the City of Seward.
Rissie
On Mon,Jan 23, 2017 at 2:49 PM,Johanna Kinney<jkinney@cityofseward.net>wrote:
Rissie,
Aloha! As you heard,Jim is calling an emergency meeting tonight for council to ratify his declaration of
an emergency due to the heavy snow dump we receive and are continuing to receive in Seward. Code
states "In an emergency, any special meeting shall be a legal meeting if all members are present or if
there be a quorum present and all absent members have waived, in writing, the required notice
requirements of section 2.10.032. Waivers may be before or after the time of the meeting."
To the best of my knowledge, you are the only council member not coming tonight—can you please
send me a separate email stating for the emergency special meeting occurring on January 23,2017,
you waive the required notice requirements of SCC 2.10.032 due to the emergency declared in the
City of Seward?
Let me know, otherwise we have to call another meeting to ratify because this one was called together
so quickly. I have a form created for you to sign, but the attorney said if you write an email stating as
such, that would suffice.
Thanks, Riss! Sorry to bug you on vacation!
Johanna Kinney, CMC
City Clerk, City of Seward
Post Office Box 167
Seward,Alaska 99664