City and Borough Assembly

ASSEMBLY CHAMBERS CITY AND BOROUGH OF SITKA 1332 Seward Ave. Room 229 Sitka, AK (907)747-1811 Minutes - Final City and Borough Assembly Mayor Mim McConnell Deputy Mayor Matt Hunter Vice-Deputy Mayor Benjamin Miyasato Aaron Swanson, Steven Eisenbeisz Tristan Guevin, and Bob Potrzuski Municipal Administrator: Mark Gorman Municipal Attorney: Robin L. Koutchak Municipal Clerk: Sara Peterson, CMC Tuesday, September 22, 2015 6:00 PM Assembly Chambers REGULAR MEETING I. CALL TO ORDER II. FLAG SALUTE III. ROLL CALL Present: 7 - McConnell, Hunter, Swanson, Miyasato, Eisenbeisz, Guevin, and Putz IV. CORRESPONDENCE/AGENDA CHANGES 15-180 Reminders and Correspondence V. CEREMONIAL MATTERS 15-181 Certificate of Service for Lynne Brandon Mayor McConnell presented a certificate of service to City and Borough of Sitka employee Lynne Brandon. Brandon thanked the Assembly and public for their support over the years. The Assembly wished Brandon well with her new venture at Sitka Trail Works. VI. SPECIAL REPORTS: Government to Government, Municipal Boards/Commissions/Committees, Sitka Community Hospital, Municipal Departments, School District, Students and Guests (time limits apply) Lawrence SpottedBird, General Manager of Sitka Tribe of Alaska announced events coming up in the next few months and expressed his enthusiasm for being a member of the newly formed Citizens' Taskforce. 15-182 Meet five International Exchange Students Krisanne Rice, a volunteer with AFS, provided background on the AFS and Rotary CITY AND BOROUGH OF SITKA Page 1 City and Borough Assembly Minutes - Final September 22, 2015 International exchange student programs. The five students introduced themselves. 15-183 Chief Finance and Administrative Officer update on emergency expenditures Jay Sweeney, Chief Finance and Administrative Officer, reported on the expenditures thus far from the diesel spill and landslides that occurred in August. The estimated costs as of September 22 were $459,022. Sweeney noted the money used to respond to the diesel spill came from the Electric Department Funds. VII. PERSONS TO BE HEARD Sue Riggs spoke to the issue of owner account status and expressed concerns about rescinding the policy. Zachary Desmond invited the Assembly and public to attend the Sitka Health Summit at UAS on October 9. VIII. REPORTS a. Mayor, b. Administrator, c. Attorney, d. Liaison Representatives, e. Clerk, f. Other Mayor - Attended the Southeast Conference in Prince Rupert and meetings in Victoria. The Lieutenant Governor attended part of the meeting in Prince Rupert and spoke about, among other things, the transboundary issues concerning the mines in British Columbia. He gave an update on progress and answered questions. The Mayor felt pretty good about the direction government was taking, which was a slow but progressive one, but required diligence on the public's part to make sure this ball was not dropped. The Mayor learned a lot about Prince Rupert, met the new Mayor Lee Brain, the Mayor of neighboring community, Prince Edward, council members from both communities, and toured the waterfront industries by train and tour boat. She reported Prince Rupert had a busy port with shipping activities that served clients around the world. In Victoria, she met with Tourism Victoria CEO, Paul Nursey, and Western Stevedoring General Manager, John Briant, who operated the Ogden Point cruise ship berths. McConnell learned about Victoria's tourism successes and limitations and they learned about Sitka's. Also met with Victoria Mayor Lisa Helps. She was interested in Sitka's government-to-government relationship with STA and would like to do something like that with the First Nation tribes in her area. She reported there was much in common, including an interest in housing issues. Also at this meeting was the board president of Tourism Victoria, David Cowen, who was the CEO of the Butchart Gardens. McConnell reported Victoria was working on a city-wide economic development plan. Administrator - Attended the inaugural meeting of the Citizens' Taskforce, received word from the State that they had turned down the CBS management offer of the Halibut Point Recreation Area, spoke with Lobbyist Larry Markley about the FY17 Legislative Priorities approach, and announced Sitka Hotel had sold and City and Borough of Sitka liabilities had been paid. Attorney - Encouraged citizens to apply to serve on the Marijuana Advisory Board. Liaison Representatives - Hunter attended the most recent Port and Harbors Commission meeting however there was not a quorum and encouraged those interested in serving to apply. In the Mayor's absence, he welcomed the cruise ship Le Boreal which made its inaugural visit to Sitka, Putz reported on the Tree and Landscape Committee meeting, and Guevin shared information from the recent CITY AND BOROUGH OF SITKA Page 2 City and Borough Assembly Minutes - Final September 22, 2015 meetings of the Sitka School Board and the Citizens' Taskforce. Clerk - Peterson noted the Municipal Election was October 6, informed the public of the polling locations, and noted Absentee/Advanced Voting was available through October 5 at City Hall. IX. CONSENT AGENDA A 15-184 Approve the minutes from the September 8, 2015 Assembly meeting A motion was made by Hunter to APPROVE this Item. The motion PASSED by a unanimous voice vote. X. BOARD, COMMISSION, COMMITTEE APPOINTMENTS B 15-185 Appoint Loyd Platson to a three-year term on the Police and Fire Commission A motion was made by Putz to APPROVE this Item. The motion PASSED by a unanimous voice vote. XI. UNFINISHED BUSINESS: C ORD 15-45 Adjusting the FY16 Budget Eisenbeisz wondered why there was the addition of a forklift to the budget at this time. Gorman responded it was a catastrophic failure that was not anticipated. Jay Sweeney, Chief Finance and Administrative Officer, explained a majority of the appropriations in the ordinance were outside of the General Fund and further explained the process for appropriations and the affect on the budget. A motion was made by Swanson to APPROVE this Ordinance on second and final reading. The motion PASSED by the following vote. Yes: 7- McConnell, Hunter, Swanson, Miyasato, Eisenbeisz, Guevin, and Putz D ORD 15-46 Amending Sitka General Code to remove vacation rates at Chapter 15.04 "Sewer System," Chapter 15.05 "Water System," Chapter 15.06 "Solid Waste Treatment and Refuse Collection" and removing reference to vacation rates in footnotes in Section 15 of the Sitka General Code Sue Riggs shared her opinion on the ordinance and pointed out people may be out of town for medical reasons with regards to having a vacation rate in place. Hunter stated the rationale was that it cost money to run utility services to homes and noted the cost of replacing infrastructure was a factor. He further added the City should be receiving payment for these services if a citizen was enjoying the benefit of having the lines run to their home. Putz spoke in support of the overall intent of the ordinance. A motion was made by Putz to APPROVE this Ordinance on second and final reading. The motion PASSED by the following vote. CITY AND BOROUGH OF SITKA Page 3 City and Borough Assembly Minutes - Final September 22, 2015 Yes: 7- McConnell, Hunter, Swanson, Miyasato, Eisenbeisz, Guevin, and Putz New Business First Reading E ORD 15-47 Authorizing the lease of approximately 16,436 feet of submerged tidelands in Alaska Tidelands Survey 1189 and 1559 Tract A Maegan Bosak, Planning and Community Development Director, spoke to the encroachment issue on the north side of the property. Bosak explained it was a 5 year lease and hoped to streamline the entire lease area in 2021 when the main lease from the State was up for renewal. Eisenbeisz felt the lease rate appeared to be low. Bosak offered the rates were standard tidelands lease rates based on a formula. A motion was made by Putz that this Ordinance be APPROVED on first reading. The motion PASSED by the following vote. Yes: 6- McConnell, Hunter, Swanson, Miyasato, Guevin, and Putz No: 1- Eisenbeisz F ORD 15-48 Authorizing the lease of approximately 8,832 feet of tidelands in Alaska Tidelands Survey 1189 Eisenbeisz stated the lease amount was too low. A motion was made by Swanson that this Ordinance be APPROVED on first reading. The motion PASSED by the following vote. Yes: 6- McConnell, Hunter, Swanson, Miyasato, Guevin, and Putz No: 1- Eisenbeisz XII. NEW BUSINESS: G 15-187 Approve the Administrator's annual recommended transfer to the Public Infrastructure Sinking Fund Chief Finance and Administrative Officer, Jay Sweeney, provided an overview of his memo to the Assembly. Sweeney described the other alternative options that could be considered including: a transfer into the Permanent Fund, the replenishment of emergency reserves, or leaving the funds in the unrestricted balance of the General Fund. Municipal Administrator, Mark Gorman, stated while there were other needs he strongly recommended the money be transferred to the Sinking Fund. Sweeney agreed. Guevin concurred with the recommendations. XIII. PERSONS TO BE HEARD: None. CITY AND BOROUGH OF SITKA Page 4 City and Borough Assembly Minutes - Final September 22, 2015 XIV. EXECUTIVE SESSION None. XV. ADJOURNMENT A motion was made by Miyasato to ADJOURN. Hearing no objections, the meeting ADJOURNED at 7:40pm. ATTEST: ____________________________ Sara Peterson, CMC Municipal Clerk CITY AND BOROUGH OF SITKA Page 5