City and Borough Assembly

ASSEMBLY CHAMBERS CITY AND BOROUGH OF SITKA 330 Harbor Drive Sitka, AK (907)747-1811 Minutes - Final City and Borough Assembly Mayor Matthew Hunter Deputy Mayor Bob Potrzuski Vice-Deputy Mayor Steven Eisenbeisz Tristan Guevin, Kevin Knox Aaron Bean, and Aaron Swanson Municipal Administrator: Mark Gorman Municipal Attorney: Brian Hanson Municipal Clerk: Sara Peterson Thursday, March 9, 2017 6:00 PM Assembly Chambers SPECIAL MEETING I. CALL TO ORDER II. FLAG SALUTE III. ROLL CALL Present: 6 - Swanson, Eisenbeisz, Guevin, Hunter, Knox, and Bean Telephonic: 1 - Potrzuski IV. PERSONS TO BE HEARD None. V. NEW BUSINESS: A 17-029 Executive Summary of the FY18 General Fund budget from Chief Finance and Administrative Officer including decrements Jay Sweeney, Chief Finance and Administrative Officer, reviewed critical aspects of the FY18 budget, outlined uncertainties in the budget due to external decisions not yet made, and answered questions from Assembly members on individual items included in the decrement list: SEDA funding, Sitka Community Playground, Senior Center transportation, Police Officer position, and Electric Department subsidization. Full Decrement List: Administrator/Assembly/Clerk ($6,474 - travel and training; $35,000 - lobbying; $2,000 - Administrator/Mayor contingencies; $23,500 - other expenses) Non-Profits ($6,300 SEDA; $10,800 Historical Society; $40,000 Sitka Community Playground) Senior Center ($38,000 - transportation/vehicles) Finance ($16,200 - travel and training) CITY AND BOROUGH OF SITKA Page 1 City and Borough Assembly Minutes - Final March 9, 2017 Assessing ($63,000 - temp wages) Planning and Community Development ($1,000 - travel and training; $44,500 - contracted/purchased services; $1,200 - other expenses) Police ($75,000 - contracted/new building; $93,743 - Police Officer position; $10,000 - training and travel; $12,816 - overtime) Fire ($40,000 - overall reduction) Public Works ($214,000 - overall reduction) Library ($2,000 - travel and training; $300 - cell phone stipend; $300 - supplies, $3,040 - repairs/maintenance; $525 - contracted/purchased services; $500 - tools/small equipment; $500 - advertising; $500 - rent equipment; $10,000 - books and publications; $3,000 - other expense) Harrigan Centennial Hall ($3,000 - overall reduction) B 17-030 Discussion/Direction of budget requests not included in the FY18 budget: 1) the RIDE, and 2) Others (Assembly action may be taken) Guevin, disclosed he was employed by Sitka Tribe of Alaska, one of the three RIDE operational partners. While in support of public transportation, Guevin stated he did not feel pressure from his employer to vote in favor of the funding request, and had spoke with Municipal Attorney, Brian Hanson, about any possible conflict of interest. Hanson did not feel there was a conflict of interest. Mayor Hunter ruled Guevin did not have a conflict of interest and welcomed him to participate. Connie Sipe, Executive Director of Center for Community, and Erin Walker-Tolles, Executive Director of Catholic Community Service spoke to the funding requests for the RIDE and Senior Center. Sipe and Walker-Tolles urged the Assembly to support the funding requests. Bob Purvis and Sandy Koval, Senior Center Manager, voiced support for the RIDE and Senior Center funding requests. Alene Henning, spoke to a concern outside of these two funding requests; cell phone use while driving. She reminded this use was against the law. A motion was made by Guevin to reinstate the funding for the Senior Center Care-A-Van in the amount of $38,000 for the FY18 budget. The motion PASSED by the following vote. Yes: 6- Swanson, Eisenbeisz, Guevin, Potrzuski, Hunter, and Knox No: 1- Bean A motion was made by Guevin to include $25,000 in the FY18 budget for the RIDE. The motion PASSED by the following vote. Yes: 4- Guevin, Potrzuski, Hunter, and Knox No: 3- Swanson, Eisenbeisz, and Bean C 17-023 Discussion/Direction of the FY18 Municipal Budget and as it relates to the General Fund, other Funds, the School District and the Sitka Community Hospital (Assembly action may be taken) Garry White, Sitka Economic Development Director, and Roger Hames urged the Assembly to reconsider the reduction of $6,300 to SEDA. White reminded SEDA had previously taken a 10% cut resulting in a reduction of staff hours. He added the proposed reduction would result in a further reduction of staff hours. Hames reminded the Assembly of the importance of economic development in Sitka and the role that SEDA fills. CITY AND BOROUGH OF SITKA Page 2 City and Borough Assembly Minutes - Final March 9, 2017 Fred Reeder, spoke to the possible removal of the senior sales tax exemption and urged the Assembly to consider eligibility requirements similar to that of the Alaska Permanent Fund Dividend rather than the proposed idea of means testing. He offered that while it was possible to determine an individual’s income level, expenses varied from individual to individual. Nancy Davis encouraged the Assembly to consider a year-round 6% sales tax. Administrator, Mark Gorman, requested the Assembly provide direction on resources to be used for the $63,000 added back into the budget ($38,000 for the Senior Center and $25,000 for the RIDE). A motion was made by Guevin to reduce the Electric Subsidy earmark by $63,000 in the FY18 budget. The motion PASSED by the following vote. Yes: 6- Swanson, Eisenbeisz, Guevin, Potrzuski, Hunter, and Knox No: 1- Bean VI. PERSONS TO BE HEARD: Hugh Bevan voiced support for a new Police Department facility, Sandy Koval spoke to ways in which the City might raise money for the General Fund - e.g. round up to nearest dollar at grocery stores, and Chief Finance and Administrative Officer, Jay Sweeney, reviewed the budget meeting schedule. VII. EXECUTIVE SESSION None. VIII. ADJOURNMENT A motion was made by Swanson to ADJOURN. Hearing no objections, the meeting ADJOURNED at 8:55pm. ATTEST: _________________________________ Sara Peterson, CMC Municipal Clerk CITY AND BOROUGH OF SITKA Page 3