General Meeting Minutes 12-8-2005

December 8, 2005

Call to Order 7:02 pm

Roll Call    

Ken Klawunder

Martha Romero

Sandi Marchbanks

Wayne Howell - Running Meeting

Mike Atkins

Approval of Minutes: Minutes were approved as amended

Wayne announced that he was running the meeting because Sandi had been out of town and had requested that he run the meeting.  He also mentioned that the agenda was amended to include an executive session to discuss Road Committee issues and committee issues.

Public Comment on non-Agenda Items (Public Comment Limited to 3 minutes)

Lou Cacioppo : Commented that he thought that the City should cooperate with the state and place a warning/safety light at the end of the dock.

Greg Streveler:  Commented on the pace of development of the community.  He asked the council to consider how the proposed infrastructure projects could impact the community.  He also voiced concern that the water quality improvement projects had taken a back seat to larger projects.

Council Discussion on these topics followed.

Ordinances for Publication:

Ordinances for Public Hearing:

Resolutions for Public Hearing

Unfinished Business    

      Barge Ramp/Sport Launch Ramp at the Salmon River Boat Harbor Funding

a.     Presentation on funding Sources by Diane Klawunder

Diane:  She explained the options for funding for the project.  She mentioned that the project would benefit many facets of the community.

b.     Council Discussion on Funding

Ken made a motion to accept the Marine Facilities proposal to accept the EDA grant if the application is approved.  Motion Passed 5/0

The council then discussed this issue.  Various funding sources from within the city were explained and suggested.  Wayne mentioned that there was possibly a significant source of funding in the National Parks Service.  A meeting with DOT was discussed and Wayne stated that only 80-85% of the $3,000,000.00 allocated in the state legislature will reach Gustavus.  The money for the state would have to be run and managed by DOT and the subsequent structures would be run and operated by DOT. 

Wayne suggested that the City use funding allocated through state and federal legislative grants for the matching portion of this project and leave the city reserve funds alone.   

New Business

Wayne read a letter from the mayor of Hoonah requesting that the communities in the area make movements towards forming a Borough.  Please see attached copy of that letter.

Wayne stated that they should write a letter at the next work session in response to this letter.

Sandi then read a letter from Thomas Imboden.  The letter requested that   the city request that money from state projects be used for the construction of the dock.  Please see attached copy of the letter.

Wayne announced that there were some changes to the committees.  Mike Atkins will be the liaison to the Marine Facilities committee.  Tom McLaughlin will serve on the marine facilities committee and on the road committee.  Kim Ney has also joined the Road Committee. 

Sandi stated that when Diane Klawunder is gone for the winter that Lou Cacciopo will serve as the Chair for the Marine Facilities Committee.

Committee Reports

Ø      Endowment Fund Committee

Bruce Tedtsen gave a brief report on how the Smith Barney investment account is doing.

Ø      Parks and Recreation Committee

                   Please see attached report.

          Wayne requested that the Parks and Rec committee representative be present at the work session next week.

Ø      Library Board

George Jensen announced that there are 2 new board members: Janet Lassiter and Julie Vathke.  He then read from a prepared report.  Please see the attached report.

The council will address the library's request to add 5 additional staff hours per week at the work session next week. 

Ø      Gustavus Visitors Association

Rachel Parks gave a report on the GVA's status.  She mentioned that the fiscal year for them runs from November to November to account for marketing and advertising targeting a summer season.  She mentioned that there were 32 businesses that were currently members.  She stated that this is the first year that they have gone a full year under a set marketing plan.  She stated that the Association puts up signs in the community to support local business and adds in travel publications.  They also manage a website that promotes community tourism.  She stated that there were festivals and events in the works to attract tourism and these were listed on the website.  Marketing Gustavus and Gustavus Businesses is a large portion of what they do.  They have been working with the state department of commerce to procure funding and resources to further this goal.  She stated that programs that help businesses run better and subsequently become more successful are in the works too.  The Association meets at the library on the 2^nd Thursday of the month. 

Ø      Disposal and Recycling Center Committee

          Mike Taylor gave a report.  Please see attached report.

Ø      Road Committee

          Richard Sirstad stated that the road committee was between 4-5,000.00 of completing repairs caused by flooding.

a.     Update on Road Repairs from Flooding

Wayne gave a report on repairs made and repairs that will need to be made.  The Department of Homeland Security was contacted for disaster relief from flood damaged.  It was decided that procuring funding was not reasonable.  The committee did learn where they need to make improvements on drainage.

b.     Decision to Renew or Not Renew Current Road Maintenance Contract

Glacier Bay Construction's contract for road Maintenance for the city is up for renewal.  Wayne stated that there was some public concern over how the road contract was being handled.  The Road committee had a meeting on Dec 6^th, 2005 to address this issue.  Wayne gave a history of the Forest Service Receipts Program and the formation of a Road Maintenance ordinance.   The road maintained manual that was developed became the foundation for the Road Committee's plan.  Snow plowing was done outside the contract which was finalized by a bid process in March/April of 2005.  The provision of the contract stated that the contract could be renewed for another year.  The Road Committee voted unanimously that the contract be renewed for another year to Glacier Bay Construction.

Kathy Lochman read a statement regarding this issue.     

Wayne reiterated that the road committee believed that Glacier Bay Construction had done a good job maintaining the roads and fulfilling the road Maintenance contract.

Discussion on modifying the contract for road maintenance followed.  It was decided that the contract and specifications in the road manual be reconfigured.  There were 3 options brought to the table to were to renew the existing contract until the manual and specifications can be rewritten, do not renew the contract or sign or allow bidding for a new one until the contract is rewritten, or renew the contract and rewrite the specifications and have the contractor adhere to the rewritten specifications when finished, for the duration of the contract.  Wayne also stated that the committee could address these issues within the provisions of the existing specifications handbook.    

Martha made a motion that the current contract for road maintenance be renewed until the end of march so that the specs for road maintenance   can be adjusted. Motion passed 4/0 (Sandi Marchbanks abstaining from vote due to personal interest)

Council Comments

Ø      Package Liquor Store Application Will be Addressed at the January 12, 2005 General Meeting

          Wayne explained that the 60 period for decision has not begun so the council still has time plenty of time to make a decision. 

     a. Explanation by the Council of How they will vote and how the Council's Opinion Affects the Approval Process for the License.

Wayne stated that the council's opinion in an unorganized borough has tremendous weight in the ABC board's decision.  Wayne stated that the council has not discussed how they are going to vote, and that each council member will explain why they are voting the way they are voting.  They are doing this because votes in opposition must give valid reasons for opposing the package liquor store.  The council can vote to approve the package liquor store with conditions as well.   

Sandi stated that there are local options for provisions used by other communities on liquor sales that the council may want to pursue.    She stated that this could be a ballot measure in September.

Executive Session Called to Order 9:55 PM

Executive Session Adjourned 10:40 PM

Additional Items

Ø      Approval of the planning committees planning documents for committees.

       Sandi made a motion to accept the planning committee's documents as submitted by the planning committee.  Ken seconded the motion.  Motion passed 5/0. 

          Ken asked that the resolution prioritizing the 3 possible locations of the new powerhouse be put on the agenda for the next work session.

Meet Adjourned at 10:42 PM