[5:14] Welcome to the July 20th, 20th, 26th, regular, bro, assembly meeting. Will, Ms. Matson, please lead us in the pledge of allegiance.

[5:31] With

[5:37] the clerk, please call the roll.

[5:53] All right, that takes a ceremony matters. We do not have any ceremony matters this evening.

[6:00] That takes us to citizen comments. No one is signed up for citizen comments.

[6:05] Let's say nice comments are open. Is there anyone in the audience that would like to come to the podium and speak?

[6:12] All right, he's seeing and hearing none since the comments is now closed. We are on to schedule reports

[6:16] Board of Education and Ms. Cara Fortbearer said she would not be here this week, but next meeting she'll be here

[6:23] due to their new financial officer is getting their bearings. That's what it sounded like. So she'll have a financial report someone for us next week.

[6:33] All right, that takes us to public hearings.

[6:35] 5A, ordinance 21-18 and made in KGBC Title I relating to certain fines for animal

[6:42] protection offices and KGBC Title VI relating to animal establishment permits.

[6:48] The assembly considered ordinance 21-18 at its meeting on July 6, 20-26 and set it for

[6:54] a public hearing on July 20, 20-26.

[6:57] The public hearing will be conducted in the following format.

[6:59] And a brief staff presentation followed up by a public testimony followed by a brief staff summary.

[7:03] And I do not see Mr. Eddie there, so Ms. Smith.

[7:07] Yes, the Animal Protection Director was called away, so I told him I'd do the best I could.

[7:13] 21-18 does two things.

[7:16] First, it requires animal establishment permits for any location that's used for the rescue and care of animals.

[7:25] and then it increases certain fines.

[7:28] As to the first item with the Animal Establishment Permits,

[7:32] there are a number of groups that do animal rescue

[7:36] and some are more formal, some are less formal,

[7:39] and they also change over time.

[7:41] And the Animal Protection Department,

[7:44] their concern is wanting to just be able to see

[7:47] that the animals are in a suitable environment

[7:50] and that they're being well taken care of.

[7:52] So they'd like to require animal establishment permits

[7:55] for that purpose. And then the purpose in increasing the fines is that the animal protection

[8:00] director feels that some of the fines are too low and they're not enough of a deterrent,

[8:06] particularly with repeat offenders.

[8:08] All right. Thank you. Is there any questions?

[8:11] I will. Ms. Palmer?

[8:13] Thank you. In the Managers Report, you addressed some things with the grants for the kittens and

[8:19] mothers and the cats, and so they had to get some kind of, so there were two different

[8:25] cat organizations that were awarded grants by the grants committee, slash the assembly,

[8:33] and in the process of reviewing those organizations, we realized that with the number of animals

[8:39] that they kept, they were required to have an animal establishment permits.

[8:43] So one at this point has complied, one has not, and so if they don't come into compliance

[8:49] and it's fairly soon, we were going to rescind the grant offer.

[8:54] Okay, thank you.

[8:55] All right. Any other questions?

[8:57] Yep, Ms. Arnson.

[8:58] Thank you.

[8:59] I just wanted to see if you might have some of the info.

[9:02] I just had a couple quick clarifying questions and you may or may not know the answer.

[9:06] So the concern, like, has something happened that would necessitate the additional regulation

[9:15] or in terms of redefining who all needs the animal?

[9:21] So the Salvation Animal Protection Director has over the years had to deal with a few hoarding cases here and there.

[9:29] And it's not uncommon for the people involved in the hoarding cases to also be involved in animal rescue organizations.

[9:38] The issue is that they care a lot for animals and sometimes don't recognize that they've gotten

[9:45] beyond their capacity and ability to help.

[9:49] And so this is a way to just provide some added oversight.

[9:53] A couple of follow-up here.

[9:54] So what is the cost of getting that permit?

[10:05] I do not know off the top of my head. Let's see if it's in here. I was just trying to look it up, too.

[10:17] I want $100, because I feel that's defined it. That's less than $100 for sure. Is there a fee? I guess. Yes, there is a fee, but it's not very big. We have the fines, but we don't have the fees to do it. Yeah.

[10:37] So I'm just, and my question has evolved through the mayor.

[10:39] There is regarding those that are helping and are doing these services now, are we going

[10:47] to create a burden on those folks that are helping to care through additional adoption

[10:52] agencies or fostering agencies, like I'm just curious if there's going to be an increased

[11:01] expense for people to be able to provide fostering services in our community with this resolution.

[11:10] Can you see the animal protection director said we could text him if we wanted to?

[11:14] I didn't bring my phone down.

[11:15] I was looking up the cost of the permit and I didn't hear that last question.

[11:21] This massive demand did not.

[11:22] You might have that on their website.

[11:25] The fee costs are 100 for the first year and 50 for annual renewals.

[11:30] Okay.

[11:31] So according to the website, it costs $100 to get the permit.

[11:35] If you fail to get the permit, it's $100, is that what this says?

[11:41] If you continue fostering or continue having animals in an establishment that's not properly permitted.

[11:51] So that's just my only concern.

[11:53] I appreciate this coming forward and I understand that we want to make sure that the animals are in good environments.

[11:59] I'm just not sure what necessitates that based on the need or

[12:06] the current circumstances of the community, and that's my only concern is that you're

[12:09] going to create a situation where people have to then pay money to foster in order

[12:14] to be in compliance with the code when it sounds like it's intended to help prevent

[12:20] hoarding situations.

[12:22] Or improper care or neglect.

[12:26] I think that, for my understanding, most of these organizations are fine and do a good

[12:30] But without the Animal Establishment Permit, the Animal Protection Department doesn't necessarily have any way to go in and periodically inspect until there's a significant problem.

[12:43] And at that point, animals may have been in trouble for a while, or the owners, some of the hoarding cases that we've dealt with have just happened because an owner lost control of the situation the animals continued to breed.

[12:55] So his goal is to be able to do inspections of all of these, you know, the locations where the rescues are going on.

[13:04] We're not talking about necessarily the fosters that are doing one or two cats.

[13:08] We're talking about more organized groups that may have five or ten, or they're taking multiple litters of kittens and stuff.

[13:15] Thank you. Through the Mayor, I have one last follow-up, because that leads to my last question, which is the definition of who needs a missed out animal establishment.

[13:23] and it says any person engages in the business of selling grooming, training, boarding, or breeding animals for compensation.

[13:33] So if they are a volunteer with the organization, they would not need to get an animal establishment permit.

[13:41] Or the proposal that being put here is, or any location used as an animal rescue operation.

[13:49] So, commercial activities, places that house or board horses, locations used to house any more than five adult animals of any one type other than fish and birds, and then any location used to house more than 50 foul, and then a location used as an animal rescue operation.

[14:11] Okay. So, just to be clear, last time. If I wanted to volunteer with the Humane Society,

[14:20] no, is that right? Humane Society, they do that. And they have, they call me and they're like,

[14:26] hey, we have a dog, it needs to be a fostered. I would have to have an inspection from animal

[14:32] control before I would be allowed to foster that animal. If you're already working with a reputable

[14:36] organization that has had animal establishment permits and you're fostering one or two animals

[14:40] no, you would not. Okay.

[14:46] Okay, but I don't think that's clear in

[14:48] here where it says any location, because then my house is then used as an animal

[14:51] rescue operation. So those are my points. Thank you, you're on.

[15:01] On the rest of you. And then we've had a call. I don't know if you know that, I don't know if you know that. First of all, I need something to wrap up the whole day. All issues, you know, I get all the time. Very, very difficult for our attorney, the way the ordinance is right. He's not here also. Oh, you're my.

[15:31] We were able to, personally, at the end to give their annals a lot of us going through it.

[15:37] We realized we have a weakness in our ordinance to move this along and say, look, you can't

[15:42] keep us in the house or filled with animals and they're in that shape.

[15:44] I don't, that's all I can say to you is that we're doing this because we've had outcomes

[15:50] on this where individuals start out with good intentions and they got to flee out of control

[15:54] and then they couldn't give them up. We really needed some leverage to get them to give

[15:59] them the animals, we'll get them home now because we're very good at that but there are just

[16:04] some folks who are resistant to it because they don't want to give it up and they don't

[16:08] allow them to handle it and that's what's right, that's what's bringing this issue forward.

[16:11] It is not a revenue source for us, it's really an incentive to people, all right, it's beyond you.

[16:17] And by the way, we only come out when we find out about it.

[16:21] But somebody has seven pugs out there, we won't know about it because they take care of them, they're small animals.

[16:28] It's the ones that have those seven, eight small dogs that aren't caring for them and the neighbors have called us and said,

[16:34] there's something bad going on there, we have to step in.

[16:36] And that's where the fines come in, and to get them to take resolution on that.

[16:42] So again, the individuals who are taking care of the animals, we never know about it.

[16:46] Do you have another follow-up?

[16:47] My only thought is to maybe in the future consider doing like they did with the sign permits,

[16:53] which is don't have a fee to get your animal and an animal establishment permit, and

[17:02] And just if they don't do it, find them and it would be maybe even heftier than $100.

[17:08] But that would just be my only suggestion so you, you know, incentivize participation in the program.

[17:13] Thank you.

[17:14] And further Mary going, we're going to look at this program.

[17:18] If it has a negative effect of what we're trying to get done, we'll be back because it's like any point when it's not working, you're trying to find out where it will start working and if we find that we have a negative effect, we will be back.

[17:30] We've seen us do that in the past where all right now we've got to adjust, but right now we're dealing with several of these and realize we need a little bit more leverage on our attorney helped us with this one miss Bowling and Mr. Thompson.

[17:45] Miss Bowling.

[17:46] Thank you, Your Honor.

[17:48] I'm in support of this ordinance, I have had a couple of decades of animal fostering and

[17:57] this is not a solution looking for a problem.

[18:01] This is a solution for a problem that our community has experienced, so I'm in support

[18:07] of it.

[18:08] By the way, we're still in just a discussion with staff.

[18:11] We haven't got to the assembly motion, so we can see.

[18:13] Yes, I understand.

[18:14] Okay.

[18:14] But I'm looking forward to it being enacted.

[18:17] All right, thank you.

[18:19] Mr. Thompson?

[18:20] I'll wait.

[18:20] Okay.

[18:22] Actually, yeah, go ahead.

[18:24] Um, I think what are some of the arson's trying to get at as a worthy thing to consider.

[18:32] I think the concern is, I don't doubt that we need to, I support the ordinance for what it's trying to do.

[18:38] But in the process, are we going to be requiring people who are currently good actors to suddenly pay?

[18:44] a $100 just because they're supposed to have a permit.

[18:48] That's really what the issue is, right?

[18:50] Can we avoid that?

[18:57] Mike, please turn on the mic.

[18:59] Do the clerk or our follow-up adjournment.

[19:01] You don't have a motion.

[19:02] We haven't started this and we re- I don't actually, we stumbled into a dialogue before the public hearing.

[19:09] So I just want to remind everyone that they haven't got the best point yet, if we move.

[19:14] Go ahead, wait, letter, comments on the motions.

[19:17] Okay.

[19:18] You're on it.

[19:20] I realize we're still discussing during the staff presentation.

[19:24] If the assembly has those types of questions, this item could be postponed and brought back

[19:30] at the next meeting, and perhaps some clarifying language could be added.

[19:35] I think it's a valid point looking at the language in this ordinance.

[19:38] And at that point, if you did choose to postpone the animal protection director would be available.

[19:42] and could answer your questions better than we can.

[19:48] Does that answer everybody's question?

[19:50] Okay.

[19:51] Thank you.

[19:53] Moving to the public hearing, the public hearing is now open.

[19:56] Is there anyone in the audience that would like to provide testimony?

[20:00] All right, seeing and hearing none, the public hearing is now closed. That takes us to an assembly. I'm motion. I'll entertain a motion from the assembly.

[20:07] I'm Ms. Madsen. I move to adopt ordinance 2118, amending KGBC Title I relating to certain fines for animal protection offenses and KGBC Title VI relating to animal establishment permit permits.

[20:19] Let's move by, moved by Madison, seconded by Thompson, discussion, Mr. Thompson.

[20:25] I think you're right.

[20:26] I'd like to propose an amendment, move to amend, I got to find where it is here.

[20:35] And the definition in section one, where it says animal rescue operation means a facility

[20:41] used to house, tray, homeless, et cetera, I would like to insert the words more than

[20:47] and five between and have it read an animal rescue operation means the facility used to house more than five stray homeless abandoned surrender to unwanted animals, et cetera, et cetera.

[21:00] And that would then require us to modify section two, and again, including any in all locations where more than five animals are housed sheltered or fostered by the establishment.

[21:12] If I can get a second, I'll get a second.

[21:15] Moved by Thompson, second by Matt Send of the clerk.

[21:17] Understand that.

[21:18] I did your honor, thank you.

[21:20] Yep, Mr. Thompson.

[21:22] Two reasons.

[21:22] First of all, if there's no minimum that you have to hit,

[21:27] that means if I find a kitten on the sidewalk and take it home,

[21:31] and I'm fostering it, I'm taking it technically in violation,

[21:34] like you get $100 fine for just finding out

[21:35] that somebody drops a kitten off or on the trail

[21:37] or something like that, and I don't think that's the intent.

[21:40] Also, you know, if we're going to chase after every person in the in the burrow that out of the goodness of their heart is trying to foster an animal and keep it off the streets, but then doesn't really want a full-time pet wants to give it away.

[21:54] We don't need our animal control officers to be chasing all these down. So I think that just like we did with the animal establishment, we have it's more than five animals of anyone type or more than 10 total.

[22:04] I think if we change this to more than five animals, it reaches a happy medium.

[22:08] Now that doesn't address the fee issue, which I think is another issue that we do.

[22:13] But at a minimum, I think this kind of reached a happy medium in terms of the level of regulation that we're establishing.

[22:20] Thank you.

[22:22] Any other discussion on the amendments?

[22:26] Is bowling?

[22:27] Nope.

[22:28] Okay, please call the roll on the amendments.

[22:32] Okay, and this is inserting more than five in sections one, in section two, to clarify that the intent is more than five animals being housed.

[22:44] That's not okay, okay.

[22:46] Arnson, yes, bowling, yes, Mattson, yes, or Tess, yes, Palmer, yes, Thompson, all right.

[22:55] Six, yes, runner.

[22:56] All right, they take away some back to the main amended motion.

[23:00] I move to postpone this item until the next regular meeting, for the purposes of having

[23:06] staff bring us back a fee change.

[23:10] We can ask for more questions.

[23:12] Okay.

[23:13] Moved by...

[23:14] Second.

[23:15] Thompson, seconded by Palmer.

[23:18] Sorry, I'm just writing these down.

[23:22] Okay.

[23:23] Any discussion?

[23:23] Moving it to August.

[23:27] What's that?

[23:28] August 3rd.

[23:28] August 3rd meeting?

[23:29] Your Honor.

[23:30] Go ahead.

[23:30] May I ask a question?

[23:31] So, could this motion be clarified to postpone this to the next regular meeting and direct staff to bring back a resolution addressing the animal protection fees?

[23:43] Yes.

[23:43] All right.

[23:44] And just under discussion, Your Honor, just I think staff's clear that we would like to have a phenomenal fee and take a look at the relative fines with regards to that.

[23:56] And Eddie can answer questions first.

[23:58] Right.

[23:59] Okay.

[24:00] Any discussion?

[24:01] I'll postpone it until August 3rd.

[24:03] All right.

[24:04] Please call the roll.

[24:07] Second was by Palmer.

[24:10] Thank you.

[24:13] Palmer.

[24:14] Yes.

[24:15] Or Tess.

[24:16] Yes.

[24:16] Matson.

[24:17] Yes.

[24:17] Bowling.

[24:19] Yes.

[24:20] Matson.

[24:20] Yes.

[24:21] Thompson.

[24:22] Okay.

[24:23] That takes us to 5B.

[24:26] ordinance 21-19 amending the FY-27 Burrow budget by making supplementary

[24:30] appropriations in the amount of $1,980,000. For the remain and Roosevelt Water

[24:36] Maine replacement project, South Thomas Water Improvement Project phase is five,

[24:40] right? I can't remember real and new rules. And the Burrow's Road Safety Action Plan.

[24:46] The assembly considered ordinance 21-19 at its meeting on July 6, 2026 and set

[24:51] it for a public hearing on July 20, 2026. The public hearing will be conducted in

[24:55] the following format.

[24:56] Brief staff presentation followed by public testimony, followed by brief-

[25:00] Staff summary. Aaron and Senator are here to answer any questions? Or provide a staff summary, sorry?

[25:08] So I'll cover the finances and if you have more project-oriented questions, Mr. Osvey will be available for that. So, Senator Smith, interim finance director, there are three items on this ordinance. The first is $130,000 to complete the Roe mine and Roosevelt Water Main Replacement Project.

[25:28] As is explained in the agenda statement, the staff is applying for an extension of the

[25:36] the low drinking water fund loan for this project that would increase the funding available

[25:41] in that loan by $70,000 and even though it's called a loan, there's actually a principle

[25:47] forgiveness, so it's more like a grant, it's just slower.

[25:51] So, and we've had good indication that that loan expansion would be approved, but we don't

[25:56] actually have it, and in order to sign the contract amendment with the contractor out there,

[26:04] we'd have to have the full amount appropriated.

[26:07] So if the loan doesn't come through, the full amount would be $130,000.

[26:11] However, staff believes that the loan will come through, or the expansion of the loan, and

[26:15] that the final cost to the South Tonga Service Area Water Fund would be $59,100.

[26:20] The second portion of the project is the Ravenwood booster and storage tank for 1.6 million.

[26:30] Again, that is through another drinking water fund loan.

[26:39] And this is phase six, this particular project or this series of projects have been going on for probably close to 10 years at this point.

[26:48] And then the last item is the safe streets and roads for all the total grant amount is 250,000, but 20% of that is required local match for 50.

[26:59] So 200 would come from, I believe it's the general, excuse me, the 50,000 match would come from the general fund because it would cover multiple potential service areas.

[27:13] Is there

[27:16] any questions?

[27:18] Is there a test?

[27:20] No?

[27:21] Yes.

[27:22] Through the mayor.

[27:24] The Roosevelt Water Main Replacement Project of 1.1,600,000,

[27:30] is that also one of these programs that has been ongoing

[27:35] over a number of years and do we have, like,

[27:40] how much money do we spend on this?

[27:42] How much money has been spent, not we, but how much money has been spent?

[27:46] I do know that. I don't know that. So the-

[27:55] So for those of you who didn't hear, he said it's been probably closer to 20 years in multiple phases.

[28:01] Okay.

[28:01] And the- the roadmine in Roosevelt, I'm not sure if I misheard you, but the roadmine in Roosevelt

[28:06] water main replacement, this is to finish it off and it's 130,000.

[28:10] The 1.6 is for the booster station and storage tank.

[28:15] That will help elevate water pressures throughout the district.

[28:20] It's been also been a long-needed project.

[28:24] You're right, I refer to the wrong project.

[28:27] But the figure of one point or one million six hundred thousand stands out to me, but I don't really have any history with this understanding of this.

[28:35] In the end, is it who's paying these large amounts of money in this particular case, the one million six hundred thousand dollars?

[28:43] Most of it is coming from the state, if not all of it, through the loan forgiveness programs.

[28:48] These drinking water fund loans and the clean water fund loans at the time that we were applying for them.

[28:54] They all had principle forgiveness attached to them and that's still ongoing.

[28:58] That works, thank you.

[29:00] Mr. Thompson, thank you, I guess it was probably applied to both of them but if we don't get the loan and we have 59,100 that will be

[29:11] be borne by the rate pairs out there, is that correct?

[29:15] On this one, we already have a loan of $709,000.

[29:20] What we're asking to do is increase it by 10%,

[29:23] which is allowable under the guidelines.

[29:25] So if that extra 10% doesn't come through,

[29:29] then the water service would be required to pay the full $70,900.

[29:36] Or actually plus the $70,000 plus the $59.

[29:39] So they'd be paying the full $130.

[29:40] 30 if that 10% loan increase does not come through.

[29:44] But the remainder of the 780,000 would be taken up by principal forgiveness.

[29:50] Yes.

[29:50] Is there also any outstanding amounts that would be coming out of that 1,6 million, or is that all considered already?

[30:04] There, and I'll be acting public works director. With any utility project, there's a lot of unknowns. So until you actually get into the ground, you don't know what those additional costs or overruns may be. I mean, that's the same situation we ran into on Reminder Roosevelt. Until the contractor started the work, there's a lot of things that you can't account for. I guess I was just asking if there's any matching funds that the service area is going to have to put up questions.

[30:34] No, not at this time.

[30:36] Okay.

[30:36] That's done, yeah, that answers that, thank you very much.

[30:40] Any other questions?

[30:42] Ms. Bowling, no questions?

[30:44] Okay, thank you.

[30:47] Second here.

[30:48] All right, that takes us to public testimony.

[30:52] Public hearing is now open.

[30:53] Is there anyone in the public that would like to provide testimony on this subject?

[30:56] Seeing and hearing none, public comment is now closed.

[30:59] I'll entertain a motion from the assembly.

[31:02] Your Honor.

[31:03] Ms. Arton.

[31:05] I move to adopt ordinance 2119, which appropriates funding for three projects.

[31:10] 130,000 from the South Tongus Water Service Area Fund for the Roe Mine and Roosevelt Water Main Replacement Project.

[31:17] 1,600,000 from an Alaska Drinking Water Fund loan for the South Tongus Water Improvement Phase 6,

[31:25] Ravenwood Booster Station and Storage Tink Project.

[31:27] And up to 200,000 in federal safe streets and roads for all grant funds with up to a $50,000 required local match for development of the Burrows Road Safety Action Plan.

[31:43] Second.

[31:44] As moved by Arjun, seconded by Palmer.

[31:46] Is there a discussion?

[31:50] Your honor.

[31:50] Yep, Mr. Thompson.

[31:51] I moved to divide the question to consider the streets and roads for all discretionary grant awards separately from the two capital bond items.

[32:01] Is there an objection?

[32:03] Does anybody second to that?

[32:04] Second.

[32:05] Okay. Let's move by Thompson's second and by Arnson to divide the question.

[32:10] To consider the streets and roads item from the other.

[32:13] Oh, right.

[32:14] Separate from the other two items.

[32:15] Yes.

[32:19] Second, please.

[32:20] That was Ms. Arnson.

[32:22] Thank you.

[32:23] Yes.

[32:25] Do you have a vote on whether to divide the question?

[32:28] Okay.

[32:28] Does everybody know what Mr. Thompson brought forward?

[32:31] Yes.

[32:32] Should they divide the question out?

[32:33] Okay.

[32:36] Please call the roll.

[32:38] Arnson.

[32:38] Yes.

[32:39] Matson.

[32:39] Yes.

[32:40] Bowling.

[32:44] Yes.

[32:46] Fortes.

[32:47] Yes.

[32:47] Palmer.

[32:48] Yes.

[32:48] Thompson.

[32:49] Aye.

[32:49] Six yes.

[32:51] Okay. The question is divided in two.

[32:53] So we will take up the portion without the streets.

[32:58] Action.

[32:59] So I'll get a second motion seen.

[33:02] The motions are on the floor.

[33:04] So now there will be discussion on the first part of the motion which does not include the streets and roads.

[33:12] Okay. Discussion on that portion. Any discussion?

[33:17] No? Okay. Please call the roll.

[33:30] Matson. Yes. Palmer. Yes. Thompson.

[33:33] Hi. Or test. Yes.

[33:36] Bowling. Yes.

[33:38] Yes?

[33:39] Aren't some?

[33:39] Yes.

[33:40] Six yes, Your Honor.

[33:41] Okay.

[33:41] That takes us to the portion we're talking about streets grant.

[33:45] Mr. Thompson.

[33:46] Thank you.

[33:46] I don't know if I'm going to be in support of this motion because we don't have road powers and this is general fund monies that's coming out of this and I'm just really concerned that we take these grants and now we're kind of getting into areas that we don't have actually authority other than operating in service areas.

[34:04] The other thing is that we're going to turn right around, we're going to add $50,000 to a $10,000 grant.

[34:10] We're going to hand it to a consultant and do a study.

[34:14] And there's no action that can be taken, it's no, we're not actually going to get any capital improvements out of this.

[34:20] We're just going to get a study.

[34:21] Now I understand that we have an obligation to provide safety, general safety for the borough and roads obviously and landslides and some other things are important.

[34:32] But if we're going to limit this to service areas, that's kind of difficult.

[34:39] Also, there's some areas within the city that probably could be looked at, et cetera, et cetera.

[34:44] I just don't know if it's appropriate for the burrow to be doing this type of a project.

[34:48] And frankly, turning right around and handing a $250,000 contract to a third party consultant,

[34:54] which again, it's the time in material can wind up being more might be less

[34:59] I'm sorry, I'm sorry.

[35:00] Another study that sits on the shelf, so I really am struggling with this. Thank you. Okay, any other discussion? Ms. Palmer? Thank you, Your Honor. I hear what Mr. Thompson is saying and I agree to a point, but also recognize that we have. Our roads are congested as all get out and we know that we need some eyes on it outside of our community. We have done a lot of people think too many tour vans and not enough bike lanes.

[35:29] and sidewalks and whatever, and it, I think it's worth us seeking this grant and going for it, but it'll also help with the transit planning, future stuff with them, and the state's plans as they continue to develop our highways and roads, so it's a good partnership opportunity in my lens, thank you.

[35:47] Okay. Mr. Oates. Thank you, Mayor. Through the Mayor, is anybody, the staff, able to speak to the opportunity cost of the borough not coming up with the 50,000 required local match fund? In other words, what's the cost, other than I guess, maybe the road safety action plan doesn't move forward?

[36:07] there

[36:12] are an OSV acting public works director.

[36:14] So I guess there's a few points that I'd like to make regarding the advantages of pursuing

[36:19] this grant for the borough.

[36:23] One of which is, you know, would allow us to develop current road standards, our current

[36:30] road standards that we use for the public to do subdivisions and things like that.

[36:37] But they were created by a pass public works director.

[36:40] This grant will and the contractor would allow us through a public process to develop a

[36:46] road standard system that would be defensible.

[36:50] And I think it would help support our planning department for development purposes.

[36:57] I know the term plan is kind of a dirty word around here, but I would like to note that our

[37:02] Department has had a lot of success in plan implementation over the past few years.

[37:08] Trails plan, parks plan, our fields plan.

[37:12] I also think that this allows us to support the city and tribal governments in their transportation

[37:19] objectives.

[37:21] So that's kind of the standpoint.

[37:23] I don't know if that answers your question or not, but that's my perspective.

[37:27] Thank you.

[37:28] Mr. Aronson.

[37:29] Thank you.

[37:30] So I really appreciate the Mr. Osby's comments there because that was one of my questions.

[37:37] The other question that I have regarding the $50,000 and the requests on the appropriation

[37:43] can, can I get some clarity on that amount?

[37:48] So if this would allow staff to apply for the grant, should they not receive the grant?

[37:55] But what the funds obviously wouldn't be expended, correct?

[38:07] So the grant has actually been awarded, and the assembly authorized its acceptance at

[38:15] October 16th of 2023.

[38:17] It took a long time to get the project going, and so the borough attorney was uneasy that

[38:22] with that length of time he felt the funds needed to be reappropriated.

[38:27] So we already approved the $50,000 and it's just been sitting there and then it was not included in the FY27 budget.

[38:38] So it was as a grant, the matching funds were not included in the FY27 budget that I'm aware of.

[38:49] I don't have the book in front of me.

[38:50] But the original ordinance that appropriated the funds was ordinance 2028 on November 6th of 2023.

[38:57] So at this point, if the assembly chose not to appropriate the funds, we would have to consider giving the grant back.

[39:05] So as I said, because it had been at this point, two and a half years, the attorney felt that that was a long enough time that we needed to redo this action.

[39:13] I appreciate that, thank you.

[39:14] I have a question.

[39:17] Have we lost out on any grant funds because we didn't have a safe streets and roads plan?

[39:24] The Forest Park sidewall comes to mind, but I can't remember if that was part of this.

[39:28] That would be an excellent question for Director Barry.

[39:31] What I can say is that having this plan helps us leverage future grant opportunities.

[39:38] So once you have a plan in place, when a funding opportunity comes available,

[39:41] you have something to support your grant request.

[39:46] And Mr. Berry has had a lot of past success in finding, finding opportunities for the borough.

[39:52] Thank you, that answers.

[39:53] Yep, go ahead Ms. Arson.

[39:55] Thank you, that maybe think of another question.

[39:56] Then the way that this would work is that there's a-

[40:00] RFP that gets put out, and then a contractor would, has the contractor already been chosen, I guess, as my question. Oh, I just, oh, it's on me. That was the other one I was going to pull. Okay, got it. Thank you. Respect. Is that what was called RESP? So I guess then follow up your honor. This is $172,000. So does the amount, the

[40:31] Is the match a percentage of the expense?

[40:38] So if it's $175,000, there's $75,000 left over, do we get to what happens with the additional funds?

[40:48] So we are responsible for 20% of the actual funds spent.

[40:53] So if the total price of the contract is $175,000, there's no overruns, then we are responsible for $35,000 of that.

[41:01] Does that answer your question?

[41:03] Thank you.

[41:03] Mr. Thompson.

[41:05] So far, I've never seen a contract that hasn't had overruns.

[41:10] I just guess I keep hearing about road standards and roads.

[41:16] And from my understanding, the state manages most of the roads in the borough

[41:21] outside of the city.

[41:22] The city has their own streets and roads department.

[41:25] And I just, you know, it's the camel's nose under the tent folks.

[41:28] every time we turn around we start creeping mission creep and you know we don't

[41:34] have road powers. We can exercise road powers inside service areas and

[41:38] that's it. What we're looking at here is adopting some very broad based

[41:43] plans for adopting road powers so if you guys want to start taking over the

[41:47] maintenance of all of North and South Tonga's highway plus Tonga's Avenue in

[41:52] town plus all the roads like sunset and shoreline and point Higgins all those

[41:58] roads out there, that's what's going to happen.

[42:01] The state would dearly love to give that to us, to manage.

[42:07] I don't know what that would cost, but I'm going to tell you, it's going to be a lot more than 50 grand.

[42:11] I just have a real problem with these types of grants.

[42:15] You know, we out there and just grab all that money we can, I get it, but this one just sits wrong with me.

[42:24] Thank you, is there any other discussion?

[42:26] Ms. Palmer.

[42:27] Yeah.

[42:28] Thank you.

[42:29] You know, I have to add a little sunshine on that one.

[42:33] But the flip side to me is that we then are highlighting all of the things in our community

[42:39] that need attention and focus and we're being good partners and saying, hello, look at

[42:44] this trash roads that we have here and look at the need for signage and look at this and it's

[42:49] a way that we can get some eyes and federal dollars potentially coming into this community.

[42:53] So I think it's a great thing.

[42:55] Happy to support it.

[42:56] Any other discussion?

[43:00] All right.

[43:01] Please call the roll.

[43:05] This is for voting on the safe streets and roads portion of the split.

[43:11] Palmer.

[43:12] Yes.

[43:13] Thompson.

[43:14] No.

[43:15] Arnson.

[43:16] No.

[43:17] Bowling.

[43:19] Yes.

[43:20] Matt Sun.

[43:21] Yes.

[43:22] Or test.

[43:23] Yes.

[43:24] For yes to know your honor.

[43:25] All right.

[43:26] That takes us to ordinance 21-20, amending the FY 20-27 burrow budget by adding a supplemental

[43:31] appropriation for expenses related to the former school district facilities.

[43:36] The assembly considered ordinance 21-20 at its meeting on July 6, 20-26, and set up for

[43:41] a public hearing on July 20, 20-26. The public hearing will be conducted in the following format.

[43:46] Brief staff presentation followed by public testimony followed by brief staff summary.

[43:52] Good evening, Mr. Smith.

[43:54] Good evening, Senator Smith, interim finance director.

[43:59] So last meeting, there was a comment that it was unclear about the school district.

[44:04] So I made a change the title to refer to former school district facilities.

[44:09] That's the only change.

[44:10] It did not change anything in the ordinance.

[44:11] I didn't have to make a substitute or anything.

[44:14] As we briefly discussed at the last meeting, our expectation is that we will end up owning

[44:21] these buildings for some time, a number of years.

[44:26] And I think it's well described, there's a paragraph here that says preliminary walks

[44:30] use of these facilities, evidence to building climate control systems, boilers, HVAC, etc.,

[44:35] that are larger in scale and scope to those currently maintained by Burrow Maintenance personnel.

[44:40] And then the public works director goes on to say that while existing staff are capable of learning to maintain the systems,

[44:49] once you add those facilities to everything that they are already maintaining, it just exceeds the current capacity of what they can handle.

[44:56] And then at the last meeting I believe there was a question about

[45:01] You know, what happens if the buildings go away or if they go away in two to three years? So we anticipate during that time frame that there's going to be some turnover and probably at this skill level or similar. So the worst case scenario might be that we would have to let go of someone, but just based on what we can see as far as future retirements and whatnot, it's unlikely. Mr. Thompson?

[45:28] Well, quick question, are we planning on hiring someone who's already performing similar duties to that?

[45:36] It does say while existing staff are capable of learning, it's always good to pick up somebody that's already doing that.

[45:42] That is our goal to find somebody who is familiar with these systems or

[45:46] a some past experience with them.

[45:48] I think the biggest issue for our department is, August 15th, we're in these buildings, we have to maintain these systems.

[45:56] and if anything, it would buy us some time to learn the systems, come up with maintenance plans that our current staff can follow.

[46:07] Any other questions?

[46:09] No?

[46:10] I'd like to make just one additional point.

[46:12] So the ordinance budgets this split 50-50 across the two facilities.

[46:18] Public Works staff actually record their actual time based on where they're working.

[46:24] So after a year or so, we'd have actual cost of what it's taking to maintain.

[46:27] point Higgins versus Fallon Mountain. Thank you.

[46:30] Yep, Ms. Arnson.

[46:32] I had one question. Is there a plan to provide a vehicle?

[46:36] Like, is this job going to have a vehicle or are they going to have to use their own personal vehicle?

[46:42] I'm just curious.

[46:45] Yep, we would provide a vehicle.

[46:47] The bus, not sure how many are available for another staff person.

[46:51] I appreciate that answer. Thank you very much.

[46:56] Any other questions?

[46:59] Okay, that takes us up public testimony.

[47:02] Public hearing is now open, is there any audience that would like to provide testimony?

[47:06] Nope, seeing and hearing none, the public hearing is now closed.

[47:09] That takes assembly motion, I'll entertain a motion from the assembly.

[47:12] Your honor.

[47:13] Mr. Arnson.

[47:14] I move to adopt ordinance 21-20, amending the FY2027 Burrow budget by adding $129,317 supplemental funding for a maintenance tech to position to maintain and operate the North Point Higgins and

[47:28] And Fawn Mountain, former school buildings.

[47:30] Second.

[47:31] Moved by Arsene Seconded by Mattson, discussion.

[47:38] Please call the roll.

[47:40] Mattson, yes, Palmer.

[47:42] Yes, Arnson, yes, or Tess?

[47:44] Yes.

[47:45] Thompson.

[47:47] Aye.

[47:48] Bowling.

[47:50] Yes, six yes, Your Honor.

[47:54] Okay, that takes us to the acceptance of claims,

[47:57] the presentation of claims, as I'll get assembly emotion.

[48:00] Your Honor.

[48:01] Ms. Matson.

[48:02] I move to approve the presented claims totaling $3,503,180.67.

[48:08] Second.

[48:09] Move by a second by Palmer.

[48:11] Is there a discussion?

[48:13] All right, please call the rule.

[48:15] Ortez.

[48:16] Yes.

[48:17] Thompson.

[48:17] Hi.

[48:18] Arnson.

[48:18] Yes, Matson.

[48:19] Yes.

[48:20] Palmer.

[48:20] Yes.

[48:21] Bowling.

[48:25] Was that a yes?

[48:28] Thank you.

[48:30] Six yes, Your Honor.

[48:31] All right.

[48:32] That takes us to the consent calendar.

[48:33] that's Approval 7A, Approval of Assembly Meeting Minutes, that's July 6, 2026, regular meeting.

[48:40] 7B, Resolution 3193, finding the acquisition of real property located at 12-01,

[48:47] Copper Ridge Lane, parcel number 0-113-1400-4600, to be in the borough's best interest pursuant to KGBC 11.45.0110.

[48:59] 7C Resolution 3195, ratifying the Bureau Manager's submission of an application for an acceptance

[49:06] of Federal Physical Year 2026 State Homeland Security Program Grant Funds from the Alaska

[49:12] Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, 7D, Award of a SoulSource Contract

[49:17] to Southeast Diesel and Electric to Perform an Overhaul on the number two main engine on

[49:23] On the MV, Ken Eichner-2, not to exceed 155,000.

[49:27] 7E, award of contract for the 2026 Safe Streets and Roads for all SS for a comprehensive

[49:34] safety action plan to respect company LLC in the amount of $171,780.

[49:41] 7F, contract number, amendment number one in the amount of 22,983 to the Seltongus Water

[49:47] Phase V. Ravenwood Booster Station and storage tank design contract with R&M engineering.

[49:54] 7G approval of change order number 3 in the amount of 118,188

[50:00] College to Copperridge, LLC for the Roe Mine and Roosevelt Water Main Replacement Project and 7-H confirmation of appointments to the Luring Service Area Board. Do you any members wish to pull an item from the consent calendar? Mr. Thompson? Like to pull 7-E? 7-E, echo? Any others? Yeah, could it be Bravo? 7-B? Any others?

[50:24] All right. I'll entertain a motion from the assembly. Your Honor. Ms. Madison? I move to approve the consent calendar as amended.

[50:31] Let's move by Matt sent seconded by Thompson discussion on the amended consent calendar.

[50:40] All right no discussion please call the roll.

[50:46] Thompson.

[50:47] Aye.

[50:48] Palmer.

[50:48] Yes.

[50:49] Or test.

[50:50] Yes.

[50:50] Matt sent.

[50:51] Yes.

[50:51] Bowling.

[50:55] Ortson.

[50:56] Yes.

[50:56] Six.

[50:57] Yes.

[50:57] All right, that takes us to unfinished business, the transferred consent calendar.

[51:03] We will go to 7 for B, Resolution 3193, finding the acquisition of real property located at 1201 copper ridge lane to be in the borough's best interest pursuant to the KGB 1145010.

[51:18] And I'll entertain a motion from the assembly, Mr. Thompson.

[51:21] I moved to adopt resolution 393, finding the acquisition of real property located at 1201 copper ridge lane

[51:27] parcel number 011314004600 to be in the boroughs best interest pursuant to KGBC

[51:35] 11.45.0010.

[51:37] Second.

[51:38] Move by Thompson. Seconded by Mattson. Is there a discussion? Mr. Arnson?

[51:42] Yeah, thank you. I just pulled this because I was like to see what staff has to say. I think I talk a little bit about the fiscal impact of this purchase

[51:52] The TBD on the expenditure required and the NA on the appropriation required.

[51:57] I see the transit director is here.

[51:59] Is that better for the finance department, both?

[52:08] If you're referring to the $280,000 purchase price, that's already budgeted, and that isn't a book, I know for sure.

[52:14] So that's taken care of.

[52:19] And kind of a trans-director, as far as the other items on there, for example, the Relocation Act requirements,

[52:31] federal government requirements, things like those, we're still sorting those out.

[52:35] We don't expect those numbers to be too large, but there's a bunch of formulas and approvals.

[52:39] And after we make the offer, both to the property owner, but then also we have to make a separate offer to meet all those.

[52:47] federal requirements to the folks that need to be relocated will have a better understanding

[52:53] but there are caps to those numbers so it's not, we don't expect to be anything that

[53:00] is too crazy.

[53:02] So follow up, Your Honor.

[53:03] Yep.

[53:04] Go ahead.

[53:04] That's great information and would that then require staff to come back for additional appropriations?

[53:12] We don't expect it to exceed the amount that we already have budgeted in there at this point.

[53:20] We do probably expect that once we have a plan in place and we fully understand the needs of the building will probably be coming back to do some improvements.

[53:32] And so we initially have some money just to make some ADA accessible improvements to the building and things like that.

[53:41] But we'll definitely plan on developing a more comprehensive plan, and we'll certainly be going after, we'll come to you first of course, but then we would be for approval of the plan, but then we'd be going after grants and as usual, we'd be trying to find a way to make sure that we're not impacting the local taxpayer.

[53:58] fair. Thank you, Ms. Palmer.

[54:02] I just wanted to say, well done, gobbling up these properties.

[54:05] I thought this one was done a long time ago, but I know we did the one across the street

[54:09] at one point.

[54:10] And this has been a dream, too, to grab it.

[54:13] So yeah, I'm glad you're able to put your award-winning transit.

[54:18] Yeah, we'll be nice to have a place to park and to sit, as you know, many of you have come

[54:25] visited, we do a lot of hot salt warping as far as chairs and seats, and so it's been

[54:30] very tight for a lot of years, so this will make a huge difference for all of our staff.

[54:36] And it'll be nice to not be renting and owning, it will be great too.

[54:43] All right, any other discussion?

[54:46] Thank you.

[54:47] Thank you.

[54:48] Thanks so much.

[54:50] All right, discussion.

[54:51] Any other discussion?

[54:53] All right.

[54:54] Please call the roll.

[54:54] Yes.

[54:56] Palmer, yes.

[54:57] Yeah.

[55:00] It was moved by you, and seconded by you. Okay, I just want to talk, I was thinking about money.

[55:08] Here's a nice one, though, 81,000.

[55:14] Please call the roll. So far, we have

[55:17] Matson, yes, Palmer, yes, Thompson. Aye. Or Tess. Yes. Bowling. Yes,

[55:25] Arnton, yes, six, yes, Your Honor. Well, that takes the seven e-order contract for

[55:30] There are 2026 safe streets and roads for all S-S4A, comprehensive study action plan to respect

[55:36] company LLC in the amount of $177,780 on entertaining motion from the assembly.

[55:41] Here on it.

[55:42] Ms. Matzen.

[55:43] I moved to award the contract for the 2026 safe streets and roads for all S-S4A, comprehensive

[55:48] safety action plan to respect company LLC in the amount of $171,780.

[55:54] Second.

[55:55] Moved by Matzen.

[55:55] Second by Palmer.

[55:57] Mr. Thompson.

[55:58] discussion. Just want to vote on it separately. Fair enough. Any other discussion?

[56:04] All right. Seeing you here, none. Please call the roll. Thompson. No.

[56:09] Palmer. Yes. Or test. Yes. Matt sent. Yes. Bowling.

[56:16] Yes.

[56:17] Aren't sent. No. For yes to know your honor. Okay. That takes us to nine. There is no new

[56:26] new business, so that takes us to 10.

[56:28] Manager's report.

[56:29] Thank you very much, Mayor and Assembly.

[56:32] The report has quite a bit of infrastructure.

[56:35] Things, everything from airport, basic infrastructure,

[56:41] striping and parking lots, projects that have been in the works that are moving along or finishing.

[56:48] So what I want to talk about, I guess is the icing on the cake.

[56:54] things that we get when we finish. We had, and I'm going to let the mayor really speak to the

[56:59] Alder Park dedication because he was there for that. And we also, there was a request for

[57:05] mountain point requests about changing the zoning. How we use the areas south on the south end of

[57:12] the island on Togas. And in there, our staff is recommended, we recommend that we go to the 19th

[57:19] of October when we look at the rotary park. We do all of it at once. In the meantime,

[57:23] I know no no lands are going to be for sale in that that we're talking about here administratively we can do that we put those on pause in case anybody comes up no one's asking.

[57:33] But we wanted the community to go and look at this to see that we got the petition.

[57:37] We're taking the direction from the assembly and we're pulling that together so we can we come together in October with a number of items.

[57:45] We'll tell you there's also work on the rotary park survey that's all going forward.

[57:50] you'll see more about that in the upcoming managers report as that goes forward.

[57:56] But I'm very pleased to see how the ball fields are looking, it's already finally paved.

[58:01] Now we're getting the striping in.

[58:03] We pulled out another playground, and that was over at Valley Park.

[58:07] Now there's two playgrounds there.

[58:08] The ones in the park area has been pulled in, that was well overdue.

[58:13] And all of that is the results of the park master plan.

[58:16] And we plan for it.

[58:18] We put the money aside, it's coming out of the recreation fees.

[58:24] There's also a recognition of service.

[58:26] We had Jenny Fox is leaving us.

[58:29] She used to be, I was a deputy clerk.

[58:31] She worked at the airport, and now she's headed off for other work.

[58:35] And also we have one of our airport custodians,

[58:39] and he'll be also moving on.

[58:42] What I'd like to spend a moment on,

[58:44] now I'm going to ask our deputy's feedback,

[58:52] I thought we had something in the manager's report, I know that director Miller wrote something

[58:57] up and then I didn't see it in there but I just wanted to assure you that she is planning

[59:03] on operating recreational programs out at Fawn Mountain to facilitate the dribbler's

[59:09] lead indoor soccer. Essentially groups that have a single point of contact and a single payer

[59:15] here so that communication with the group is very easy since it's a more remote facility.

[59:19] During the budget process, you approved converting a lifeguard position to a custodian position,

[59:25] which turns out to be very useful here, because we do, we will require the user groups to do

[59:31] a certain amount of cleaning, you know, sweep the gym floors, but then we'll need to take

[59:35] care of bathrooms out there.

[59:38] At this point, we are not planning on operating any programs out at Point Higgins, but they're

[59:43] We're already working with the two leagues that I mentioned and I would like to give

[59:50] a special shout out to the Parks and Recreation Leadership Team over there.

[59:55] So this is the second time this year we've come to them with something that could be considered

[59:59] a problem.

[1:00:00] What are we going to do? The first one was when we decided that we weren't sure we could hold summer camp inside Valley Park, and now how are we going to let these teams continue to use Fawn Mountain? And in both cases, this group says, oh, this is an opportunity. How can we make this work? What can we do better? And their enthusiasm for this kind of thing is just really, really impressive, and they will do a very nice job.

[1:00:26] We have a resolution that addresses fees for gymnasiums.

[1:00:30] It does not specifically say where the gymnasiums are located.

[1:00:33] So the fees will be exactly what we would charge if they were over at the rexer.

[1:00:36] And we have set up accounting codes so that we can keep track of what these recreational

[1:00:40] programs out there cost.

[1:00:42] So that in the future you have some idea of the decisions or the cost of the decisions

[1:00:48] that we're making.

[1:00:50] And I think with Wendy and also with Senator working with these groups, I'll actually express my appreciation for those groups being very flexible because they were in two sites not going to go one site, but they said yes, we can get this done and I think they also see the dilemmas that we're in trying to make this work, and they've been very responsive, so I want to thank the two leagues also, this has been a good partnership.

[1:01:18] Mr. Palmer, the Mr. House.

[1:01:20] Thank you. Since we're on the topic of the buildings, can you speak to the Valley Park School safety?

[1:01:27] And what update we have?

[1:01:36] We're just getting our final draft plan back and there's no expectation on our part that there'll be any findings that are substantially different than what was in the plan that was presented to the assembly.

[1:01:48] Okay, thank you.

[1:01:50] Yeah.

[1:01:51] Separate topic, we were told in July, we would get started on the parking lots at South

[1:01:58] Point Higgins Beach, so can you update us on where those stand?

[1:02:03] That should be going out to bid shortly, we're just finalizing a few details on the design

[1:02:09] we're meeting with Arnhem Engineering tomorrow to go over those, so should be coming soon.

[1:02:15] Thank you.

[1:02:16] Mr. Thompson, okay now I have three questions.

[1:02:20] First one related to Valley Park.

[1:02:22] Are we going to be able to have school in Valley Park in August?

[1:02:28] All that we've been answering.

[1:02:30] With the information we have now, we've indicate school should occur there.

[1:02:35] But the additional evaluation during this school year, we're going to determine what the future should be.

[1:02:42] And that will come back to the assembly about what will happen with Valley Park.

[1:02:45] particularly if you have to do a major renovation, and whether or not we want to renovate to a school or to something else because you have two schools empty but we always get back to and we have two schools empty.

[1:02:55] Okay, but there's no emergency for existing charter schools.

[1:02:58] We believe we've addressed the emergency.

[1:03:00] There may be some minor things that will need to do this year possibly some signings, some exit signs that are recoverable in the words that we change the building around.

[1:03:12] We use a sign some other way, but our intent is to have the charter schools in for this next school year.

[1:03:19] Okay. Second question, is there anything in our, okay, go ahead.

[1:03:23] If I can add just one more piece of information, you authorized the study on this building earlier this year.

[1:03:32] And when the school district got to the point that they were trying to make decisions about which schools to close,

[1:03:35] We only did phase one of that study, which was just the ADA accessibility issues, and then now knowing that they want to be in that building if they can, so then now we've released phase two of that study.

[1:03:51] My second question is, with regards to mountain point, is there any reason why the folks out in that neighborhood cannot utilize those properties for recreational purposes?

[1:04:03] This plan and this development of a park is going to take literally years to unfold just in terms of the planning and the capital expenditures and whatnot.

[1:04:15] And we saw that with South Point Higgins Beach, the folks out there were using the beach for many, many years and came to us and said, hey, there's an opportunity to buy this and develop into a park where we want you to do that.

[1:04:25] And it took some time.

[1:04:29] are being used by people. I go out there, and particularly the one at the lift station.

[1:04:34] That's a great site, and I've commented for years about, well, we've got to build a deck out here somehow

[1:04:39] to get some people to fish right off the end. But yes, it's for our property.

[1:04:45] Our challenges have been people who have been more liberal in that interpretation of use, like parking their boats there,

[1:04:51] and we have to remind them periodically, and they do move them,

[1:04:54] and then they migrate back, and we do this periodically.

[1:04:58] I couldn't force them this.

[1:04:58] Oh

[1:05:00] Turned by gentle, and then we get them move their cars and their trucks, and they go back onto their properties. It's nature. We get it. But as we develop these, it'll be, we think the development of how we do these will curtail that. It's like any human behavior that you see on the DO2 right away. It's people parking their boats forever. It just happens. But yes, they can use the properties.

[1:05:26] Okay. Finally, with regards to using the Fund Mountain Facility for Recreation, are we anticipating any coordination with our Transit Department to perhaps provide some reasonable, he's not here, you know, to provide some transportation for those recreational events because there's some, you know, it's a little ways out the road and there's some people that might have some transportation challenges.

[1:05:50] I will discuss that with him tomorrow, and they're always very accommodating if they can manage to work stuff in without violating any of their grant requirements and whatnot.

[1:06:02] But they do seem to enjoy supporting the students and the kids in getting them to and from activities.

[1:06:09] So I would imagine that if they can, they will, but will follow up, was in a request to him and then let him report back to you.

[1:06:16] Thank you.

[1:06:17] Thank you.

[1:06:18] Thank you.

[1:06:19] Thank you.

[1:06:20] There's since we have so many questions on public works tonight, I had two that I wanted

[1:06:23] to mention and bring up for the manager.

[1:06:28] One, and you probably don't have the answer today, but if I could get some response, there is

[1:06:34] a small curb that was put in in the parking lot at Walker Field at the baseball field adjacent

[1:06:41] into the driveway, the pull-in, where cars go, and it just seems really odd, and I watched

[1:06:49] somebody almost rip their bumper off because they didn't realize that it was there.

[1:06:55] And so I'm sure there's a point for it, but I just, I don't know if it could be painted

[1:07:00] yellow or something to make it stand out more.

[1:07:03] It just looked like a safety concern or so if I could just get some information as to what

[1:07:08] The purpose is for that.

[1:07:12] Mike, can you turn your mic on?

[1:07:14] Mike, turn your mic on, please.

[1:07:16] Thank you.

[1:07:17] Sorry.

[1:07:18] Thank you very much.

[1:07:19] I believe you mentioned it to our Acting Public Works Director.

[1:07:22] And we're going to look at that and see what it is and where it is and what it is.

[1:07:26] And sometimes things are, oh, we're not used to seeing that there.

[1:07:30] And yes, thank you very much.

[1:07:32] Thank you.

[1:07:32] I appreciate that.

[1:07:32] One other follow-up.

[1:07:33] And I'd ask about this last season, too.

[1:07:36] there's some, there's an area outside of Dudley Field where the above the tennis courts were the pool

[1:07:41] used to sit that is parking now, and there's some alder trees that have grown up and are quite tall now

[1:07:47] this season, and I know that that had been anticipated to be in the maintenance for the property.

[1:07:54] At least that's what I was told last year by the director and those trees are still there.

[1:07:58] Growing fully in the sunshine right now, and so I just was curious if that was on the maintenance schedule.

[1:08:05] Well, if I could get an update on that.

[1:08:08] Aaron Osby, acting Public Works Director.

[1:08:10] The answer is yes.

[1:08:14] We budget annually for emergency tree removal, hazard tree removal maintenance,

[1:08:20] and we have money that's allocated for that sort of work, so

[1:08:23] we will be pursuing it this year.

[1:08:26] Thank you, thank you to staff.

[1:08:28] And that's the extent of the report.

[1:08:30] If there are any other questions or information desired, please call us.

[1:08:33] All right. Thank you. That takes us to Mayor's Report. I've been going to the

[1:08:38] Sachsman canoe journey monthly meetings. The Sachsman canoe journey will be next

[1:08:43] year, next August. It's going to bring six to 8,000 people to Ketchikan strictly

[1:08:49] just the Sachsman. So that logistics is going to be a lot for all of our

[1:08:53] governments, the plan, potentially buses to bring people in and out. So we're

[1:08:57] starting that now. It's going to be a great economic opportunity for Ketchikan and

[1:09:01] It's about a week long roughly, so four days, maybe, four to five days.

[1:09:06] Anyways.

[1:09:06] What are we going to put 6000 people?

[1:09:08] They're all going to fit in Saxman and hotels.

[1:09:12] So there's a thought next August.

[1:09:14] So there'll be what, 1200 people in canoes.

[1:09:17] This, if I may, what was shared there with all I'm going to add to you is that these people

[1:09:23] come with camping gear and the Saxman is looking where they can camp if they're within their

[1:09:27] limits and that's what they'll be camping.

[1:09:29] I mean, they bring equipment with them on the canoes.

[1:09:32] So 100 canoes, what they're planning on.

[1:09:34] So this is where all this is, we've had the discussion about logistics and

[1:09:39] the city setting is the one who's hosting and we're trying to assist them where we can't.

[1:09:44] Yeah, through the mayor, maybe Fond Mountain property would be a good spot to partner with that.

[1:09:49] You really need to stay close to the canoes and the canoes are going to be at Sackman.

[1:09:54] Yeah, yeah, we had talked about Fond Mountain, but yeah, it's nice if there was a ferry terminal.

[1:10:01] If you guys are interested, we're going to, this is not just inclusive to me, we're just, anybody's allowed to be in this committee in all governments, because it's going to be all hands-on deck, including people volunteering at the event. So, yeah. So, I will give you more updates as we meet. Okay. And Elder Park was really great. We had one family there. It was pouring down rain. But it was great. It was in use. They came in rain gear. And yeah, we're excited for other parks. I think lunch tree is next.

[1:10:30] and the Valley Park playground, so we're making our way through our parks, so that's great.

[1:10:38] All right, committee reports, you guys meet, meet, any committees?

[1:10:43] Nope, all right, assembly member comments, let's miss Bowling sent, she's online.

[1:10:51] Thank you, but nothing tonight, Mayor.

[1:10:53] All right, thank you, Miss Madsen.

[1:10:55] Thank you.

[1:10:56] I echo the comments on Alder Park, it looks amazing.

[1:11:00] I am a fair weather event attender, so I did not go in the rain, but I did go the next day on a walk with kids, and they enjoyed it, and it was just beautiful.

[1:11:11] Incredibly well done, and it's fun to see the use of that space to preserve some of the empty grass space so people can still use it.

[1:11:18] I've seen dog training, and I know that a lot of people use that. I've seen birthday parties, but then also to have more specific play area for little kids that looks amazing.

[1:11:26] I did want to bring up something, and I'd like to request Forehand's direction to direct

[1:11:34] the Bureau manager and staff to work with the Ketchikan Agricultural Producers Association

[1:11:38] Kappa.

[1:11:39] As you know, the Bureau has supported Kappa, their local nonprofit that's working to support

[1:11:45] local food prosperity and security.

[1:11:48] In particular, they're looking at development of a food hub.

[1:11:51] And so right now, I'm asking for forehand support for supporting their application for

[1:11:58] federal economic development administration, EDA funding grants are open for the regional

[1:12:03] Food Hub project that's planned for the Sachsman seaport.

[1:12:08] The initial phase of that regional Food Hub project is establishing a fish processing capacity

[1:12:13] at the seaport, creating infrastructure that supports people that are not going to be using some

[1:12:19] of those big processors, but could be able to utilize the space for seafood value added

[1:12:25] processing, local food security, economic diversification, and then ideally that they'll

[1:12:30] be able to expand that into a fully operational food hub.

[1:12:34] But I'm looking for forehand's direction to allow and direct staff to work with Kappa

[1:12:40] to pursue that grant funding.

[1:12:41] Just one thing that clerk did say forehand's can only bring future items to the assembly

[1:12:46] agenda.

[1:12:46] If you can get a hold of cap of the send, do they need like a letter of support from the borrows that would they need?

[1:12:52] Good send it to them.

[1:12:53] Yeah, go ahead.

[1:12:55] Our economic development manager sits on that board and he's familiar with the project so it wouldn't take additional assembly action.

[1:13:04] Okay.

[1:13:04] It would have to come back.

[1:13:06] I believe the actual need is for the borough to apply for the grant on their behalf as it's available to municipalities.

[1:13:15] And it's the same kind of work we've done for, we've done it for wish, I believe we've done it for other organizations.

[1:13:21] We've done it multiple times trying to get the Saxman seaport and ferry terminal in working with DOT.

[1:13:26] So it's not an unusual approach for us.

[1:13:29] And so authorization to apply for an accept on behalf, instead of would have to come back in a future meeting.

[1:13:35] Do you want to come back next meeting or with your permission, Mr. Mayor?

[1:13:41] I'd like to let staff who knows more about the project determine what the right meeting is to bring it forward.

[1:13:46] If you give us the forehand's direction, they'll bring it at the right time.

[1:13:50] Okay. Is that okay?

[1:13:51] That would be wonderful.

[1:13:53] That's clarification.

[1:13:54] Yeah, good.

[1:13:56] So the four ends is four staff to bring back a future agenda item to support the cap of project.

[1:14:04] My goal would be that the staff would return to the assembly at the appropriate time with recommendations and the actions necessary for our approval.

[1:14:24] I just want to say bravo to the staff for your work and notification with the parks

[1:14:33] and recs department for making fun mountain of place that will be able to be used this

[1:14:38] year. I really appreciate that work by staff. I also want to say congratulations and very

[1:14:45] best wishes to Mr. Eric Blake, the new business manager for the school district and wishing

[1:14:51] both him and Superintendent Forebear much success this year. I also wanted to make a comment.

[1:15:00] It was really great, again, this sunny hot and dusty weekend to see the rotary beach park parking lot completely full of vehicles, this individual vehicles. That was very nice. There's a lot of families down there enjoying the sunshine in the beach. I also wanted to make a note. This popped up in my feed this last week. If anyone is interested, the Trump accounts are now live.

[1:15:27] So if somebody has had a child since January 1st of 2025, they can go in, download the app and establish a Trump account that will give their child $1,000 and they have the ability to manage or they're the custodian of that account until the child is 18.

[1:15:46] And so if they want more information, they can go to Trumpaccounts.gov.

[1:15:50] And then I'm very excited about the Sachsman canoe journey.

[1:15:55] Thank you for bringing that again to our attention to the mayor.

[1:16:00] And yeah, lots of good work this week.

[1:16:02] So thank you all, enjoy the sunshine.

[1:16:05] Mr. Thompson.

[1:16:07] Thank you.

[1:16:07] I think this canoe project is really exciting.

[1:16:10] I've been hearing about it for several months, so I'm really excited that it's getting off the ground.

[1:16:14] I'm a little bit nervous that there's going to be 6,000 people for a week in town.

[1:16:18] on this going to be interesting at best, but it'll be fun.

[1:16:21] So, I'll be interested in hearing that as it goes along.

[1:16:24] Sunshine's out, my water tanks dwindling, but I'm okay with that.

[1:16:28] And just go out and enjoy it.

[1:16:29] Thanks to staff for all you do.

[1:16:31] I noticed that we're a little light this evening,

[1:16:33] because probably everybody's out, having fun, that's a good idea.

[1:16:37] Thank you, Your Honor.

[1:16:39] Thank you, Ms. Palmer.

[1:16:42] Thank you.

[1:16:43] I love the summer year because it's election season stirring,

[1:16:47] and people can file starting August 3rd through 25th.

[1:16:52] We have three seats open on the assembly,

[1:16:54] two seats on school board, and four seats open on the city.

[1:16:57] So it's a big year.

[1:16:59] But also if anybody's listening or wants to join us,

[1:17:02] I think it's one of the most remarkable communities

[1:17:04] to get to serve because when something horrible happens,

[1:17:08] the community just steps up and helps.

[1:17:10] And so it makes it really easy to sit up here in that vein.

[1:17:14] Because we know we have good people here

[1:17:15] that we're trying to just help the future of this island for.

[1:17:21] So I hope people will throw in their names in the hats and join us and

[1:17:25] we'll support all of those folks on whatever body they choose to sit on.

[1:17:29] So thank you.

[1:17:30] Thank you, Mr. Ortez.

[1:17:32] Well, thank you.

[1:17:33] I concur with the comments just made by Assemblymember Palmer concerning the upcoming election.

[1:17:39] I encourage people to serve in order for our system to work.

[1:17:43] People have to be willing to step up and answer, and it's something that, again, foundation of our community, the foundation of our state, foundation of our country, is in order for it to work.

[1:18:01] The democratic republic process to work, people got to step up and do their different things, start with voting, but then it goes a lot further than that in many cases.

[1:18:09] So I encourage people to do that.

[1:18:10] I would like to thank Ms. Smith for her update on funding outside the cap for certain activities.

[1:18:20] I received that email update.

[1:18:21] I'm sure the rest of you did as well.

[1:18:23] I'd like to hear more specifics about,

[1:18:29] I guess it was a little bit of a surprise to me when

[1:18:31] I spoke to Ms. Smith about that email that we don't plan to fund to the cap.

[1:18:38] I was always under the assumption that we were going to be funding to the campus this year,

[1:18:45] but it doesn't sound like we're going to do that, so I guess it would make funding outside the

[1:18:49] cap not really relevant, I guess. I just like to hear a little bit more about that, maybe at the

[1:18:56] next meeting, an update, and I guess with the school board with the new superintendent's report or

[1:19:01] superintendent being here, maybe we can just kind of lock all that in together, because I do know

[1:19:06] So that this upcoming year, things are going to be different for activities in a big way in terms of at least $300,000 not being there and certain activities of traveling to certain areas and things like that won't be happening unless somehow that $300,000 is there available and right now it's not there available with my understanding anyway with that said, that's all I got.

[1:19:31] Thanks.

[1:19:32] All right.

[1:19:32] Thank you.

[1:19:34] No executive session.

[1:19:35] So that takes us to adjournment.

[1:19:36] Is there any objections to adjourn?

[1:19:39] Seeing in here, none.

[1:19:40] We are adjourned at 6.44.

Assembly - Regular - Jul 20th, 2026

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