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HomeMy WebLinkAboutResolution No. 2016-08Sponsored by: Administration CITY OF KENAI RESOLUTION NO. 2016 -08 A RESOLUTION OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF KENAI, ALASKA, AUTHORIZING A BUDGET TRANSFER WITHIN THE GENERAL FUND — NON - DEPARTMENTAL AND LEGISLATIVE DEPARTMENTS FOR A CHALLENGE GRANT TO BE AWARDED TO RUSSIAN ORTHODOX SACRED SITES IN ALASKA INC., A NON PROFIT 501 (C)(3) FOR THE PRESERVATION OF THE CHURCH OF THE ASSUMPTION OF THE VIRGIN MARY, A NATIONAL HISTORIC LANDMARK LOCATED IN THE CITY OF KENAI. WHEREAS, the Holy Assumption Church in Kenai, initially constructed well over 100 years ago, has been designated as a National Historic Landmark by the United States Secretary of the Interior due to its national historical significance and its exceptional quality illustrating or interpreting the heritage of the United States; and, WHEREAS, the Holy Assumption Church was designed in a classic Pskov, or ship pattern, presents an excellent model of Russian log construction and served not only as a place of worship, but also as a social center, school, judicial center and provided the regions first access to public health; and, WHEREAS, the Holy Assumption Church continues to be historically, culturally, economically and socially important to the community of Kenai and draws tourist from throughout the state and much further; and, WHEREAS, Russian Orthodox Sacred Sites in Alaska, Inc., ( ROSSIA) a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization started by Native corporation leaders, Orthodox clergy, government officials, architects and historians for the purpose of preserving Alaska's Russian Orthodox Churches has requested financial assistance from the City of Kenai to help install a Hi -Fog Mist System to protect the Church and its valuable historical and religious artifacts from fire damage; and, WHEREAS, ROSSIA has previously received grants from the Rasmuson Foundation and State of Alaska for preservation work but, still needs approximately $60,000 to complete its fire protection system; and, WHEREAS, it is in the best interest of the City of Kenai, and serves an important public purpose, to provide up to $20,000 as a challenge grant to ROSSIA for the purpose of raising the necessary funds to complete the fire protection system for the historical site; and, WHEREAS, the intent of the grant is match dollar for dollar other contributions solicited by ROSSIA, up to a total of $20,000 from the City; and, WHEREAS, annually the Council appropriates funds that are available for unexpected and unbudgeted expenditures; and, Resolution 2016 -08 Page 2 of 2 WHEREAS, the FY2017 Budget appropriated $90,000 in Non - Departmental Contingency for such expenditures; and, WHEREAS, $84,400 of this contingency currently remains available; and, WHEREAS, the department has identified available funds in its budget which are available as a result of the low use of snow removal equipment this past winter; and, WHEREAS, a budget transfer of $20,000 is beyond the authority of the City Manager and pursuant to KMC 7.25.020 the City Council, by resolution, may make transfers in any amounts of unencumbered balances of line item accounts within a Department or within a fund. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF KENAI, ALASKA, as follows: Section 1. That the following budget transfer be made: General Fund From: Non - Departmental - Contingency $20,000 To: Legislative - Grants to Other Agencies $20,000 Section 2. That the City provide up to $20,000 from its Legislative - Grants to Other Agencies Account, as a challenge grant to ROSSIA for the purposes of completing a fire protection system for the Holy Assumption Orthodox Church in Kenai. Section 3. That this resolution takes effect immediately upon passage. PASSED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF KENAI ALASKA this 2nd day of March. 2016. PAT PORTER, MAYOR ATTEST: dra Modigh, City er/ Approved by Finance:�,tC "J a �OCeo �1 February 2, 2oz6 RL�--� SSIA RUSSIAN ORTHODOX SACRED SITES IN ALASKA Dear Mr. Koch, Greetings from ROSSIA's Board of Directors! We write today with great anticipation We have a critical need, and we ask you to join with us in financial support of our work. Sheri Beretta, Chair We are poised for the completion of a major feat in the historic preservation of the Anchorage Holy Assumption Church in Kenai - the final installation of a state -of- the -art fire suppression system! Tara Bourdukofsky, Vice Chair Help us protect the Holy Assumption Church from fire! Anchorage Dorothy Gray, Treasurer Kenai Rebecca Shaffer, Secretary Anchorage David Gregory Unalaska Vanessa Norman Anchorage Mary Sattler Juneau Jobe Bernier Anchorage Angela Totemoff Anchorage Ex officio: David Mahaffey, Bishop of Sitka and Alaska Holy Assumption Russian Orthodox Church Kenai, Alaska Many of you have been supporting ROSSIA for multiple years, and you have seen the incredible preservation work that has gone into Kenai's Holy Assumption Church, a National Historic Landmark. Among the final work for this church is a system to protect it, and the icons within, from devastation by fire. We have begun the installation of what is considered the gold standard of fire suppression for cultural properties. With the help of Rasmuson Foundation we are two - thirds complete with the installation of a Hi -Fog Mist system. We need your help for the final push. Our fundraising goal is s6o,000 by March 30 to complete this project by the summer, and we cannot reach our goal without your help. This letter represents an urgent request for financial support. We have come too far in its preservation to lose the Holy Assumption Church to fire. We have lost significant historical churches to fire in the recent past, and we have seen devastation by fire on the Kenai this past summer and with the recent earthquake. Together we can protect the Holy Assumption! Please make a donation today, online at htti)://www.rossialaska.org/sur)i)ort/ or by enclosing and mailing your check on or before our deadline of March 30. Blessings and many thanks for your support, ROSSIA Board of Directors P.O. Box 212315 • Anchorage, AK 99521 -2315 •www.rossialaska.org Russian Orthodox Sacred Sites in Alaska ROSSIA Inc. is a 501(c)(3) U.S. tax exempt organization ROSSIA — Russian Orthodox Sacred Sites in Alaska Home t r = 1, . -' "' a SACRED SITES IN ALASKA Holy Transfiguration of our Holy Ascension Church, Holy Assumption Orthodox Lord Chapel, Ninilchik. Photo Unalaska. Photo provided by Church, Kenai. Photo provided provided by Clark Fair. Clark Fair. by Clark Fair. Wind, weather, and time are slowly eroding many of Alaska's most distinctive landmarks — Russian Orthodox Churches. These churches, from Juneau to St. Paul Island and from Karluk to Eklutna, date from the 19th century and hope for their rehabilitation comes from ROSSIA, Incorporated — Russian Orthodox Sacred Sites in Alaska.ROSSIA Inc. is a non - profit 501 (c) (3) organization dedicated to the preservation of Alaska's Russian Orthodox Churches and iconography. Started in 2002 by preservation- minded Native corporation leaders, Orthodox clergy, government officials, architects, and historians, ROSSIA has helped initiate several restoration projects over the last twelve years. Our mission is to preserve Alaska's historic Russian Orthodox churches and the historic articles and furnishings therein. Page 1 of 3 http: / /www.rossialaska.org/ 2/23/2016 ROSSIA — Russian Orthodox Sacred Sites in Alaska 3�p� PN Opf�c' 9� Pick.Click.Give. �A61 NIZA1 ��� http: / /www.rossialaska.org/ Page 3 of 3 2/23/2016 ROSSIA — Russian Orthodox Sacred Sites in Alaska Donate \ ©=3 `""iE9® Holy Assumption Russian Orthodox Church — Kenai, Alaska (photo by Father Thomas Andrew) Our Top Priority: Fire Suppression for Kenai's Holy Assumption Orthodox Church ROSSIA was the grateful recipient of a 2013 Rasmuson Tier 2 grant and a State of Alaska capital grant in that same year. With grant funds we were able to complete many projects in both Juneau and Kenai, which were on our list of highest priorities. In Kenai, we used grant funds to build a mechanical outbuilding, blessed by the Bishop and named St. Juvenaly. This important structure is on -site with the Church, and it houses a restroom, gift shop, and mechanical support for the Church, including the "rough -in" of a hi -fog mist fire suppression system. With the rough -in of our state -of- the -art fire suppression system, and the purchase of its pump, we are ready to purchase the piping and complete the final installation of the system. We are working hard to raise just under $100,000 for the completion of the fire suppression system, which will protect and preserve the many thousands of dollars invested in this restoration project. With the intensive 2015 fire season, this project could not be more timely. Please CLICK HERE to join us in protecting the Holy Assumption Orthodox Church of Kenai from fire damage and destruction. ROSSIA, Inc. is proud to be a partner with the Pick.Click.Give program. Please consider a supplemental donation to ROSSIA when you apply for your Alaska Permanent Fund dividend. Page 2 of 3 http: / /www.rossialaska.org/ 2/23/2016 History I ROSSIA — Russian Orthodox Sacred Sites in Alaska History — St. Nicholas (Anchorage Museum) ROSSIA Inc. is a non - profit 501 (c) (3) organization dedicated to the preservation of Alaska's Russian Orthodox Churches and iconography. Started in 2002 by preservation - minded Native corporation leaders, Orthodox clergy, government officials, architects, and historians, ROSSIA has helped initiate several restoration projects over the last ten years. ROSSIA's Board of Directors offers assistance to church parishes around the state to preserve these significant landmarks, and we have our work cut out for us. Today Alaska has 33 Orthodox Churches on the National Register of Historic Places. In 2002, the ROSSIA Board identified ten of these churches as requiring urgent restoration and chose to focus on two prominent churches first: St. Nicholas in Alaska's capital city, Juneau and the Holy Assumption, one of several National Historic Landmark Orthodox churches, in Kenai. Page I of 2 http : / /www.rossialaska.org/history/ 2/23/2016 History I ROSSIA — Russian Orthodox Sacred Sites in Alaska Our Alaskan communities face tough choices as it is often more costly to restore a historic building than to build a newer, simpler, often less elegant, house of worship. ROSSIA works closely with local communities to encourage them to preserve their original structure and a prominent story of Alaska's history. Individuals, Native corporations, and foundations are being approached for assistance in what promises to be a multi - million dollar campaign. How did this unique inheritance come to be? Russia laid claim to Alaska in 1741, following Vitus Bering's pioneer voyage across the Pacific from Siberia. Hundreds of Russian fur - seekers followed. The first Orthodox house of worship in America was a chapel built by laymen on Umnak Island in the Aleutians in the 1760's. The Orthodox mission established a formal presence in North America, at Kodiak, in 1794 with the arrival of ten monks including North America's first Orthodox Saint, the humble monk Herman. Another great cleric, Bishop (also Saint) Innocent (Veniaminov) designed and built the first Russian Orthodox cathedral in North America, St. Michael's in Sitka, between 1844 and 1848. Today, there are more than 90 active Russian Orthodox Churches in the state of Alaska, of which 7 are National Historic Landmarks. Page 2 of 2 http : / /www.rossialaska.org /history/ 2/23/2016