Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout1997-09-10 Council Minutes - Work SessionKENAI CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION SEPTEI#1DER 109 1997 KENAI SENIOR CENTER 7:00 P.M. Council Present: Williams, Smalley, Swarner, Moore, Bannock, Council Absent: Bookey and Measles. Stag Present: Semmens, Ross, Graves, Kornelis, De Forest, Elson, Ernst, Porter, Morris, and Sheryl Padilla as Acting City Clerk. . Others Present: David Lucas, Peninsula Clarion, Bob Peters, Bill Popp, Leo Oberts, and others. Topic of Discussion: Goals and Objectives. Mayor Williams opened by asking each council member to state their thoughts on where they see the City heading and what they would like to see happen. City Manager Ross first stated the two things Administration needed from Council tonight were: 1) How Council wants to dedicate municipal capital matching grant funds; and 2) How Council wants to dedicate the DEC matching grants. 1. Councilman Moore stated that the bluff should be the first priority. He said that ARFF and the Challenger are great projects but that he has i been approached by citizens about projects that they can actually use and enjoy -such as a library expansion or an ice rink. Moore also stated that council needs to look at the aging neighborhoods and their streets and water and sewer. 2. Councilwoman Swarner echoed Moore's concerns but stated the bluff would not be the highest priority on her list. She said streets in older neighborhoods such as Woodland and Redoubt would be more important. She said she has also heard comments from residents about wanting something to use such as a library expansion or an ice rink. . 3. Councilman Bannock said he looks at priorities from a basic needs point of view. He said streets clearly comes first, and along with that would be a new maintenance facility to keep the equipment running to maintain the roads. 4. Councilman Smalley agreed with the items already mentioned and also listed tent camping off of Marathon Road, expansion of the sewer plant, increased space for city hall, continuing the lights program, continuing to push Kenai as a year -around activity center (an ice rink could help with that, he said), and looking into the possibility of a women's prison in Kenai. 5. Mayor Williams said council needs to look at the citizens who live outside the City but look to Kenai for needs and services such as ambulance, shopping, the animal shelter and the library. He said we Work Session Minutes September 10, 1997 Page 2 of 6 need to continue to help develop the economy of the City. Williams stated that all roads in the inner core of the City need to be paved; he said we should go back and pave the ones that were missed and then proceed with the "core" plan. He agreed that water and sewer should be looked at but not a major extension until the treatment plant is expanded. Williams said the maintenance shop is a must, and we should start trying to get the money from the state grant process now because it will take years to get it. Bannock continued by saying that paving should not necessarily be done from the inner city out. He said there are, other areas that need it such as Dolchok. Williams said the paving plan should be resurrected and reviewed. Ross pointed out that the streets listed are maintenance projects, not new paving projects. A discussion followed regarding Wildwood Drive which is maintained by the City. Swarner stated when Wildwood is repaved a sidewalk and lights should be installed. It was decided there is not enough use to warrant the expense. Swarner suggested maybe it should be cared for by the State instead. Williams stated the City needs to continue contact with State officials and the legislative group, participate strongly, and keep pressure on Juneau to get things done for the City. He said we need to keep a closer eye on state government. Regarding compiling the capital improvement list, Williams said it probably won't happen again that the City would be using municipal capital matching grants from the State for city water and sewer grants from the State. Smalley suggested that maybe Council hasn't been using a broad enough view of things and should maybe expand their view. He said Kenai has been conservative over- _ the years in asking the State for small amounts of money for projects while other cities ask for much larger amounts of money. Ross stated the opportunity for big money may come this next year in the area of erosion control. He said Administration is now submitting a grant request to the Alaska Science Foundation as a trial project. He said the City will have to get the Corps of Engineers to buy into it, and we will have to match it with maybe $30K or $50K. If that works, it could lead to bigger money. Williams asked Administration to examine Council's comments and comment on them, including status such as "in process" or "on list for future," etc. Swarner said the City should look at putting more lights along the streets. She said she would like to see more money for safety. Work Session Minutes September 10, 1997 Page 3 of 6 Williams suggested Council dedicate all capital grant money to streets as A ministration has recommended. Swarner said she would like to see as much money as possible go to paving streets. She stated the money should go to the areas where people want assessments. She repeated that she would like to see lights and a sidewalk along Wildwood Drive. Smalley said there wouldn't be a lot of walkers along Wildwood Drive. Williams said we could at least request roll-over curbs and some lighting; but, he said, the neighborhood isn't very conducive to walking. 'You've got a half -mile long road that goes from a main highway to a prison ... and only about four residences on it .." Administration was directed to come back with a price for improving Wildwood Drive, including lights and sidewalks. Regarding the October booklet that goes to the Borough and the legislators, after discussion: city shop $3M; new roads $2.5M; water and sewer $6M; library expansion $2M; multipurpose recreational facility $1.5M; and erosion control $25M. Williams said deferred maintenance is going to happen, and if any projects fall into that category they have a chance of getting paid for. He said Wildwood Drive is a perfect example of that —maintenance has been deferred until the street is almost gone. • Moore said it sounds like the bluff would qualify for deferred maintenance. Williams said we should take a look at changing our view of deferred maintenance. He said he had asked Administration to develop a long-term plan about buildings. Ross stated that deferred maintenance can be defined many ways. He said the way Administration defined it for the deferred maintenance schedule was to look at fixed and capital assets. So if it belongs in and is attached to the building, it's a capital asset as opposed to the police department recorder or the finance department's accounting system which are not capital assets. Williams summarized that Council has agreed tonight that the resolution should state that all the municipal capital matching grant funds will be dedicated to "streets." Council will decide later how to divide that money up within that category. The next question to answer for Administration, he said, is regarding the DEC matching grants. Ross said Administration recommends digging another well at the [dead] end of Lawton Drive because it would help with the summer water needs and it would be a better location for tying in water lines to future housing developments. Ross said the well to be dug at the fire training center will be non -potable water and not enough water for city use anyway. Williams said he will be asking Council to consider the funding of a new city maintenance shop in the next budget. He asked if there were any Friends of the Library in the audience who could talk about a new approach to the expansion issue. Bob Peters spoke up as a Library Commissioner. He said the Commission Work Session Minutes September 10, 1997 Page 4 of 6 recommends doing needs assessment. It has been nearly five years since the last one was done. Peters said he believes the failure of the bond issues was due to the fact that people didn't want to pay for the expansion as a bond. He said the $2.5M figure is a realistic figure. Williams said Council needs to prioritize the items on the list and provide proof that the City is in dire need —that items are breaking down and wearing out. He said that deferred "capital" is just to continue the program. He said the ice rink is a good example. It wouldn't be good to ask for a new ice rink when we have a city shop that's falling apart. Smalley talked about deferred maintenance and that it is broken into categories of deteriorating facilities and new construction under a municipal dividend program. Williams asked what other areas should be looked at for capital funds besides streets city shop, library, water treatment facility, water and sewer plant. Swarner asked if the City dock can be developed further to add to city revenue. Kornelis stated there isn't much to do but pave the staging area. Swarner responded that is not deferred 40 maintenance. Moore asked if dredging the mouth of the river could be considered deferred maintenance. Ross said that isn't a project the City wants to get into. "We want the corps to do that ..." The South Spruce parking problem should be given back to the State because "... they created the problem," Williams stated. Ross said we have some Fish & Wildlife assistance on that and on the other side of the river, and maybe we should bring both those projects back to the table. Williams said the river access project is $800K and So. Spruce parking is $100K—almost a million dollars that could be paid for by the State if the projects went back to them. Ross asked for clarification that Council is still wanting the number one priority on the DEC list to be the new well. Williams said that further down the list is the construction of the No. 1 well house. It was decided that the new well would be number one on the list, with the tie-ins and the well house as numbers two and three (at least internally). Because of life -safety issues around the new well, the chances for funding are best with it, Ross stated. Because of the need to deal with problems brought on by State decisions about fishing, we should ask the State to pay for all the paving of the staging area, the new launch ramp, the new exit road, the river access on the south side, and parking on South Spruce, Williams stated. Smalley asked Kornelis about the status of the light pole which has been lying on the ground for months at the intersection of Bridge Access and K Beach Road. Kornelis said he will contact DOT again. Work Session Minutes . September 10, 1997 Page 5 of 6 Bannock suggested that since dip netting is an issue that has been thrust upon the City maybe the City should try to put it in a positive light. He said if we refer to it as something like "enhancement of statewide dip netting opportunity," maybe our chances with the State would be better than going to them demanding that they do something because of "this evil curse that they have placed on to us." Bannock said. maybe the State would see Kenai as willing to work with them and then be more apt to foot the bill for projects that we need to deal with the problems. Administration was directed to prepare a report for the legislators regarding the dip net issue to include such data as how many permits have been issued, how many dip net permits are issued, traffic counts, how many people launch from the dock specifically for dip net fishing, and extra pressure on the community in dealing with this issue. Williams discussed the bluff erosion problem. He said he thinks that if the City gets into the project it will spend most of its money fighting the agencies over it. He said the best course at this time is to work with the Corps of Engineers. Smalley stated the City should look into how Bethel handled their similar problem and see if there is something the City can learn from that. Williams said we won't get the money this year for sure. Williams asked Finance Director Semmens for a "thumbnaii sketch" of the City's finances now compared with the plan for where we would be. Semmens said he has not thoroughly analyzed the numbers at this point. He said the general fund will increase approximately $17,000. He explained that's because he used 95% of appropriations as the target for what would be spent —which is more conservative than what the City's history indicates. But, he said, "... I would rather show you a deficit and end up with a surplus." As of June 30, 1997, he said, the general fund looks better than what was projected. Williams summarized the meeting by listing these items accomplished: 1. Looked at the City Manager's memorandum; 2. Looked at capital projects; 3. Set priorities regarding DEC and municipal capital matching grants; 4. Discussed philosophically how things should be down the road. Williams said when Council meets again they should further discuss the last item. He asked that the Clerk get the notes from the first portion of this meeting to Council at the next Council meeting. Swarner asked when Council will be meeting with the legislators. Williams said before Thanksgiving —he will take care of it. 0 Work Session Minutes September 10, 1997 Page 6 of 6 Williams asked if anyone from the community wanted to speak. Bill Popp said he lives in VIP and is pleased with the assessments there. He suggested that Council look closely at areas of town with dense population. He asked Council to consider a small park in VIP --a ball park if possible but now necessary now. Popp said home owners in the area would help with maintenance. Popp also said that the septic problem in VIP is a "ticking time bomb" and if not fixed will lead to tainted wells, water problems and could possibly affect the river. Popp then commended Council for the "friendly" tone of tonight's meeting. Bob Peters spoke about the bluff. He said he appreciated Councilman Moore's view of fixing the bluff problem. He said Council should remember that the bluff is a source of revenue in a way, too; and that revenue (property) is being lost to erosion. Peters said the Senior Center sits closer to the bluff that his own house on Mission Street, and maybe Council should worry about losing the Senior Center over the bluff, too. He said Mission Avenue should be fixed. Meeting ac journed at 9:25 p.m. Respectfully submitted, She rye.Padilla, Acting City Clerk • •