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Home My WebLink About1962-02-28 Council MinutesKenai City Council Minutes Wednesday, Feb. 28, 1962 Meeting called to order by the Clerk and Mr. Richard Morgan nominated and elected Mayor pro tem. Roll call showed all members present but Mayor Swanson. Mr. Roger Meeks appeared before the Council with a letter from Mr. Joe E. Briones, Dept. Adjutant of the American Legion. Mr. Meeks wanted to know the feeling of the Council about buying the Old Federal Jail property from the Dept. of Administration and then selling it to the Local American Legion. The Clerk was instructed to write the Dept. of Administration to inquire as to the cost of buying the premises. The American Legion will also write a letter along this line. Mr. Harold Galliette appeared before the Council with an amended contract to be signed by him and the Council. Regarding Mr. Morgan's suggestion (see minutes of last meeting), Mr. Galliette expressed his intention of working with the Army, but did not incorporate this into the contract. He also explained the need for a full line auger to drill approximately 10 to 15 test holes. He needs to know the depth of frost penetration as well as meterials, and possible amount of water. Mr. Odin Strandberg agreed to renting the Kenai Paower's auger - truck for this purpose. Council reviewed the changes in the contract with the Atty. and Mr. Carl Seaman presented Resolution #23 employing Harold Galliette as planning engineer for the water and sewerage projects. Resolution passed and Council signed the contract, after public discussion had been held. Minutes of the last meeting were read and approved. Correspondence was read and acted upon later on in these minutes. City Atty., Jas. E. Fisher submitted a written report which is included in these minutes. He elaborated on no. 5 of his report which deals with the Kenai Power Franchise ordinance. Mr. Strandberg, speaking for Kenai Power, said they will submit a formal acceptance according to Sec. 19 and they would like to have the voting records approved and a certificate furnished. Mr. Fisher also requested an executive session with Council to discuss collection of cannery sales taxes. Council will meet in executive session at next WednLaday'u meet- ing. Leo Oberts, of the Dock -Harbor Commission had nothing further to report F until Mr. Dye can be present. Mr. Morgan, Bridge Committe, reported the letters from industrial firms ,. are slow in coming in, consequently the proposed date for finalizing his work will not be in April as anticipated, but possibly a month later. F: ;. In accordance with Ordinance 3, Sec. 38, Council canvassed the votes of the Special Election of Friday, February 23, 1962, which presented the Kenai Power Corporation's Franchise Ordinance for referendum to the people. Results �I of the canvassing as certified by the Council are as follows: Kenai City Council Minutes Page two Totalvotes cast---------------------------------------------------- 216 For Franchise Against Franchise ' Votes cast in Election 149 57 j Absentee Ballots 5 4 j Mutilated Ballots 1 Total votes cast 1 154 61 216 Acting Mayor Morgan called attention to Sec. 39 of Ord. 3 which is a notifica- tion of grounds for contesting an election. There being no reading of alledged prohibitive preactices from the floor and none received in writing by the Clerk, the Council accepted the results of the election and certified the validity of the votes cast. 1 i Mr. Carl Swanson moved, McGahan seconded, to waive a second reading of . Ordinances 21 and 22. Motion passed. Motions to approved Ordinances 21, prohibiting driving a vehicle without the vehicle owner's consent, and 22, prescribing tresspass on another's property i passed unanimously. Mr. Cone moved, McGahan seconded, Ordinance #20 be tabled until next meet- ing. Motion passed. Mr. Carl Swanson moved Carl Seaman seconded, we accept the preliminary plansfor subdivision of Sections 1 and 6 as submitted and recommend immediate action. Motion passed with Mr. McGahan dissenting. Clerk was instructed to inquire as to the status of the proposed sanitary fill site. In response to a letter from Mr. David Boyer protesting the Road CClosed sign by the Hotel, council conferred with Chief Peavley and concluded for the safety of the children who cross that street to get to classes, the sign should remain in force, especially as it is there only five days a week from 8:30 am to 4:sO pm, and will not be in effect in the summer months when the tourist season is on. Prompted by a memo from the Atty. discussion was held on whether or not to attend the proposed meeting of the Greater Chamber of Commerce of Soldotna with R.G.Dwyre and a representative from Lee Hubbard's office which will discuss roads for the City and the proposed borough, it was decided to let the individual detarmine whether or not he wished to attend. Inspection of the City Jail is to be held with Bob Oehler Monday, March 5, at 10 a.m. Chief Peavley is instructed to compile a list of things that are needed re the Jail. Mr. Seaman suggested a Councilman be appointed to ascertain the exact loca- L ' O-N ---mwq►—. "9 Kenai City Council Meeting Page three { tion of the new signs for the City. Mr. Morgan appointed Mr. Seaman as he is familiar with the requirements for locating it, etc. 1 r Mr. Seaman moved, Carl Swanson seconded, the City sign the maintenance agreement with IBM to maintain the typewriter in the Clerk's office. Passed. Mr. Cone moved, TumSuden seconded, the City back Mr. Leonard on HB 381 which provides forconveyance to municipalities of that part of the state public domain lying within their boundaries. Motion passed. Mr. Seaman moved, Carl Swanson seconded, the City oppose HB 355 re}}atti�i to the election of members to organized borough assemblies from citiesi4 assed. The meeting was opened to public discussion and Mr. Leo Oberts mentioned the need to re-route the Beaver Loop Road when the City Dock activity increases. In its present location the road will interfer with dock business and will be- come a hazard to traffic. Council was of the opinion re-routing will tie in 0 with the proposed new bridge, etc. Meeting adjourned 11:00 p.m. Rectfull�tted, Frances Torkilsen City Clerk Date: - D -U Date: Oil Motion: Motion: OIL" f Morgan /,/� Morgan "aban 1 McGahannr Cone F Seaman Seaman Swanson Swanson ' —Ty M k b Sa N _ Date: _ _ G� ! Date: Motions Motion: �6vtL� z Morgan "" Y Morgan McGahan Y McGahan Cone Cone/J,{%j/►'i 0 Vk M°�'� Seaawa f �!' Seaman Swanson Swanson Tu nt 5 u A e'm �v ai )� J Dates Date: ' Motions �~ $ ` Motion: Morgan P4organ - MX Ma V �' IdcGahan - Cone Cone es �. Seaman Seaman �...' r Swanson -rum Swanson e» 'a - it,: t 'Z - - Date: Motion: tam O Morgan Monahan Cone Seaman Owanson r v yq S 1A.J p h Motion! Date: �`�-lj Date: Cps Motion: 16 �,- OL 1 , Horgan G��""" ' ' • Morgan lleGahan McGahan Cone Cone iqr' �� Hayes e Seaman Seaman {Paaaeon �Wrn "' Swanson t Date: Motion: >110, Morgan ' McGahan Y�J Cone Hayes Seaman Swanson f Motion: Date: A Morgan ytcGahan Y Cone Hayea Seaman wanson lon, rM 28 February 1962 City Council Box 580 Kenai, Alaska Re: Report to Council Gentlemen: 1. The City Attorney would like to remind the Council of the need for taking some action with respect to abandoned vehicles, and/or other property. An ordinance is presently before the Council and having been proposed by the City Attorney in response to the re- quest from the Council. A cleanup campaign for the City of Kenai should be planned as soon as possible so it may be executed as soon as the spring breakup has run its course. 2. In connection with the matter of clean-up, the City Attorney would recommend the Council prompting a campaign to clean- uprot only abandoned cars but any and all junk. If possible, an overall campaign for cleaning up the City of Kenai should be accomp- lished with respect to tourist attractions and just ordinary junk presently in the City. In this connection, the City Council should request the assistance of the Chamber of Commerce, the Homemakers, the schools, and any other interested groups such as the American Legion. I believe the fire department has authority to burn down a couple of the old eye -sore buildings in the City. 3. Litigation will have to be initiated in the near future with respect to the sales tax on the fish canneries' sales. Thus far action has been withheld because of the amount of work involved to commence a lawsuit and the need for securing cooperation of the can- neries with respect to the Kenai River Bridge of the Kenai Peninsula Coastal Highway. 4. Although an advisory committee with respect to recom- mendations on the location of water and sewer lines will not be required immediately, the committee, if it is to be organized by the City, should be initiated as soon as possible. The City Attorney recommends advertising for another group of people to volunteer their services on such a committee. The Committee would be purely advisory since the City Council cannot delegate the responsibility which is involved in designating where water and sewer lines should be. In addition, this Committee could make recommendations with respect to streets to be maintained and the priority with which maintenance work is to be accomplished. This recommendation has been made previously, however, the City Attorney knowing the tremen- dous demands upon the Council's attention believed a reiteration might be helpful. ,/- 5. The power franchise recently approved by the voters in the City of Kenai is not effective until such time as the fran- chise is accepted by the applicant. The City attorney would recommend that the applicant propose the form of recommendation. This form, when approved by the City Attorney, or approved as altered, could be accomplished as soon as possible. Since the franchise has been appro- ved, it would be in the best interests of the City to insist upon performance conforming with the franchise as soon as possible. G. A decision should be made as soon as possible regarding building permit fee schedule. Council is also reminded that it is possible that a person should be anployed to review the plats, and plans of persons applying for building permits in the City of Kenai, Alaska. Such employment should be paid from the fees charged accord- ing to a schedule of fees adopted by the Council. 7. The Council is reminded that the contract with the engineer employed by the City for planning of the water- and sewer system will require that a machine for test borings be secured. These test borings must be accomplished in the roads before the roads have thawed too much. The expenses involved in that machine must be borne by the City in accordance with the contract proposed by Mr. Harold Galliett, the engineer employed. E. FISHER Attorney /eif r Report of Mr. Art Tauriainen on trip to Juneau Feb. 14 to Feb. 17, 1962 Arrived in Juneau at 12:30 pm, Wednesday, Feb. 14. At one o'clock I met Rep. Rhode who took me to Mr. Isaac's office. Mr. Isaac explained the budget requitnebts of the Kenai School. He said there should be no worry as the North Kenai School would probably not be ready during the next school term., but that care should be taken in teacher hiring so as not to cause difficulty in transfer to North Kenai. The budget could then be ad- justed. Mr. Isaac showed me the plans of the North Kenai School (8 rooms) with a possibility of adding a multi -purpose room about 45' x 60' at a later date. Land is purchased across from Forelands and he seemed perturbed that we should question the choice of land. At 3:15 I returned to Rep. Rhode's office and the House Chambers and he introduced me to representatives Kerttula and Jarvela, who both pro- mised to aid us in the N'rth Road Extension. At 7:30 p.m. I returned to the House Chambers to a joint hearing on the Ford Foundation report from Dr. Linderman. It appears to be a good plan and apparently received favorable attention from all members who attended. Senators Metcalf, McNeece, Owens were actively present as were a good number of representatives. At 10 pm I left with Rep. Kerttula for coffee at the Baranof and there we made more acquaintances. There Sen. Metcalf and Rep. Rhode made an appointment for me to see Phil Holdsworth Thurs. Sen. McNeeley made an appointment for me to appear at the Highway probe Friday eve. Everyone was very nice and more helpful than I expected. Both Rep. Rhode and Kerttula seemed very sincere, as did Sen. Metcalf. Thurs., Feb. 16 --At 8:15 I met with Sen. Metcalf who was to take me to Downing's office (Dept. of Public Works), but Dept. heads, Gov. and Legislators were at a special prayer breakfast, so I toured the museum until 9:30 a.m. I returned to the House Chambers to listen to proceedings and left for lunch at 12:15 with Sen. Metcalf and Reps. Rhode and Jarvela. At 1:30 pm I went to Phil Holdsworth's office to see about the Holt Loop Road. The Dept. of Natural Resources has about $317,000 left in their budget from 1961, and are certain of receiving as much for this year and probably more. The Holt Loop Road is on the agenda for this Spring with an allowance of $25,000. for 3 1/2 miles of gravelling and 3 1/? mllpn of new construction. T Is looks certain and stems from the good work done by Carl Seaman and Stan Thomp- son on their trip last Fall. Friday, Feb. 16 -- At 9 a.m. I went to the House Chambers and at 10 a.m. I met with Sen. Vance Phillips and Pollock who also said they would give us all possible assistance on the Kenai Road problems, especially the Swanson River extension, and the Holt Loop Road and the North Kenai Bridge. Sen. Phillips is on the Finance and the Resources Committee along with Ker- ttula and they have some influence beyond the normal legislative amounts. They are all of the opinion that more letters and petitions should be forth coming to spark up our projects. At 2 p.m. Rep. Kerttula took me up to Gov. Egan's office where I met Gov. Egan and presented our problems to him. The 0 Tauriainen's Report Page two �vv• was well aware of our problems and entirely in sympathy with them, and felt they would be done in the near future. He also asked if we would be satis- fied with a Pioneer Access Road to Swanson River, but after some discussion, we both agreed that it would probably delay instead of aid our cause. 3:15 p.m. Rep. Rhode took me to Richard Downing's office where I presented our needs. Mr. Downing also confirmed the North Kenai Road Exten- sion for this year, construction to begin as soon as the weather allows, probably April. He also said the next 7 1/2 miles across Swanson River and to the beach was scheduled for the 1962-1963 budget. On the subject of the Holt Loop Road including the Halbouty Oil Road, he stated that we sould contact Lee Hubbard of Anchorage, Div. of Hwyd. who is making a survey of a secondary roads system for our area and to get him to put that on his schedule of secondary roads along with the Kenai Bridge. The Kenai Bridge problem is under survey in his department and is on the first five year program being instituted by the Div. of Hwys. It must be attached to the Federal -Aid Highway System to be considered. The estimated cost of $600,000.00 for the Bridge would have to be financed 90% by the State and 10% by the City of Kenai. At 7:00 p.m. I went to the Highway probe. Was called to testify at about 7:30 and was on the stand about fifteen minutes and tried to state the case for the North Kenai Extension as clearly and concisely as possible according to the presentation prepared by Mr. Fisher and myself. I spoke with Son. Metcalf after the proceedings. He had gone to Mr. Isaak's office that afternoon to see about the North Kenai School and received essentially the same word I did. In addition, he was told that construction should start in June. Res ecI ully�n�ed Arthur Tauriainen