Minutes of the Regular Meeting
Denali Borough
Assembly
Tri-Valley
Community Center
December 10, 2003
CALL TO ORDER Presiding officer Gerald Pollock called the regular meeting to order at 7:01 pm.
ROLL CALL Assembly members present were: Jim Caswell, Gerald Pollock, Sid
Michaels, Baxter Mercer, Bob Shelton, David Evans, Neal Laugman, Cynthia Tryko,
Jennifer Skinner and Mayor Talerico.
PUBLIC David Braun showed a map regarding districts. Braun stated
COMMENTS that when we voted to approve the Charter in 1989, it said that four seats from the northern district are from Anderson, Clear and the Anderson Highway area. He stated that the middle district would be Ferry, Healy, Carlo Creek, and McKinley Village area. He also stated that Cantwell and Kantishna would be in the Southern District. Braun stated that what we got was something entirely different.
Braun stated that the Denali Borough administration drew a line at milepost 260.7 and said that that was the southern boundary of the northern district. Braun went on to say that it put almost all of Ferry in the northern district. He stated that after the administration did that the School Board and the Assembly got together and decided to move the School Board to the same line. Braun stated that they went along with it because the Charter said that the Assembly and the School Board would be apportioned the same.
AGENDA MICHAELS stated that the time of the next meeting needed to be changed to the second Wednesday, January 14, 2004.
The agenda was approved by unanimous consent.
MINUTES 1.) Canvass Committee Meeting held on November 7, 2003.
CASWELL MOVED to approve the November 7, 2003 Canvass Committee meeting minutes, MICHAELS seconded. The VOTE was unanimous.
2.) Special Meeting held on November 7, 2003 to certify the election results.
MICHAELS MOVED to approve the November 7, 2003 Special Meeting minutes, TRYTKO seconded. The VOTE was unanimous.
3.) Assembly Meeting: Work Session, Public Hearing, Regular Meeting held on November 19, 2003.
LAUGMAN MOVED to approve the November 19, 2003 Work Session, Public Hearing, and Regular Meeting minutes. MERCER Seconded. MICHAELS stated that page 2, line 27, of the regular meeting minutes should read “MOVED to substitute draft B for the minutes,” He also stated that page 10, line 22 should say, “MERCER withdrew”.
The VOTE to approve the minutes with changes was unanimous.
FINANCIAL 1.) Financial report for October 2003.
REPORT
MICHAELS MOVED to receive the October 2003 financial report, CASWELL seconded. The VOTE was unanimous.
MAYORS Mayor Talerico gave a brief report of his activities for the last
REPORT month.
Mayor Talerico also explained the snowplowing situation at the Cantwell Transfer Station. He said that the loader there is a maintenance problem as the tires flatten. CASWELL stated that there is some interest in fixing the loader and his employees could help out. Mayor Talerico said that he would look into it.
Mayor Talerico also congratulated Eileen Armstrong & Eddie Nickleson for passing their SWANA tests.
DBSD SUPT. Superintendent Bob Wicker gave a written report.
REPORT
ASSEMBLY MICHAELS stated that a Northern District work session
COMMENTS was held and thanked MERCER for coming. He stated that the next work session would be on January 12 ,2004, 6:00-8:00PM.
EVANS asked that Christmas cards should go out to all the taxpayers with a newsletter explaining how the money is being spent.
CASWELL stated that Mr. Miner’s statements concerning Mr. Braun are accurate.
LAUGMAN read a poem.
COMMUNICATION 1.) Mr. Gary Hutchinson, CPA to discuss the Denali
AND Borough Fiscal Year 2003 audit.
APPEARANCES
Mr. Hutchison spoke about the Denali Borough annual audit.
LAUGMAN asked if the transition from Solomon to QuickBooks was going well. Hutchison stated that it was going well.
Mr. Hutchison also spoke about the GASB 34 accounting system and said there will be some training.
RECESS The Chair called a recess at 7:40pm.
RECONVINNED The Chair called the meeting back to order at 7:53pm.
ORDINANCES 1.) Ordinance 03-08, version D, an ordinance amending the Denali Borough Code of Ordinances, Title IV, Chapter 24, titled Management of Borough Real Property.
LAUGMAN MOVED to postpone to the next meeting so that he could work on the language, MICHAELS seconded. The VOTE was unanimous.
2.) Ordinance 03-17, an ordinance establishing land use regulations to
conform to requirements of the National Flood Insurance Program and providing
for an effective date.
LAUGMAN MOVED to adopt MERCER seconded.
The roll call VOTE was 0-9 motion fails.
RESOLUTIONS 1.) A resolution of the Denali Borough Assembly concerning participation in the National Flood Insurance Program.
CASWELL MOVED to adopt EVANS seconded. The roll call VOTE was 0-9, motion fails.
2.) A resolution of the Denali Borough Assembly supporting Senate Concurrent Resolution 12 and recommending passage of SCR 12.
EVANS urged the Assembly to vote yes on this resolution. He stated that the areas have a duty to support themselves if they have the resources to do so. He stated that it would increase revenue to the State and it would be good for the schools.
EVANS MOVED to adopt, SHELTON seconded.
MICHAELS said that a Borough is not just the School District it is much more, he stated for School Districts alone he cannot support it.
TRYTKO stated that she agrees with MICHAELS and that we should not be telling other people to create a Borough.
Discussion ensued.
Mayor Talerico encouraged EVANS to move forward with this. Mayor Talerico said that he spoke to constituents and that they are in support of this idea.
Senator Wilken encouraged passage of this resolution. He explained that a second class Borough is a low level Borough and deals with education and platting only.
The roll call VOTE was 2-7 with MICHAELS, LAUGMAN, TRYTKO, MERCER, POLLOCK, and SHELTON opposed and CASWELL and EVANS in favor. Motion fails.
OTHER 1.) Discussion regarding Northern Access
BUSINESS Reconnaissance Study (NARS).
Mayor Talerico stated Department of Transportation (DOT) sent a response to the Borough’s questions regarding the Memo of Agreement (MOA). He said that DOT appears to have responded positively to the concerns.
LAUGMAN stated that two DOT employees and the Mayor would be on the selection committee. LAUGMAN asked if more people could be added to the committee.
Mayor Talerico explained that DOT wanted fewer members and explained the review process.
MERCER stated that the TORA needs to be broken by mutual agreement. He asked if DOT has changed the terms by creating a MOA.
Discussion ensued.
2a.) Liquor license renewal request for Denali Backcountry Lodge, Mile 97 Denali Park Road, Alaska. Owner: Denali Backcountry Lodge, LLC.
Ms. Nyberg stated that there has been no public comment. LAUGMAN MOVED to take no action CASWELL seconded. The VOTE was unanimous.
2b.) Liquor license renewal request for McKinley/Denali Salmon Bake, Mile 238.5 Parks Highway, Denali Park, Alaska. Owner: McKinley Hospitality Services Inc.
Ms. Nyberg stated that there has been no public comment. LAUGMAN MOVED to take no action, CASWELL seconded. The VOTE was unanimous.
3.) Public Comments
Jeff Yanuchi, Healy resident, asked the Borough Assembly for signs on the Stampede Road between milepost 3.8 and 4.0. He said that there are 13 kids picked up by a bus and they are many businesses and traffic. He stated that school bus crossing signs are needed. Mayor Talerico stated that he would look into it.
Karen Fortier asked that whatever counsel the Assembly or Mayor gives to DNR that you look into alternative locations and this type of operation conflicts with the current operations of ATA.
Hal Meyer, Department of Natural Resources, stated that the comment period has been extended until January 30th for the ATA permit. He stated that a denial of the permit does not necessarily mean the operation will not proceed without one.
ASSEMBLY MICHAELS stated that many years ago we passed a
COMMENTS resolution to put school bus stop warning signs at Mile 280. This past summer a sign was placed North of Mile 280 due to local citizens lobbying during repaving the highway and not in response to the Assembly’s resolution.
SKINNER stated that her heart goes out to the residents of Stampede Road.
EVANS thanked everyone for coming out.
TRYTKO stated that she lives here for the quiet and wilderness and loves having children safely playing.
LAUGMAN stated that ATA seemed concerned about safety issues.
LAUGMAN MOVED to have the Mayor talk to DOT regarding signs for Stampede Road. MICHAELS seconded. The VOTE was unanimous.
SHELTON thanked everyone for coming out and thanked the gentlemen from Petersville Road for attending. He stated that he does not think that jeeps on Stampede Road are a good idea.
MERCER said that things have changed a lot in the last twenty years. He said that as much as people want things to stay the same, it has changed. MERCER stated that ATA has the right to do business as much as anyone else does.
CASWELL stated that the streetlights in the Glitter Gulch area look nice but they seem too low for a big truck. He stated that they need to be raised.
MICHAELS MOVED to adopt the audit, LAUGMAN seconded. The roll call VOTE was unanimous.
NEXT MEETING The next meeting will be held on January 14, 2004 at the McKinley Village Community Center.
ADJOURN. Presiding officer Gerald Pollock declared the regular meeting adjourned at 8:55PM.
Borough Clerk Presiding Officer
Date Approved: JANUARY 14, 2004