Minutes of the Work Session

Denali Borough Assembly

Anderson School

July 9, 2003

 

CALL TO ORDER    Presiding Officer Jim Caswell called the work session to order at 6:40 pm.

 

ROLL CALL               Assembly members present were: Jim Caswell, Sid Michaels, Bob Shelton, Neal Laugman, Cynthia Trytko, Teresa Hall, Dave Evans, Gerald Pollock, and Baxter Mercer.  Mayor Talerico was also in attendance. 

 

1.)  Ordinance 03-03, Version A, an ordinance amending the Denali Borough Code of Ordinances, Chapter 21, pertaining to severance tax.

 

EVANS asked the staff to comment on this ordinance.  Amanda Nyberg, Administrative Clerk, explained why this ordinance would be a benefit to the Borough staff.  She explained that one of the problems the staff has is identifying who is severing within the Borough since at this time there is no application process for businesses to fill out.  Nyberg also stated that there is no way to keep track of who is paying the severance tax and it would also be helpful to have addresses and names of the businesses involved so that the Borough could send them a letter explaining the tax.

 

CASWELL spoke against the ordinance stating that there needs to be a reason to change an ordinance such as raising taxes for more revenues needed.  CASWELL also stated that if there were violators, we would need a list.  This would prove that there were companies out there that are not abiding by the ordinance.

 

Mayor Talerico explained the condition with the State of Alaska, Department of Transportation (DOT&PF) is that they state that they are not aware of the tax.  He stated that he would need to contact Wilder to see what type of contracts that they are working under and explain the tax to them.  He explained that DOT&PF does not put the tax information in their RFP’s.  He continued stating that most companies that come into this Borough to work seasonally do not know about the severance tax.

 

The Mayor stated that he would like the language changed from permit application to registration.  He added that a permit sounds like the Borough can deny something here and that isn’t the intent. 

 

Mayor Talerico also stated that some companies only sever in the summer months. He stated that possibly a reporting system of once per year or quarterly would help make things easier for these businesses.

 

Discussion followed.

 

MICHAELS suggested that the Assembly continue working on this ordinance and to possibly have it ready for the next summer season.

 

2.)  Ordinance 03-07, Version A, an ordinance amending the Denali Borough Code of Ordinances, Chapter 20, Section 3, to increase the amount of the Overnight Accommodations Tax.

 

This ordinance was not discussed due to time constraints.

 

3.)  Ordinance 03-08, Version B, an ordinance amending the Denali Borough Code of Ordinances, Title IV, Chapter 24, titled Management of Borough Real Property.

 

This ordinance was not discussed due to time constraints.

 

4.)  Ordinance 03-09, Version A, an ordinance establishing a 2% general sales tax within the Denali Borough.

                                   

This ordinance was not discussed due to time constraints.

 

5.)  Ordinance 03-11, Version A, an ordinance pertaining to the Otto Lake land classification.

                                   

This ordinance was not discussed due to time constraints.

 

                                    6.)  Ordinance 03-12, Version A, an ordinance amending the Code by addition of Title 5, Chapter 36, titled a Code of Ethics for the Denali Borough Mayor, Assembly and Borough employees.

 

                                    This ordinance was not discussed due to time constraints.

           

                                    7.)  Ordinance 03-13, Version A, an ordinance amending the Code by the addition of Title 5, Chapter 37, creating an Ethics Commission.

                                   

                                    This ordinance was not discussed due to time constraints.

 

                                    8.)  Ordinance 03-14, Version A, an ordinance amending the Code by the addition of Title 5, Chapter 38, creating the Denali Borough Ethics Commission Policies and Procedures.

                                                           

                                    This ordinance was not discussed due to time constraints.

 

                                    9.)  Ordinance 03-15, Version A, an ordinance amending the Code, Appendix of Forms P, Q, R, S, T, U, and V, pertaining the Code of Ethics.

                                   

                                    This ordinance was not discussed due to time constraints.

 

                                    10.)  Ordinance 03-16, Version A, an ordinance amending Section 3, Schedule B (Tipping Fees) of Ordinance 99-01.

 

                                    This ordinance was not discussed due to time constraints.

 

ADJOURNMENT      CASWELL declared the work session adjourned at 7:00 pm.

 

 

ATTEST:  SIGNATURE ON FILE                APPROVED:  SIGNATURE ON FILE

 

 

 

 

Date Approved: