Minutes of Work Session

Denali Borough Assembly

Tri-Valley Community Center

Sugarloaf Room, Healy, Alaska

August 12, 2001

CALL TO Presiding Officer Jerry Mueller called the work session to order at ORDER 2:00 p.m.

ROLL CALL Assembly members present were: Sid Michaels, Jim Caswell, Teresa Hall, Carol Shields, Jerry Mueller, Teresa Usibelli, Jim Payne, Scott Stowell, Gerald Pollock and Mayor Gonzales.

1.) Ordinance 96-22, version G, Providing for subdivision planning and platting within the Denali Borough.

MICHAELS asked if this ordinance had been around to the four communities. The Mayor stated that it has.

STOWELL said page 10, line 16 needs clarification. The Clerk said the words “the land” should not be bolded and underlined.

2.) Ordinance 01-05, Version D, an ordinance amending Ordinance 96-04 regarding the initial zoning of the Borough.

MICHAELS asked if this ordinance had been to all four communities. MUELLER said that it had.

3.) Ordinance 01-06, version D, an ordinance amending Denali Borough Code of Ordinances, Chapter 24, Section 6, concerning management of Borough Real property.

STOWELL said the ordinance states easements will not be granted under a special land use permit. He said that should be decided on a case by case basis.

MICHAELS asked what the legal definition for the word easement is. He said that he has a problem granting easements on a short term lease.

Gail Pieknik said that there are different types of easements. MICHAELS asked if there could be a time limit on an easement. Pieknik stated that there could be a time limit.

CASWELL stated that this ordinance is for the Mayor to be able to grant permits for temporary use of Borough lands.

The Mayor said that CASWELL is correct. He said the Borough is receiving land little by little, and if someone is already occupying it then we do not want to kick them off the land.

STOWELL said that there should be a clause in the ordinance that states this ordinance pertains to existing leases.

MICHAELS said if the easement is on borough land, then that issue can be addressed in the permit.

4.) Ordinance 01-07, Version A, an ordinance adding Chapter 22, pertaining to Business Licenses to the Denali Borough Code of Ordinances.

MICHAELS said that he believes that if the voters vote down the excursion tax, then there really is not a need for this. He suggested postponing action on this until after the November election.

The Mayor said speaking for himself, not the task force, that he would see no reason for this ordinance if you do not have the tax.

SHIELDS said that she was on the committee and she sees no reason why this could not be postponed until after the November election.

STOWELL said the ordinance says that a person must reregister if they have a change of address. He said that just makes more paperwork! He said he would like the licenses to be good for two to five years, if not longer, no matter when it’s issued.

SHIELDS suggested that the license be good for two years, like the State’s license.

Steve Jones, McKinley Village resident, said the Borough is putting the cart before the horse. He said this ordinance, as written, has a lot of holes.

The Mayor said that the only people that would have to get a business license would be the people that would get taxed.

MICHAELS said that’s not his understanding.

Edie Mercer, Task Force member, said she thought the ordinance was intended for all business owners, not just the ones who fall under the bed tax, severance tax, or the proposed excursion tax.

USIBELLI asked if a kid was selling berries, does he have to get a license if he makes under $500 a year.

Discussion followed.

STOWELL said that in Section 1. A the ordinance states “when establishing a business”, and it does not refer to existing businesses.

Borough Attorney Jim Gorski said a lot of these issues are addressed in the reference in the ordinance to AS 43.70.110.

John Nierenberg, Healy resident, said that businesses, like the tour companies are located all over the U.S., and how is the Borough going to get them all to register or pay the 3% excursion tax.

USIBELLI said that she has got a lot of calls regarding this issue. She said that the people she spoke with would like to see a capital projects list explaining how the funds will be spent before they vote on this.

Will Forsberg, Panguingue Creek resident, said this ordinance does not look like it refers to all businesses in the Borough.

Mercer said that she would not like to see one business have to register just because they are being taxed and another not to have to register because they are not being taxed.

MAYORS Mayor Gonzales said State Assessor Steve Van Sant has given us our full

REPORT value determination. The Mayor stated that last year we were at $120,643,000 and this year we are at $153,077,100, with a 26% increase.

July 11th the Borough hosted Household Hazardous Waste Collection Days. He said the Administration was planning to hold it earlier in the year, but the Borough saved a lot of money by holding it in July. He said the Borough only had one outside technician (not a Borough employee) to help for those two days.

On July 13th Mayor Gonzales met with the Superintendent of the National Park Service. The Mayor said the Superintendent said he has two options for the Assembly to travel into Kantishna to complete a special trip into Kantishna offered by the Park Service. He said the Assembly can be bussed into Kantishna and flown back out, or if they want to bring their spouses, then they can be bussed in and out of Kantishna.

On July 16th attended a redistricting meeting in Fairbanks.

On July 18th attended the Mayor’s Revenue Development Task Force meeting in Healy.

On July 19th and 20th, CASWELL, the Clerk and himself were invited by the Copper Valley Economic Development Council to talk about how the Denali Borough was formed.

On July 21st met with Alaska Railroad consultants.

On July 23rd attended another Mayor’s Revenue Development Task Force Public Hearing in Anderson.

On July 25th attended that Ad Hoc Committee’s final meeting. He also attended a Mayor’s Revenue Development Task Force Public Hearing in Healy.

On July 30th the Mayor attended a Mayor’s Revenue Development Task Force Public Hearing in McKinley Village.

On August 1st attended Mayor Knight’s wedding in Nenana.

On August 6th met with Wayne Malone from Senator Stevens office, and spent half a day with him seeing the landfill, etc.

On August 8th met with Ralph Swarthout, Northern Region Director of DOT&PF to discuss road projects in the Borough.

On August 9th went to Palmer to meet with MTA to discuss the needs of the Denali Borough. He stated that when he left Palmer it was agreed that within six months to a year Cantwell would have Internet access.

PAYNE asked how the landfill was doing. The Mayor said that we are still learning. He said that the gate keeper is still learning. The Mayor stated that unfortunately we are going to lose our part time bookkeeper because she has taken a teaching position.

ADJOURNMENT MUELLER declared the Work Session adjourned at 2:42 p.m.

Attest: Approved:

Date Approved: