Minutes of Work Session

Denali Borough Assembly

McKinley Village Community Center

September 9, 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 01-06, version E, an ordinance amending Denali Borough Code of Ordinances, Chapter 24, Section 6, concerning management of Borough Real property.

MICHAELS stated the definitions on page 2, A.) Hazardous Use, the word perilous should be changed to peril to make it grammatically correct. He also stated that either commas or semicolons should be used to make it the grammatically correct.

STOWELL suggested removing the last sentence under item A on page one. He also asked how you re-issue a permit that is not renewable?

MICHAELS stated that you do not just get a stamp that it is renewed, you have to go through the process to reapply.

2.) Ordinance 01-08, Version A, an ordinance confirming that the Denali Borough is and will continue to exercise solid waste powers.

STOWELL said that the title should read “the Denali Borough shall continue to...”

MICHAELS stated that the sunset clause was voted upon by the people and in order to change it, it should be voted upon by people again because it is an amendment to the Charter.

Mayor Gonzales stated that the Assembly already has solid waste powers.

STOWELL stated that this is a change in the Charter and it needs to go to a vote of the people.

3.) Ordinance 01-09, Version A, an ordinance amending Article II, section 2.02 of the Denali Borough Charter regarding redistricting.

POLLOCK stated that he will be making an amendment to take one of the seats from Healy and make it at large.

Mayor Gonzales stated that we have to refer to the districts as District 1, District 2, and District 3.

Steve Carwile, Healy resident, asked where the 133 people live in outlining areas are.

David Braun, Healy resident, stated that if you take it and make it at large, the numbers work out for equal representation.

Jenesy Jensen, stated that Ferry is divided in half the way it is now. She stated that the kids in Ferry go to school in Healy and the residents do everything Healy. She stated that it is hard to vote for somebody that you do not know. Jensen stated that the people of Ferry want to be in the central district.

MICHAELS stated that the effective date needs to include a vote of the people.

Chris Hagar, School District superintendent, asked if this effects the school board. MUELLER said this issue could go to a vote of the people in November.

MICHAELS stated that we need to decide if we are going to use the Anderson Census numbers or not. He stated that both the City of Anderson and Assembly have accepted 588 as the census numbers.

Braun said that you have to decide what the population of the middle district is.

MICHAELS stated that he thinks that most of the Borough census was accurate. He stated that the City of Anderson decided to do a recount and the difference was a significant amount. He doubts that the entire Borough is that way.

Carwile asked how could they have missed that many people.

MUELLER stated that the census was for funding reasons.

Braun asked what the criteria was for doing a census.

4.) Ordinance 01-10, Version A, an ordinance amending the Denali Borough Charter, Article XI, section 11.01, regarding an excursion tax.

STOWELL stated that he is going to make a motion to amend by substitution for the ordinance that he has written. He said that it is basically the same.

MICHAELS said that there might be too much of the a change that we might have to hold another public hearing.

MUELLER said that he is going to suggest a special meeting.

MICHAELS said that we should not try and rush this. He said that it can go on the ballot during a February election.

HALL said that she also has a proposal that she would like to go on the ballot.

Lynn Boelsma, Healy citizen, asked if the Assembly was under the obligation to answer her questions. She stated that she had requested to be put on the agenda for a question and answer period, but she does not see it on the agenda. The Clerk explained the public hearing is for that. Boelsma said that she would like to see a yearly budget that says were this money goes. MUELLER asked her if she has seen our annual budget. Boelsma said that she had. She also asked about a the capitol projects. MUELLER stated every year we have a Capitol Improvements Project ordinance that it adopt around the same time as the budget. Boelsma asked if the tour industry was going to receive anything back for collecting the tax.

STOWELL gave a history lesson. He said that when the Borough was formed it was decided that there was enough money in the Canyon that the residents would not get taxed. He stated that no matter what the enrollment is at the schools, the cost of maintenance on the buildings is still the same. He stated that when the tourists come here not everything that comes out of it is good. He stated there is increased vandalism, they tear up the roads. He said that this will continue to happen.

Hagar said that the maximum amount of money that the State gives the schools is going down. He stated that they are struggling with that right now.

STOWELL answered Boelsma’s questions from her letter that suggested a full time Mayor. STOWELL stated that the public does not want a full time Mayor, they want minimal government.

The Mayor asked if what she meant was that the Mayor must pass an I.Q. test? He stated that it is insulting to expect that out of an elected official.

STOWELL said that tourism is down, but he does not think that it is because of taxes. He stated that he had never been on vacation where he has NOT had to pay taxes.

Boelsma said that a Carnival Cruise to Alaska is the most expensive cruise that you can go on. She asked if anybody knows how much a tourist pays in taxes from the time they leave home until the time they return. She stated that there is a line where somebody says forget it, it is not worth it. She said that it is killing the goose that laid the golden egg.

Braun said that people should pay out of their own pocket to support the local government.

Hagar said that he believes in paying for the services that you use.

Mayor Gonzales stated that if we have EMS powers and road powers you will have to pay taxes for those services. He stated that the businesses are asked to contribute because that money is taken out of Borough and this way some of it would be left behind to support the services.

Steve Jones, McKinley Village resident, encouraged the Assembly to go with an “A”, “B” and “C” choice on the ballot. He also asked how the Borough is going to collect from the businesses that operate in Anchorage or Seattle that bring their tours here.

MICHAELS said that the people of the Borough do not pay taxes for the services they receive. He stated that he has no problem with paying taxes.

Greg LeHaie, Healy resident, stated that some of the concerns and questions people have is if there is a real need for the tax. He also questioned what this money is going to be used for.

David Talerico, Healy resident, asked Hagar what was on the Capitol Improvements list. Hagar explained.

PAYNE stated that the local match was 5% now it is 30%, and said that the Borough’s match could become 50%.

ADJOURNMENT MUELLER declared the work session adjourned at 3:02 p.m.

Attest: Approved:

Date Approved: