Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly Meeting Report
By Sue McClure
East Peninsula
Assembly Member
We heard two scheduled presentations at our 4 plus hour meeting. The KPB School District Superintendent and Board President presented the good news that the fiscal year 2011 revenue exceeded expenditures such that no fund balance was used.
In the second presentation, Mona Painter of the Kenai Mountains-Turnagain Arm Corridor Communities Association reported on their National Heritage Area management plan. This area involves Cooper Landing, Indian, Whittier and Seward and the roads between, with funds administered by the National Park Service. I will be posting a link to their plan, with public comments open until September 30.
We had public hearings on 3 ordinances. Ordinance 2011-10, amending code to require separate approval by resolution to amend Appendix A and legislative salary and benefits was unanimously defeated at the request of its sponsor. Ordinance 2011-13, amending code to require assembly members who accept the borough heath coverage to pay a rate equal to that of the collective bargaining unit was also defeated by a vote of 8-1 at the request of its sponsor.
We unanimously approved an ordinance authorizing Central Peninsula Hospital to purchase updated anesthesia equipment. A postponed resolution dealing with health care costs of employees was unanimously defeated. Three items were removed from the consent agenda. Resolution 2011-086, reversing a budget item, which would close the landfills on Sundays from October-April, was approved 8-1. Thus there will be no change in operations, and the one position that would have been removed was reinstated.
We postponed a resolution approving the personnel policy for administrative employees until next meeting. After public input we voted 7-2 to approve resolution 2011-089, acknowledging the need to develop a plan to provide for sheltering pets in emergency evacuations, and authorizing the mayor to form a work group.
On Friday Aug. 12, Mayor Carey vetoed Ordinance 2011-24, which had been passed at the Aug. 2 meeting, redefining a“full term” for assembly members. Assembly member Murphy moved to override the veto, and after public input we voted 8-0 to override. Assembly member Smith abstained due to conflict. We confirmed Ed Holsten to the East Region Road Service Area Board seat, term to expire September 30, 2012. Items up for public hearing at our next meeting on September 6 include Ordinance 2011-07, reducing the number of KPB Planning Commissioners from 13 to 11, Ordinance 2011-19-04 accepting and appropriating $9,100.35 from DNR for Bear Creek Fire, and Ordinance 2011-19-06 accepting funds from the state for community revenue sharing. As always, I can be reached at smcclure@borough.kenai.ak.us or 224-6784. The borough’s website is www.borough.kenai.ak.us. A great resource for information is our Seward Annex office in the SeaView Plaza, 224-2001.
Miles Knotek Wins Third at Skyview Invitational
Miles Knotek came in third place at the annual Skyview High School cross country running invitational on Aug. 27 with a time of 16:19. Running a five kilometer race in sixteen minutes is a remarkable accomplishment, congratulations Miles! This is the beginning of the season and we can expect Miles to only get faster as the Seward High School cross country running team works toward making in to the State championships this fall.
