Northwest Arctic Borough Assembly

      Regular Meeting Minutes for March 29, 2005

Assembly Chambers – Kotzebue, AK

 

CALL TO ORDER

 

Northwest Arctic Borough Assembly President Larry Westlake called the Regular meeting to order at 1:04 P.M. on March 29, 2005 at the Assembly Chambers in Kotzebue, Alaska.

 

       INVOCATION / MOMENT OF SILENCE

 

Assembly member Eugene Monroe Sr. gave the invocation.

 

            ROLL CALL

Members present at the time of roll call:

Reggie Cleveland                      Verne Cleveland                       Roger Clark

Larry Westlake                          Eugene Monroe Sr.                  Walter Sampson

Clement Richard                        John Schaeffer

                                               Willie Goodwin

A quorum was present to conduct business.

 

Members absent at the time of roll call:

Sophie Ferguson (excused)     Walter Sampson (excused)        Ron Moto (unexcused)

                          

Mr. John Schaeffer motioned, Ms. Suzy Erlich seconded to excuse Ms. Sophie Ferguson, and Mr. Walter Sampson.  A roll call was conducted and the motion passed unanimously.

 

Introduction of staff and guests:

Roswell Schaeffer, Sr., Mayor                   Judy Hassinger, Borough Treasurer     

Antoinette Johnson, Deputy Clerk             Cindy Hora, Borough Attorney

Helena Hildreth, Borough Clerk                Andy Baker, Special Assistant to the Assembly

                                 

                  AGENDA APPROVAL

 

Mr. Reggie Cleveland motioned, seconded by Mr. Clement Richards to approve the agenda.  A roll call was conducted and the motion passed unanimously.

 

          MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING

 

1.  March 1, 2005 Regular Meeting Minutes

 

Ms. Suzy Erlich motioned, seconded by Mr. Clement Richards to approve the minutes as presented.   A roll call was conducted and the motion passed unanimously.

 

 

BOARDS, COMMISSIONS & COMMITTEES

 

Ms. Suzy Erlich chaired the BAF Committee and reported that the committee reviewed Ordinances 05-02 and 05-03 for Enactment, an Introduction of Ordinance 04-03am02 for approval of first reading, and Resolution 05-18.  Ms. Erlich reported that the committee recommended all items discussed be approved by the full assembly.

 

Joint Lobbying and Funding Committee met and Reggie Cleveland reported they discussed School District issues such as base student allocation, PERS/TERS and the committee recommended to continue discussing the Spring Legislative Fly-in to be held in Juneau, AK on April 19-21, 2005 during the Joint School Board meeting to be held on March 30, 2005.

 

Joint Maintenance and Construction chair Reggie Cleveland reported that the committee would be meeting at 6:00 P.M. to be held at the School District Board Room on March 29, 2005.

 

Joint Alaska Technical Center Task Force member John Schaeffer reported that the committee reviewed the recommendations with approval of the Task Force, and he added that the task force was then dissolved.  The recommended five council members to serve on the committee would heads of four major organizations plus Teck Cominco.  He said the Task Force added a Youth, Village Tribal Representative and a student representative from the Alaska Technical Center.

 

                     PUBLIC HEARINGS, ENACTMENT OF ORDINANCES & EMERGENCY

 

Ordinance 05-02            an ordinance of the Northwest Arctic Borough Assembly proposing amendments to the borough code relating to the procurement process and for related purposes.

  

Mr. Reggie Cleveland motioned, Mr. Clement Richards seconded to approve Ordinance 05-02 for enactment.  A roll call was conducted and the motion passed unanimously.

 

Ordinance 05-03            an ordinance of the Northwest Arctic Borough Assembly establishing land use regulations to conform to requirements of the National Flood Insurance program and for related purposes.

 

Mr. Clement Richards motioned, seconded by Mr. Reggie Cleveland to approve Ordinance 05-03 for enactment.  A roll call was conducted and the motion passed by a majority.

 

TIME & PLACE OF NEXT MEETING

 

Ms. Suzy Erlich motioned, Mr. Clement Richards seconded to schedule the next Regular Assembly meeting for the following dates:

 

ASSEMBLY CHAMBERS – KOTZEBUE, ALASKA

April 25, 2005                1:00 P.M.      Committee Meetings

            April 26, 2005                      9:00 A.M.     Work session

                                                            1:00 P.M.      Regular Meeting (public hearings)

 

MAYORS REPORT

 

 

 A roll call was conducted and the motion passed unanimously.

 

Cindy Hora, Borough Attorney:

Ms. Cindy Hora gave a brief synopsis of activities that occurred within the last month, which included working with bond counsel on the school refunding matter, the code republication contract, the discovery phase of the Kivalina Relocation Planning Committee case has just closed and the trial is several months away, and said they are monitoring House Bill 76, the Big Game Commercial Services Board. 

 

Judy Hassinger, Borough Treasurer:

Ms. Hassinger briefly reviewed the Financial Report Summary for the period ending February 28, 2005 and highlighted some of the major activities for the month of February and the general fund revenue and expenditures.

 

Ms. Hassinger requested any input the members may have in regards to the financial reports during the upcoming retreat.  Ms. Suzy Erlich requested training on how to read the cash and investment report better.

 

Mr. John Schaeffer commented that having different types of reports is important but said that in regards to the one-page summary, the changes are good but should be listed separately. He added the pages should also be numbered so that the assembly members and Ms. Hassinger are on the same page at one time.

 

Ms. Hassinger reported that the borough closed on the bond refunding on the 2003 Series bonds and refinanced the bonds for the years 2013 on to 2020 which saved the borough $516,000.

 

Andy Baker, Special Asst. to the Assembly:

Mr. Baker gave a fuel price update.

 

Mayor Ross Schaeffer:

Mayor Ross Schaeffer reported that Ms. Clara Williams was recently hired in the Planning Department and two individuals assisted Grant Writer Annabelle Alvite in providing tax services for the villages that requested it.  He added that Mr. Lee Stoops also went to Kobuk, Ak to help with taxes.

 

His staff has been working with the FY05 departmental budgets that would be ready for the next assembly meeting.

 

AML is pushing hard to get the Revenue Sharing funding restored and assisting the municipal TERS/PERS costs and reimbursement on senior citizens and disabled vets on property tax exemptions.

 

Mayor Schaeffer also reported that he and Borough Clerk Helena Hildreth traveled to Anchorage, AK to sign the bonds on March 20-22, 2005 and he also met with the borough attorney’s office before the meeting.  Mayor Schaeffer said he has not traveled much due to his health and is hoping to feel a lot better by April 12th.

 

Mayor said he met with Jeff Staiser of Denali Commission and told him their focus on sustainability has to take a different approach due to the elimination of revenue sharing and Mayor Schaeffer relayed to him how financially stressed our villages.  Mayor Schaeffer sent a copy of the Alaska Beluga Whale Committee’s Traditional Knowledge Study to Becky Norton of Kivalina and that Ms. Julie Anderson didn’t quote it exactly as she should have.

 

Lastly, Mayor Schaeffer said his staff participated in the Regional Inupiaq Day on March 10-11 and that it was good to see kids from all over.  Mayor Schaeffer said that in the future we could plan to have the Regional Inupiaq Day in conjunction with Nana’s Career Fair.  Mr. John Schaeffer suggested that we implement our Inupiaq values such as Hunter Success that are equated to careers and jobs during the Career Fair.

 

Mr. Willie Goodwin believes that the Planning Director misquoted the location of where the  belugas were hunted “near Kivalina” in the Planning Directors report.  Mayor Schaeffer agreed and said that it should have been “Escholtz Bay”.

 

A ten-minute break was taken at 2:10 p.m.

The meeting reconvened from break at 2:20 p.m.

 

INTRODUCTION OF ORDINANCES

 

Ordinance 04-03am 02        an  ordinance  of  the  Northwest  Arctic Borough Assembly providing for the establishment and adoption of the line item budget amendment for the fiscal year 2005.

 

Ms. Judy Hassinger highlighted the proposed changes in general fund budget revenues, bond funded capital funds and the respective departmental budgets.

 

Mayor Schaeffer commented that he would be changing the planning grants to a revenue sharing program for the communities for the second reading.

 

Ms. Suzy Erlich motioned, Mr. Clement Richards seconded to approve Ordinance 04-03am 02 for the first reading with a public hearing set for April 26, 2005.  A roll call was conducted and the motion passed unanimously.

 

 

 

RESOLUTIONS

 

Resolution 05-18   a resolution of the Northwest Arctic Borough Assembly to establish a deferred compensation plan for the Northwest Arctic Borough employees.

 

Ms. Suzy Erlich reported the BAF Committee reviewed Resolution 05-18 and recommended due passage by the full assembly.

 

Mr. Clement Richards motioned, Ms. Suzy Erlich seconded to approve Resolution 05-18 by the full assembly.  A roll call was conducted and the motion passed by a majority.

  

OTHER BUSINESS

No other business to discuss.

 

AUDIENCE COMMENTS

No audience comments.

 

ASSEMBLY COMMENTS

 

Mr. Clement Richards encouraged everyone to travel safely within the region.

 

Mr. Verne Cleveland announced the upcoming dog race and snow machine race and encouraged everyone to stay off the trail.

 

Mr. Reggie Cleveland reminded everyone of a Joint Construction & Maintenance Committee at 6:00 p.m. at the School District Office Board Room.

 

Elder Representative Willie Goodwin announced that the Trade Fair, in conjunction with the Fourth of July festivities, will be held on July 2-6, 2005 in Kotzebue and the Wellness Conference for the Youth on April 12, 2005 also in the Kotzebue.

 

Mr. John Schaeffer said that the Task Force did a great job, with the support of the School District, to form the Alaska Technical Vocational Council.  Mr. John Schaeffer announced the upcoming Language Consortium meeting to be held on March 31 and April 1 at the Armory.

 

MAYOR’S COMMENTS

 

Mayor Schaeffer reported that he did order that Triple D cease and desist transporting the three vehicles because they have not been honest and have violated in their permit.  Mayor Schaeffer also reminded everyone that the city governments have the responsibility of being accountable and encouraged them to do their jobs honestly and to work together with their councils.  He also reminded those who are council members to work together as a team with the administrator and not to micro-manage the city governments, but to let the city administrators do their job.

 

ADJOURNMENT

 

With no other business to discuss, the meeting was adjourned by unanimous consent at 2:41 P.M.