City Proclaims Seward Alaska’s Wellness Capital

(Heidi Zemach for Seward City News)

The Seward City Council unanimously passed a resolution Monday March 8, proclaiming the City of Seward as the “Wellness Capital of Alaska.” Mayor Willard Dunham and council member Tom Smith were absent. The resolution also authorizes City Manager Phillip Oates to seek state and federal recognition under that title, and to appropriate funds for a designated wellness fund. The resolution calls for use of partners from national volunteer programs AMERICORPS and VISTA to develop, enhance and implement selected wellness initiatives within the city. The resolution appropriates $5,000 from the city manager’s contingency account to the Seward Community Foundation. Providence Seward will match the city’s contribution with $5,000 to spearhead the fund, and then both hope to leverage those funds with further private, corporate and philanthropic investments. One obvious example of the multi-faceted community health approach being taken in Seward, is the Community Wellness for All’s oral health groupsefforts to fluoridate the city water, Oates said. Another example is an effort to promote smoking cessation by individuals, which might eventually lead to a public vote on smoking cessation in buildings, he said. Beyond the resolution passed, the city is exploring opportunities, in cooperation with Providence Hospital, and the Alaska Power Utilities Insurance Trust, to lower insurance costs to city employees. If the new health insurance program negotiated is a success, it could concievably be made available to everyone in Seward, Oates said.

In another recent development, applications are currently being taken at Seward Hospital to subsidize a year-long $100,000 pilot project providing free primary health care and wellness coaching for 100 city residents who don’t have health insurance. If successful, the model also might later be expanded to more citizens, Oates said. “I think in many ways Seward is being more progressive on the health care issue than the nation is,” Oates said. “On the federal side they’re dragging their feet, but if we make the effort here, I think it’ll be a good investment,” echoed Marianna Keil, a city councilwoman.

The council also passed a resolution to enter into a change order with Rise Alaska LLC, accepting grant funds and appropriating an additional $26,100 for the next phase of design of the new library/museum facility. The building’s 35% schematic design is complete, so the next step is to select a construction firm to act as a consultant to the owner (city) in the development and design phase.  Rise Alaska will now develop request for proposals, conduct review sessions, advertise and issue RFPs, and complete all aspects of that process including developing and negotiating the construction manager/general contractor contract.

On another matter, the council made a motion directing Oates to bring them back a resolution at the next meeting to approve Eminent Domain for taking the public use easement on track B of the Dieckgraeff/Gillespie replat, and damaged remnants of the property to the north of the public use easement. The plat
is the bow tie- shaped property at 2501 Seward Highway, the third lot north of Hemlock Avenue. It belongs to Raymond and Tom Gillespie and Catherine Weiford. They have offered to sell their land for more than the city is willing to pay, Oates said. The city believes taking the land is necessary to construct the Japp Creek, North Forest Acres levee, which would run to the Seward Highway and help prevent flooding in the Forest Acres area. Discussion of the issue was held in an executive (closed-door) session.

City Council received a list of possible sidewalk improvement and road projects to consider for 2010, which would be funded by two federal earmarks via the Alaska Department of Transportation. The sidewalk replacement work could be done later this summer, according to Public Works Director W.C. Casey. Tentative sidewalk work areas include Washington Street between 4th and 5th (north side); 4th Avenue from Adams to Railway (both sides); Fifth Avenue, Seward Hotel and City Hall; sidewalks and ramps along Adams Street; and areas of Railway Avenue. The city will have to deal with infrastructure that lies above or beneath the sidewalks such as streetlights, electric conduits and vaults, water services, pipes used in heated sidewalks, and whether to replace curbs and gutters, Casey said. The road work probably would have to take place some time in the following year, Oates said.

The council also passed a resolution authorizing the city manager to apply for a federal matching grant to the State of Alaska, Department of Natural Resources toconstruct an Iditarod Trail Centennial Monument at Trailhead Park. The city is requesting $36,000; $21,800 as the federal share, and $14,000 local share in the form of donations and in-kind volunteer labor.

The City has issued an RFP for a contractor to provide local transportation to cruise ship passengers and their luggage this year and next. Other members of the public also can use the transportation, but must pay a fee. The transportation will be funded with part of the $167,000 Seward received from last years’ cruise ship head tax. Local preference for the service is not part of the RFP. Bids will be taken March 4-18.

Finally, vehicles being left in right-of-ways also interfering with the work of city snow removal crews. Oates asks that people keep these right-of-ways clear. Meanwhile,someone plowed a load of snow into the middle of the road on 5th Avenue last week, creating much extra work for the city road crews, he said. Oates is asking whoever is responsible not to do it again.

Experts Plan to Fight Invasive Marine Species

(By Heidi Zemach, for Seward City News)

Marine invaders such as Chinese mitten crabs, European green crabs and the elusive, little understood tunicates, may not have arrived in Alaska yet in significant numbers yet-but they’re on the move. That was the main message of a vast variety of experts on invasive species who gathered at the Alaska SeaLife Center last week to review the current status of marine invasive species, and to develop plans for preventing their spread to Alaska. If we don’t find ways to stop these non-native invasive species before they get here, or eradicate them as soon as they do—the job will be far more difficult, if not impossible, said speaker after speaker.

Participants included experts from the US Coast Guard, US Fish and Wildlife Service, US Forest Service, National Park Service, Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Kachemak Bay Research Reserve, Prince William Sound Regional Citizens Advisory Council, University of Alaska Fairbanks Marine Science Center, San Francisco State Marine Ecology Department, Smithsonian Environmental Science Research Center, and Resurrection Bay Conservation Alliance, and a host more. (*see bottom of article)

Two science classes from Seward High School also attended a keynote address by Greg Ruiz, of the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center Wednesday morning. They heard an overview of the scope of the problem in Alaska, and in coastal areas where these invasive species proliferate. Local students may team up with the sea life center staff later this spring to participate in a citizen’s marine monitoring program, and to help the center design an invasive marine species exhibit, said Howard Ferren, the ASLC Director of Conservation.

“The world is connected, and it’s connected through ships,” Ruiz began, and shipping is these species’ biggest transport vector to Alaska. That’s why participants in such a gathering included experts from regions like Hawaii, British Columbia, Canada and even the San Francisco Bay/California Coast, where the problem of non indigenous marine invasive species begins, and often is the most insidious.

The vast majority of the marine invaders travel either through the ballast water (used for stability) and discharged by ships at various ports of call, or by hitchhiking on the hulls of vessels, Ruiz explained. Approximately 100,000 ships arrive in Alaska per year —half of which come from overseas, he said. Some 50 million metric tons of ballast water is discharged per year from foreign ships, and 130 million metric tons from ships traveling within U.S. coastal waters. While exchanging ballast water mid-ocean, rather than closer inland is deemed effective for 90-percent of the discharge of foreign vessels—the vessels that only travel through U.S. coastal waters are for the most part exempt from ballast exchange rules, Ruiz said. Fully half of the species listed on NEMESIS, the National Exotic Marine and Estuarine Species Information System database arrive on vessel hulls, a process known as “hull fouling,” he said.

Read more

Preliminary School District FY 11 Budget at Funding Cap

(Heidi Zemach for Seward City News)
heidizemach@yahoo.com

The Kenai Peninsula Borough School District’s $129 million FY 11 preliminary budget is $2 million (or two-percent) higher than the FY 10 revised budget, and right at the allowable local funding cap. That, according to Dave Jones, Assistant Kenai Borough School Superintendent, who presented the preliminary budget to the site council Wednesday night, March 3, in the Seward High School library. If the Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly doesn’t agree to fund all the way to the cap, the district will either have to make cuts in services, or draw from its $2.5 million fund balance, he said. There has been no indication of where the borough mayor or assembly is leaning thus far, he said, but school district officials are “hoping for good things.” Sue McClure, Seward’s borough assembly representative agrees, and says she is working hard to let her colleagues know the importance of fully funding education. The budget’s development was based on projected enrollment figures, and a funding formula increase reflecting a $5,680 base student allocation, among other considerations.

One of the reasons for the budget increase is a 2-percent salary increase in negotiated collected bargaining agreements for teachers and support employees, and more for experience or additional education, Jones said. Also, there was a 25-percent rise in the cost of employee health care costs. Currently, the district pays $950 per month in health care coverage per enrolled employee. Next year it will cost $975 a month per employee, or $11,700 per year, Jones said. Salaries and benefits comprise 78-percent of the annual budget.

The district plans to provide a 10-percent increase in instructional, office and custodial supplies, as there has not been an increase for these in years, and people have long complained. Utility costs budgeted are to remain level next fiscal year, although the costs could actually increase with the price of oil or gas, Jones said.

There also was a slight decrease in the number of students attending borough schools, and the district is projecting a loss of 2-percent next year. The student enrollment projection is 9,075, a 95-student loss over FY 2009 actual figures, which resulted in a reduction in certified staff across the district.

The district also plans to provide additional half-time teachers for Homer and Soldotna High Schools, however. The district has begun tallying the number of classes that home-school students take at each school, and calculating the total as though they were actual students, Jones said. Thus, two home-school students, each taking two classes at a school, would be counted as one half-time student. They hope that doing this will help in their goal of encouraging more home-school attendance at the schools.

If fully-funded, the operating budget for Seward Elementary will increase by 6-pecent; and at Seward Middle School by 1-percent; but will decrease by 3-percent at Seward High School. Spring Creek (youth offender) School also has a 26-percent funding increase. But Moose Pass School shows an 18-percent decrease over FY 2010, (-$60,000) –chiefly because of a decline in the number of students attending, Jones said. As for whether our local schools will be able to hire additional teachers—for example a part-time music teacher for the middle school—well, that’s entirely up to the staffing priorities of each local school principals or site council, school district officials say. The district bases the number of teachers it hires strictly on student attendance numbers, in order to be equally fair to all schools, said Finance Director Laurie Olson.

The budget will be up for approval by the board of education April 5, and then moved to the borough assembly for discussion and final approval June 8.

Middle School Principal Hersrud Resigns

(By Heidi Zemach for Seward City News)

John Hersrud recently tendered his resignation as Seward Middle School Principal/Teacher, effective at the end of the 2010 school year. He also has become a full-time principal, and is no longer teaching classes at the school. Hersrud was hired last summer under a one-year contract agreement. He replaced Trevan Walker, who moved to the high school. Hersrud said he desires to get back to the northern part of Alaska where his, and his wife Pegs’ family are from, and that he is currently seeking jobs there. Hersrud will be soliciting feedback on his job performance from parents and community members, and is especially interested in learning their views on ways to improve the middle school in the future, he said. He hopes to start working on implementing some new ideas for next year before leaving. Meanwhile, the Kenai Borough School District has begun advertising for a new “Site Administrator” for the position, and will tentatively be interviewing successful candidates March 26th in Seward. Superintendent Dr. Steve Atwater said that would-be administrators are looking for jobs right now, so he is moving the hiring process forward quickly, and hopes to have someone hired for the position by the end of March. The district has already received about 10-20 applications, as of mid week.

Atwater also is soliciting suggestions from the local school advisory council and community members on the matter, in accordance with the district’s normal process. They would like to receive written comments on the preferred characteristics or qualifications people would like to see a new administrator possess; their priorities; and possible (locally meaningful) interview questions. These comments will be considered by the district and incorporated into the list of interview questions. Input forms are on the KPBSD website, and must be submitted to Atwater by 12:00 p.m. Monday, March 8. They can be faxed to (907) 262-9132 or e-mailed to satwater@kpbsd.k12.ak.us When possible, site administrator interviews are open for the public to observe, and conducted at the school, with written opportunities for evaluation available to those observing. The superintendent makes the final selection, subject to approval by the board of education. The local contact is Martha Flemming, the Seward High School counselor.

 

None Hurt in Stolen Car Chase and Police Standoff

By Heidi Zemach for SCN

No one was injured during a dramatic hour-long police standoff that took place at Ballaine and Railroad Avenues in downtown Seward Wednesday afternoon, following a long, circuitous police chase.

Rohn Chapoton Buser, age 20, was arraigned Thursday afternoon in the Third Judicial District Court of the State of Alaska. He is charged with Third-Degree Assault , a Class-C Felony; failure to stop at the direction of an officer, a Class C Felony; and Reckless Driving, a Class-A Misdemeanor.

It all started at around 3:00 p.m. when construction workers at mile 24 of Seward Highway reported that a maroon SUV had driven through their construction zone at approximately 60 mph, and had almost hit a worker. Alaska State Troopers notified Seward police that the vehicle was heading toward town. Seward Police Cpl. Patrick Messmer drove out the highway, and made contact with the vehicle near Seward Plumbing, but Buser refused to stop. Messmer then followed him, attempting with his lights and siren to get him to stop, but without success. He followed Buser all the way out to Lowell Point Road, whereupon Buser looped around and headed the SUV back into town. By that time the Seward police had learned from dispatch that the SUV had been reported stolen in Wasilla. By then three police cars had become involved in the chase, and state troopers had arrived and had deployed at the Lowell Point Road, just west of Third Avenue. They set up a “spike strip” a piece of police equipment with spikes meant to puncture tires and slowly let a vehicles’ air out, without causing it to veer out of control, explained Seward Police Chief Tom Clemons. The spike strip did puncture three tires of the SUV Buser was driving, causing his tires to deflate, which helped slow him down once back in the downtown area, Clemons said.

The SUV finally stopped at Railway Avenue and Ballaine Street, south of the new pavilion parking lot, Clemons said. At that point, Messmer got out and pointed his service weapon toward the suspect vehicle until backup arrived, he stated in a court affidavit. As Buser was allegedly unresponsive to orders to leave the vehicle, police set up a perimeter, and evacuated residents from the surrounding area as a precaution. The AST SERT Team was activated. The standoff continued there for about an hour. But when Buser began to move the vehicle back in an attempt to escape, Messmer used the push bar on the front of his patrol car to strike the left rear bumper of the SUV, immobilizing it. At that point, officers converged on the vehicle and removed Buser and arrested him. He had no weapon.

Altogether, about seven Seward Police and two state troopers were involved in the standoff, Clemons said. The Seward Fire Department also assisted. All agencies and members of the public cooperated, and no one was endangered or hurt— so it all came to a good ending, Clemons said.

Although Clemons emphasized that the chase had actually been a low-speed one, more like police following a vehicle that wouldn’t stop, Messmer stated that he clocked Buser’s vehicle at 62 mph in a 25 mph speed zone at South Harbor. The SUV continued to travel “at a high rate of speed” along Lowell Point Road, passing vehicles on the narrow winding road while driving “in a reckless manner,” Messmer stated.  On Lowell Point Road it passed an oncoming vehicle driven by Police Lt. Butch Tiner, and then swerved into the oncoming lane of the police vehicle driven by Chief Clemons, and Clemons had to take evasive action to avoid colliding with Buser, Messmer said.

Council vote moves fluoridation forward

(By Heidi Zemach for Seward City News)
heidizemach@yahoo.com

A divided city council has moved city water fluoridation a step forward. With a 4-2 vote they passed a resolution at Monday night’s meeting “affirming council support for fluoridation of the public water supply to improve oral health.” The resolution directs the city manager to hire a qualified professional engineering firm for up to $50,000 to help determine the impacts and requirements of adding fluoride to the water system in terms of equipment, training, infrastructure, and safeguards. It also directs him to report back to the city council on all grants and other funding sources available for subsidizing the costs.

Council members Robert Valdatta and Linda Amberg voted against the resolution. Mayor Willard Dunham and council members Jean Bardarson, Vanta Shafer and Marianna Keil voted for it. Councilman Tom Smith was absent. Earlier, Bardarson, a dentist office employee, asked the council whether anyone felt that she had a conflict of interest, as some in the community had alleged. None present said they believed that she did, as such conflicts are generally defined as elected officials who would gain significantly financially from a vote’s outcome.

Amberg tried to amend the resolution to delete all statements of city support for water fluoridation, leaving only the engineering study and grant search. That failed, with her and Valdatta the only supporting votes. The advisory vote in the October 6 regular election October that favored city fluoridation was “hastily made,” Valdatta said. In the final count, 279 city residents voted for Proposition 1, and 234 residents voted against it. Watching the water truck unload outside the downtown city building, it is obvious that the city is the biggest purchaser of bottled water in Seward, said Valdatta, raising his voice in anger or frustration. There are still a lot of unresolved issues, and pros and cons to fluoridation, and there may also be a certain amount of risk, Amberg said.

City Manager Phillip Oates said he needed the council show of support in order to obtain financing to pay for an engineering study or for related grants. Oates promised he would come back to the council for approval prior to hiring a firm, and also to prioritize water department needs, and decide where fluoridation fits into the overall picture. The city might decide it needs a new water tank before proceeding with fluoridation, he said, but he didn’t want the council returnto debating the entire concept.

“I think we’re shortchanging the public if we don’t find out all the facts and put it together so we can make an honest opinion,” Dunham agreed.

To illustrate the still divided nature of community sentiment, 10 local residents took to the podium to voice their opinions on the topic at Monday night’s meeting. Seven were strongly in favor of water fluoridation, three were strongly opposed. Read more

Railroad plans include new restroom, dredging, and undisclosed coal facility improvements

(By Heidi Zemach for SCN)

The Alaska Railroad held an open house at the Breeze Inn in Seward Friday, Feb 19. Alaska Railroad Chief Engineer and Vice President of Engineering Tom Brooks gave an update of the railroad’s capital project program plans for the upcoming year at the Seward Chamber of Commerce, Conference and Visitor’s Bureau membership meeting luncheon.

The Alaska Railroad saw a significant decrease in the number of passengers last year, Brooks said. Nevertheless, 75,000 people rode the train to Seward. And last year was also a record year for coal exports from Seward’s coal facility: The railroad operated 133 export coal trains to Seward in 2009 to meet the demand.12 ships were loaded with about 800,000 tons in 2009. This compares to 75 coal trains in 2008. Twelve ships have been scheduled for 2010, and tonnage is expected to be similar to last year.

The railroad’s main project for Seward this year is building a new 24.5’ x 26’ restroom facility about 20 feet from the depot to accommodate customers and employees. It will be equipped with separate facilities for women and men, and will include modern plumbing and electrical systems. Also, a power hook-up will be installed beside the track, allowing trains to plug-in to support onboard food and beverage service. This eliminates the need for trains to run their engines to supply power while parked at the depot. The entire $750,000 project is funded with federal Stimulus money. The railroad came up with the project in order to make use of a grant for shovel-ready projects that were not already going to be done, Brooks said. The railroad had already designed a restroom for the Talkeetna Depot, so they could use the same design here, Brooks said.

The railroad also has budgeted $100,000 to modify a chute and replace aging pulleys at the Seward coal loading facility, in addition to any environmental projects approved in negotiations by the Alaska Department of Conservation. The first is part of the facilities’ regular maintenance work, said Paul Farnsworth, the railroad’s facilities director. The rest of the work, such as expenditures to mitigate dust as a result of two ADEC (Air Quality Act) Notice of Violations issued April 2007 and March 2008, are to be announced following settlement negotiations with DEC, Farnsworth said. The work will be done in lieu of penalties (fines) for those NOVs, he said. Railroad officials would not provide specific information about these improvements because they are still in litigation, said Phyllis Johnson, the railroad vice president and general counsel. Nor will railroad officials discuss issues involving alleged water quality violations—the subject of a more recent lawsuit brought by two Alaska environmental organizations against the railroad and Aurora Energy Services.

Addressing a question about the amount of black soot-covered snow recently in evidence around the coal loading operations, Farnsworth would only say that operators continually check the weather and spray down the coal on the chute, and if an operator sees signs of any coal dust flying in the wind, they shut down operations according to their Standard Operating Procedures. Those SOPs are being revised, based on discussions with DEC, he said.

Some 16 full-time Aurora Energy Services employees work at the Seward facility, and about 53 others take part in the Seward coal export activities, according to railroad documents, and Louis BenCardino, the Alaska Railroads’ Seward representative. These include 3 brake-men per train, and 3-4 railroad workers who stay here all winter. Two steady long-term railroad employees live in Moose Pass. Other workers often stay at the new Seward Hotel for as many as 5-6 days, Cardino said.

Another Seward project the railroad plans is dredging around all of Seward’s docks, including the East, West and the coal loading dock using Cruise Ship Tax money. The dredging should begin in the fall, according to city officials. The railroad also has been installing a 2,000-foot security fence around the East Dock, a $162,400 project funded with federal stimulus money.

The railroad and U.S. Forest Service are co-developing a whistle stop service in Chugach National Forest. The plans call for five recreational sites between Portage and Moose Pass that will be accessibly by rail and interconnected by trail. The first stop site, at Spencer Glacier, was completed in 2007, and a two-level self-propelled diesel multiple unit rail car was delivered last spring. Three thousand people rode the whistle-stop train last year, Brooks said. With USFS, the Spencer site will be improved this year, which may include developing additional trails, camp sites and viewing facilities.

Another subject of concern for Seward officials is the planned Port MacKenzie Rail Extension, a new 30-45 mile rail line to connect the port to the main line. If it is built, they fear it would provide immense competition, if not spell the end to coal shipping in Seward. The railroad is working with the Mat-Su Borough, its sponsor, to determine a route for the rail extension. Already, $27 million has been allocated by the state legislature to fund an environmental impact statement. The Surface Transportation Board is overseeing the EIS, and the draft statement is expected to be completed in 2010.

Not to worry, that project, if it is indeed done, would be at least 20-25 years down the road, Farnsworth told the Seward City News. At the chamber luncheon, Tom Brooks admitted that any additional railroad line built must be maintained by the railroad forever, a costly proposition for a financially-ailing railroad. The total cost of design and construction is estimated at up to $250 million, depending on route selection.

“We don’t know where the revenue will come from,” Brooks said.

Meanwhile, the corporation continues to be self-sustaining, supported only through its freight, passenger, and real estate net earnings. They totaled $169.5 million last year, with $155.9 million in expenses, or a Net Income of $13.6 million. Freight accounted for almost half of its revenues. 

Seward Library Museum project moving forward

By Heidi Zemach for SCN
(heidizemach@yahoo.com)

 

 

 

 

Seward residents joined Join Jae Shin of ECI/Hyer Architects and Kent Crandall of RISE Alaska for a community presentation of their 35% schematic design for the new Seward community library museum. The meeting was held February 11, in the library basement. The building depicted in the design represents the architect’s attempts to combine the new with the historical. Overall, it looks sleek and modern, with long, vertical lines, and a roof line that juts out slightly, similar to the architecture of existing historical Seward buildings downtown.

Numerous windows and glass provide a modern contemporary look, and bring greater light and better views. Windows have been of particular concern to residents who value natural light, good views but who also care about energy efficiency. Although the building appears to have plenty of glass, only 14-percent of the buildings’ wall area actually has windows, which means less heat efficiency loss, Shin said. The proposed building also includes a form of opaque glass-panels of a material that is designed to help prevent heat loss, he said.

Windows would provide a large view facing toward Resurrection Bay from the second floor, with inset mural space in the wall on the first floor right below them. The 280-foot meeting room is the largest, and will provide the most spectacular view, Shin said. Ghost images of Seward’s history and culture could be imbedded into windows on the first floor, while still allowing people to see unobstructed views through them. Shin suggested Seward residents consider themes for these windows now, as they would need to be installed early in the buildings’ construction.

The design includes some generous sidewalks, including 10-foot sidewalks on its north side, and 13-foot sidewalks on Sixth Avenue. It also will have angled parking at those locations. The entranceway on the east side also is angled, and protected from the wind by a wall/screen. There’s enough space in front of the entrance for public artwork, benches, and landscaping, which could provide additional buffering against the elements.

When lit from above, the murals that could be inset into two of the outer walls, will provide the building with colorful character during the Seward winter darkness, Chin said. These murals can be placed on the building after it is constructed, Chin said.

The architects also suggest slate sidings, available in a variety of colors, for the upper part of the building. These sidings come in attractive colors, are comparable in price to metal siding, and have been used successfully in other Alaska buildings. Chin also suggested cinderblocks on the first level of the building, complimented with a cinderblock/ cedar tongue-in-grove design for the second floor.

The building’s first floor will be for the museum, the second floor for the library, and a basement also is planned for heating, city or museum storage, etc. An alley would be created outdoors to house the building’s fuel needs. The inside provides separate rooms or areas for quiet reading, computer use, teens, youth, children, and for the five-foot stacks.

Local artists will be encouraged to help design the window images, the murals, or public sculpture for outside the building, artwork for inside the building, and to craft furniture, banisters, and such for inside. Local hire also would be preferable for the building’s construction.

“I think you guys did a great job,” said Joanie Merritt following the presentation, and there was a loud murmur of agreement from many of the 37 people in attendance.

“We’ve been very pleased with the work that ECI Hyer is doing,” said Mary Tougas, the vice president of Seward Community Library Museum Building Committee. “They’re bringing great energy and ideas to the project, and they’re really trying to listen to the comments and to all the users.” There might still be additional input into the 35-percent schematic, and changes made over the next couple of weeks, but the group is looking forward to moving ahead to the project’s next phase, Tougas said. More of the building’s details will be included in the 65-percent, 95-percent and 100-percent designs. Meanwhile, a contractor will be brought into the process in the next few months to review the design so far and to search for cost efficiencies.

A recent lobbying visit to the Juneau legislature for funding statewide public library construction projects was encouraging, Tougas said. Approximately $14 million was previously set aside to fund library projects statewide. Seward’s new $10 million library museum ranks third of the six top projects ready to receive funding behind Cordova and Kenai. The Seward library committee is hoping to get at least partial funding in 2010, she said. The building project already has garnered local support for matching funds via a general obligation bond of up to $5 million, approved by voters last October. The committee hopes to bring in enough in private, corporate and state funding to lower that obligation. It has already received than $1 million in donations from individuals, corporations and in-kind services, including $25,000 from Wells Fargo Bank, $10,000 from First National Bank, and $5,000 from Usibelli Coal mine, Tougas said.

Power Outage

Power went out to the entire town and beyond at around 6:45 p.m. Thursday night, after extreme 60-70mph winds blew a tree into the transmission line at approximately mile 20-23, said Seward Electric Utility Manager John Foutz. City emergency generators restored power to all but 20-30 households at around 9:00 p.m. Late morning Friday, the utility was still trying to make sure there weren’t any other trees on the line before they energized distribution to the remaining households, Foutz said. It took as long as it did before emergency generation could be put on line because the utility had to repair one of its diesel generators before it could put any of them on line, and also due to the time it took to reach the area where the downed tree was located, he said.

Seward Bear Creek Flood Board Hears From Borough Mayor

By Heidi Zemach for SCN

The Seward//Bear Creek Flood Service Area Board voted Monday Feb. 16 to spend $84,000 of its FY2011 budget on a new project at the flood-prone Salmon Creek Road/Nash Road intersection, pending approval by the Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly. The board already has been promised a matching grant of $60,000 from the Kenai Watershed Forum and the Alaska Department of Fish and Game for the project, said Dan Mahalak, the hydrologist who suggested the project. Mahalak also will seek assistance from the Alaska Railroad Corporation, whose track runs track over the area, and could be flooded out in a high water or storm event. The State of Alaska, which owns the Nash Road bridge downstream, also will be asked to support the project. The proposal is to greatly increase the size of the culvert, or both culverts which funnel creek water beneath Salmon Creek Road, in order to prevent backwater from pooling. The frequent pooling, and the threat of flooding threatens Salmon Creek Road, the only access road for people living in Camelot Subdivision. The pooling also backs up perilously close to the railroad track and the Seward Highway, Mahalak said.

“I can see this road flooded at high water events as opposed to flood events,” Mahalak said. The three culverts currently in place just aren’t big enough to allow enough flow downstream—plus there is increasing sedimentation flowing into the area, he explained.

Other ideas considered for the project includes the addition of a series of pipes, a box culvert or multi-plate, or even punching a hole through Nash Road.

In past years, all of the board’s project funding has been spent on dredging, which provides a quick fix for about 6-8 months, but doesn’t work, said Chairman Bill Williamson. The idea now is to put all of the funds into a single project, with help from matching funds, to effect a longer-term solution that also will improve, or maintain public infrastructure. The project also would improve fish habitat, which is why the non-profit grant supports it, Mahalak said. He hopes the project will drive action on additional flood-related projects downstream.

Rotary Club of Seward Gives and Recieves

Council rejects fee increases on harbor properties, maintains $5 parking fees

By Heidi Zemach for Seward City News

At Monday’s regular meeting the Seward City Council discussed, but rejected for the time being a proposal instituting a two-percent increase in fees on the city’s rental properties. The city’s 37 property leases along the harbor are due for their mandatory five-year reappraisal, where a Fair Market Value is determined for each. For the past two decades, city rental leases have been set at eight-percent of their appraised amount. This means that for a property worth $100,000, the annual lease fee is $8,000. City Manger Phil Oates asked for council guidance on whether the council wanted to have the appraiser increase that fee to 10-percent.

“Council and Administration continue to evaluate ways to increase revenue into the General and Harbor Funds to pay for critical City services,” the city said in a background and justification statement to the council. The statement then listed a number of private and private sector land lease rates ranging from 8-10-percent as examples: Cordova charges 9-percent on its leases; Valdez and the city and borough of Juneau charge 10-percent; the Alaska Railroad Corporation, Bureau of Indian Affairs and Bureau of Land Management charge 8-10-percent. “The City mindfully strives to fulfill our duty to insure the citizens of Seward are receiving the highest and best return on the property we manage for their benefit,” the city stated. It added that the proposed increase would bring in 2-percent additional revenue to pay for critical city services.

Tom Tougas, who manages Four Seasons Marine Services/ Alaska Coach Tours, and Ron Willie, operations manager of Kenai Fjords Tours, harbor businessmen who rent leases at the harbor, objected to the proposed increase. They said a 2-percent fee increase on their properties would actually mean a 25-percent increase in rental revenues to the city. That’s because a property worth $100,000 would now have a $10,000 fee assessed, rather than $8,000—a $2,000 increase for that business. An increase on their rents would be another blow to harbor businesses already suffering a 35-percent decline in business last year, Tougas said. The idea comes at a time when the city also recently increased fees for water, sewer, electric and moorage in the 2010/2011 budget, and would be a particular hardship for Seward Fish, which is located on a particularly large city lot. The proposed fee increase also does not take into account the results of the upcoming Fair Market Value re-appraisals, which could mean increased—or decreased property values. At their last appraisal five years ago, Kenai Fjord’s rental property was re-appraised at 145 percent of what it had been previously, Willie said.

While appearing confused by issue, or why the proposed increase had even come up, the council members that spoke mostly questioned whether or not the decision to could be made administratively, as city solicitor Cheryl Brooking claimed, or should be made by them, after soliciting public input. According to her reading of city code, it should be a council decision, said Councilmember Marianna Kiel. Dunham suggested they allow the appraisals to take place without suggesting an automatic fee increase—and then, once they see how the appraisals go—leave open the option to revisit the proposed fee increase at that time. That idea stuck, but Oates warned that to change fees after properties had been appraised would be an onerous task, as the lease agreements all have different terms, and would need to be renegotiated on a case-by-case basis if property owners objected to them.

Monday night the council also grudgingly agreed to lower summer daily parking fees in the harbor area lots from $10 to $5 for another year. Mayor Willard Dunham and Councilman Bob Valdatta voted against the resolution however, making the vote 4-2. (Councilmember Linda Amberg was absent from the meeting.) Dunham called the council “penny wise and pound foolish” for doing so. The mayor and councilman argued that parking fees in Anchorage and elsewhere are frequently higher. If visitors can afford fancy boats, they can surely also afford $10 parking fees, Valdatta said. But the other council members say they had already had given the city guidance during FY 2010/2011 budget discussions to allow the fees to remain at the lower rate in order to encourage people to choose Seward as their recreation or business destination. The harbor budget that passed earlier was based on the lower parking fees.

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Alaska Tsunami Bowl a learning experience

By Heidi Zemach for Seward City News
heidizemach@yahoo.com

Seward High’s team of marine science geeks, Perusing Pycnopodia, competed with 21 other teams from across the state at the Alaska Tsunami Bowl February 5-7th in Seward. Team members included Nathan Feemster, Eileen Audette, Maddy Campbell and team captain, Maggie Herbert. They were coached by Adrienne Moretti, an educator with the Alaska SeaLife Center.

Seward placed eighth in the 2010 Alaska Tsunami Bowl. Their 20-page research paper, The Effects of Receding Ice Field on Point Hope tied for second-place in the research paper category. Their overall research project, (including paper and oral presentation) tied for forth place. Last year Seward placed sixth out of the 15 teams competing, but this year was the highest level of participation in the regional competition’s 13-year history. Hot Tropic, a Juneau-Douglas team named took first place. Juneau-Douglas teams have now won the bowl for four years straight. Team Starfish from South Anchorage took second place, followed by Cordova’s Notorious Dog Sharks, who took third.

Nevertheless, the scores weren’t too shabby for a group of Seward students who, like many of their competitors, have never even taken a high school marine science class. And they definitely learned plenty during four months of preparing their research paper; creating and presenting a power-point presentation, and studying often obscure marine science facts twice a week after school. They tackled questions such as, “Why is trawling considered so destructive?” Answer: it destroys seabed communities.” or “What percent of the earth’s surface does the ocean cover? Answer: 71-percent.” And, “What is the freezing point of water at the earths’ surface? Answer: -2-degrees Celsius.”

“It’s a great learning experience,” said Eileen Audette Saturday, as she and her teammates feasted on tamales and enchiladas during a break in the grueling quizzes. More important, is that the subject matter actually affects us here in Alaska, Audette said.

“Today everybody’s nervous about getting up before a big group in the auditorium,” said Alaska Seward Marine Center Tsunami Bowl coordinator Phyllis Shoemaker, Friday afternoon. “But tomorrow when we start the quiz games, they’re more competitive and it’s more like a basketball game—exciting I guess.”

She wasn’t kidding. Teams of students with unusual names and matching shirts rushed from one classroom quiz bowl to the next, studying and strategizing in the hallways and cafeteria until the moment when the door was locked, and the judges took command.

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French modern painter inspires elementary students

Heidi Zemach for SCN
heidizemach@yahoo.com

Students at Seward Elementary School in K-6 are spending three eventful weeks in art class mixing paints, painting patterns and shapes, and fashioning collages with brightly colored paper. Their inspiration is French modern painter/sculptor Henri Matisse (1869-1954), under the guidance of Artist in Residence Justine Pechuzal. Justine is the young Seward artist who created the new mural in the elementary school last year, and designed the Seward Centennial Mural displayed outside the Seward Post Office. Some of Justine’s work also is displayed at the Resurrection Arts Coffee House.

By their second week of art classes Katy Turnbull’s first-graders had already filled pages with brightly repeated patterns similar in style to the ones Matisse sometimes used in his wallpaper, backdrops, and vases. Tuesday afternoon they were learning to mix yellow and green paint and draw green leaves, outlined and veined with darker green. They would cut them out and piece them together into a collage later. “This looks like snot!” an impressed boy commented as he mixed the colors together. “It’s like 3-D!” exclaimed another as Pechuzal demonstrated how outlining the leaves almost made them stand out. Then they painted red curves for their flower petals, and orangey-red vases.

“It’s great having a known professional artist in our building,” said Principal David Kingsland, who selected Pechuzal for this three-week residency at the school. She is focusing on teaching techniques to the children at an age-appropriate grade-level; providing art ideas for their teachers; and will also create another original art work to donate to Seward Elementary School. Her program will culminate with an art exhibit of the students’ work Feb 18, 5:30-7:30 p.m. along with the school band performance and Spring Book Fair. The Kenai Borough School District provides art curricula for every teacher, and pays for an artist to visit the school for a while every fall, but Seward Elementary has no special art-teacher on staff. So opportunities like these are much appreciated by the school—and its teachers, Kingsland said.

“It’s nice to see how excited they are about what they’re creating under Justine’s direction,’ says Mrs. Turnball, who watches closely as she helps Pechuzal pour small globs of paint onto each student’s paper platter and maintain discipline. “Remember, don’t mash your brush,” Turnball reminds the students, some of whom forget that they are supposed to sweep their brushes smoothly in one direction and the other when painting.

“Mine looks horrible,” complains Makiara Williams, head in hands, struggling at perfection. “No it doesn’t, it looks awesome,” says Daniel Darbyshire, the boy sitting next to her, not even glancing away from his own work. Pechuzal compliments Williams on how red her flower petals are, and suggests she draw a few more to choose from. “The key is to combine encouragement, with finding value in what they are working on, with reminding them that like everything else, art takes lots of practice—and that it doesn’t need to look perfect,” Pechuzal says.

While the youngest grades were learning how to mix and apply paint and create patterns, the 3rd and 4th graders were creating a room with simple furniture and a window with a watercolor scene of the outdoors. They got a kick out of learning simple foreshortening techniques—such as the closer things are, the larger they should be, and the farther away they are, the smaller. They also really seemed to enjoy designing their own rooms and furnishing them the way they like, Pechuzal said.

The 5th and 6th graders were practicing figure drawing, using wooden mannequins as a model to observe how bodies move, and to help them depict foreshortening. Later, they would choose their best line drawing, trace it onto black paper, cut it out, and place it in a collage, where they would start to think about concepts related to color and composition, how to show volume, and how to bring balance to a piece of art. Pechuzal studied Art History and Studio Art at the University of Arizona, and later received her Masters in Art Education. She began coming to Seward about six years ago to work summers as a Kayak Guide. Inspired by the public art murals all over town, and encouraged by the owner of the Resurrection Art Coffee House Gallery to display her own work there, Justine began to step out artistically and try new things. Having her design selected for the Seward Centennial Mural was the “opportunity of a lifetime,” Pechuzal said. It emboldened her to create a mural at the elementary school, which one of the teachers had suggested. And that experience was so positive that she put together this year’s proposal for the Matisse residency. It all goes to show how a small town that encourages art can help nurture artist talent, and in turn be nurtured by it.

(Photos by HZ. Justine Pezuchal watches as Makiara Williams paints leaves. Daniel Darbyshire
and Jordan Sewell paint their leaves. Pezuchal displays a student’s sketch and what the completed picture may look like.)

SeaView’s Active Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Program

By Heidi Zemach for SCN
heidizemach@yahoo.com

“Seward is a beautiful community, and there are a lot of great people here, but Seward has a dark side,” said Tammy, head advocate of SeaView Community Services’ Domestic Violence /Sexual Assault Program. The last names of the programs’ full-time and part-time advocate are not mentioned here in order to protect their confidentiality.

Domestic violence and sexual assault aren’t unique to Seward of course —they’re rampant throughout Alaska, Tammy adds. She, and Bernie Jarriel, the agency’s executive director, took the opportunity recently to share some information about the DVSA program, and the situations they encounter. They are hoping to raise local funds and awareness for the program at their first-annual Chocolate Tasting Fundraiser February 6, from 6:00-8:00 p.m. at the SeaView Plaza Atrium, 302 Railway Avenue.

The DVSA program serves people living in and around Seward, Moose Pass, Hope and Cooper Landing. The agency’s 24-hour crisis hot line is serviced by 11 trained staff members including DVSA advocates, clinicians, and substance abuse counselors. Any person, female or male, needing domestic violence crisis services can walk-in to the center for help free of charge. The agency provides safety and immediate care for victims; advocacy in the judicial, medical and social services systems; and public education to promote awareness and prevention.

In Fiscal Year 2009, the program served 62 DVSA victims in emergency situations through its 24-hour hot line or walk-ins. The agency provided 17 nights of shelter to 11 in-crisis victims of domestic violence, and assisted 106 individuals in remaining safely in their own homes. They transported six individuals in crisis to shelters outside of town. The agency also reports 1179 non-emergency by-phone or direct contacts with victims of, or at-risk for domestic violence /sexual assault in FY 09.

The program’s busiest time of year is during the summer months, when the town fills with tourists recreating, or staying in Seward temporarily to work. Not only are there more people around, but that’s also when the most drinking and partying occurs, Tammy said. There’s a huge problem with drug and alcohol here, it’s very cyclical, and a lot of problems with assault, sexual assault and domestic violence are interrelated, Bernie said. Alcohol, (and at times illegal drugs also) triggers 95-percent of the DVSA cases the program sees. One in four DVSA clients arrives in Seward with nothing but the clothes on their back. Often, it is a woman escaping domestic violence, who will drive as far as she can to the end of the Seward highway—where she believes she will be safe. About 30-percent of visitors who seek help tell SeaView providers that they have “blown” all their money here, and don’t have enough to leave town, Tammy said. Seward also tends to have a good reputation in the Alaska Native community for being home to the Alaska Vocational Technology Center, so Alaska Native DVSA victims often come to Seward to feel safe or seek work. The center tries to work closely with area native health services’ and tribal organizations so as not to duplicate services, Bernie said.

After summer, the program’s next busiest time is in October, soon after the Alaska Permanent Fund Dividend Check arrives, when people are flush with funds to spend on alcohol and drugs. Domestic violence and sexual assault cases are also frequent near the end of winter, before summer jobs begin, when locals suffering from cabin fever have been at one-another’s throats too long, Tammy said.

 Seward and Cordova are the only two programs without a local shelter of the 19 state-funded DVSA programs. This “shelterless model” is by choice for a number of reasons, Bernie said: Seward is too small for the location of a safe shelter to be kept secret for long; the client volume is not severe enough to warrant the expense of maintaining such a shelter; and SeaViews’ emphasis is on trying to keep victims in their own homes by removing their abuser, rather than to punish them further. Due to Seward’s size, and location, with only a single road leading out of town, enforcement authorities have a comparatively easy job of finding and apprehending perpetrators before they leave town. Additionally, Seward Magistrate George Peck has a reputation for enforcing existing laws against perpetrators, and understands the dangers and consequences of allowing abusive behavior to continue, Tammy said. Also, the restraining orders that the center files against perpetrators have teeth in that they require $1,000 fines and mandatory jail time if violated. (SeaView providers say they would also support several of Governor Sean Parnell’s proposed improvements to in Alaska’s criminal justice system, including reform of certain bail laws; a requirement that sex offenders from other states register in Alaska; and tougher sentences for offenders who sexually assault a victim impaired by drugs or alcohol.)

SeaView’s program does provide safe homes locally, as needed, where victims and their families victims in crisis situations can stay for up to 72 hours. This gives clients a little time to catch their breath, review their options, and make a plan. SeaView also provides clients with free transportation to established safe shelters in Kenai and Anchorage, or other locations their choosing, usually the same day, or the next morning. The agency donates necessities such as clothes, formula, diapers, medications, blankets, beds, and furniture for clients setting up new homes. SeaView also welcomes public donations of this type throughout the year.

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Getting High a Safe Activity at AVTEC Gym

(By Heidi Zemach for Seward City News)

Not everyone has the guts or physique to scramble up Mount Marathon, or rocks along Seward highway, but all Seward community members and Alaska Vocational Technology Center students will soon have the chance to enjoy a new indoor sport. Sometime in the next few months, a climbing wall will be installed in the AVTEC gymnasium. Actually, four vertical wall panels, eight by eight feet long and 24-feet high will be installed, three with varying sizes of protruding overhangs. These will enable people not only to climb straight up a wall, but to continue at a slightly backwards angle. The climbing wall adds Seward to the growing list of Alaskan communities (Nome, Barrow, Kodiak, Palmer, Juneau and Anchorage) that have public or private climbing walls.

The AVTEC board and administration had knocked around the idea for about a decade. But the plan never moved anywhere until Daniel “Dano” Michaud, its maintenance foreman who likes to scramble on rocks and ice outdoors, took the concept and ran with it. He has spent two years researching climbing wall companies; contacting other Alaskan communities with vertical walls; and looking into their cost and liability concerns.

Now AVTEC and the city are fully on board. AVTEC has agreed to purchase panels from Vertical World Climbing Walls, and has hired Anchorage contractor Turkey Construction to install the wall panels against the southwest corner of the gym. The company will remove the old wall pads, and install new six-foot wide pads which fold up to cover the wall panels when other activities are taking place. When closed up, the wall panels will hardly be noticeable to those in the gym, and will not interfere with other activities, Michaud said.

“I think it’s going to be a good addition to the community,” said Dick Harrell, AVTEC’s deputy director. “The interest in (climbing walls) seems to be on the rise, so we think it will be well received by the community as well as the AVTEC students, and give them more variety of recreational activities while they’re here at the school.” Seward Parks and Recreation Department Director Karin Sturdy agrees.

“I think rock climbing is really good for a persons’ sell esteem and their upper body strength and balance,” Sturdy said.

According to ongoing discussions, her department will run the wall-climbing schedule when the wall is open to the general public. AVTEC will be responsible for the activity when it is only open to its own students. The climbing would be overseen by a cadre of trained volunteers: AVTEC employees knowledgeable in rock-climbing such as Dano, and hopefully a new climbers’ group would form, Michaud says. Some parks and rec employees also could be trained for the activity, Sturdy said.

The city is trading rent credit to the vocational center for its use of the ground floor of the building for public activities by making annual purchases for AVTEC, such as the climbing wall in the 2010 budget. In past years, the city has been given rent credit by purchasing volleyball standards, the gym curtain, security cameras, weight-room aerobic equipment, sauna upgrades, and drop-down basketball hoops.

Dano believes anyone, of any age or ability can climb these walls, although he’s heard plenty of excuses over the years including; “I’m too old,” “I’m not that fit, or “I’m afraid of heights.”  Michaud tells doubters that climbing vertical walls is nothing like outdoor rock climbing. Climbing walls are much safer, and not as physically challenging, he says. If a climber ever gets tired, or has gone far enough, he or she just leans backwards and walks down the wall. There is no way to fall to the ground due to built-in safety devises. Climbers who loose their grip are automatically locked in place with ropes strapped to a “belay” around their waste from the ceiling, and another rope is attached to the belay of a volunteer standing on the ground. The worst that could happen is that a climber might hang suspended in the air, bumping into the wall a little until their belay- on the ground helps them get back down.

The wall will be another great option for staying in shape on cold, snowy or rainy Seward days, when you’d rather not be outdoors, Dano says. He hopes that children, who always love to climb things, will try it, and enjoy the safe environment of the climbing wall. It’s an activity that promotes camaraderie, and working together for a common goal, he adds. And each wall panel offers routes with a different degree of difficulty—so climbers can continually challenge themselves.

Every climber will be required to have a belay card certifying that they have successfully completed training in the proper use of the equipment. The brief training will be provided on the spot for all newcomers. Kelsey Grey, a wall climbing expert who has authored a book on climbing opportunities in Alaska, has agreed to visit Seward to help initiate the training, and to certify the volunteers.

City Council Addresses Coal Issues

(Heidi Zemach for Seward City News)

Coal dominated the Seward City Council meeting Monday, Jan 25th, as nearby, coal-filled trains pulled up to the Seward waterfront coal transfer facility, steadily growing a 90,000 ton-plus coal pile as it was loaded onto a waiting ship. The council unanimously agreed to undertake a community-wide ambient air monitoring program, implemented by the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation, with help from city staff. They hope that the year-long monitoring program will provide clear evidence of whether or not coal- dust is being blown around in particulate amounts considered hazardous according to federal clean air standards, as some in the community have claimed.

The same meeting, the council passed an amended resolution showing strong city government support for the Alaska Railroad Corporation and Aurora Energy Services LLC, which runs the facility, in its upcoming legal battle with Trustees for Alaska on behalf of Community Action and Toxics, and the Alaska Chapter of the Sierra Club Those two organizations have jointly filed a lawsuit claiming that the Seward Coal Facility is in violation of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, in hopes of remedying the coal dust and water pollution problems.

On a related topic, Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Laura Cloward talked about an Anchorage Chamber of Commerce luncheon she had attended with guest speaker Rick Mystrom, (former Anchorage mayor now promoting economic development for Matanuska-Susitna Borough). Mystrom outlined the importance to Southcentral Alaska of a $275 million project to extend the Alaska Railroad to a new facility at Port MacKenzie. The port has a deep draft dock that can serve the world’s largest ships, and has upland and tideland acres that can provide ample space to accommodate bulk resource storage, transport and processing facilities, as well as rail and terminal facilities for train loading and unloading. Mystrom claims the proposals would bring 730 jobs to the area, but she fears that gains elsewhere would be Seward’s loss, Cloward said.

SUPPORT FOR RAILROAD: Mayor Willard Dunham had requested the city councils’ official support for the railroad and AES prior to his visiting the Attorney General and Governor’s offices next week, along with City Manager Phillip Oates. They plan to voice they city’s opposition to the lawsuit, and the city’s support for the facility, which provides jobs and brings business to Seward.

Although Dunham had requested that the council agree to provide administrative and legal support to the railroad, possibly enjoining the lawsuit, some council members, led by Linda Amberg, drew the line at that—at least not until after holding an executive (closed-door) session with the city attorney. The council struck language from its resolution related to that. They also deleted the resolutions’ 14th “Whereas” clause that Vanta Shafer, and some of the other council members considered redundant and inflammatory. It said: “Whereas the City of Seward wants to make it known that statements made by a few individuals to the effect that coal dust has been blanketing the town for years and putting the citizens of Seward at medical risk are absolutely false and these individuals do not speak for the residents of Seward…” The resolution also stated that the council was “satisfied” with efforts by ARC and AES in its efforts to protect the environment and meet state and federal laws related to the coal loading facility. After Marianna Keil commented that corporations could always do a better job, the rest of the council agreed to substitute the words “encouraged by,” for “satisfied with.”

AIR MONITORING: Although there are strong differences of opinion among the people in Seward, its city council and officials over whether there is actually problem with coal dust, or whether only glacial dust and road-gravel blows through the harbor and town streets and harbor, by approving the resolution, the city appears to agree that it is time to gather scientific evidence, and put rumors to rest. That, even at the risk that the results could prove that air quality IS actually problem, and that DEC could then mandate several years more monitoring, followed by mitigation of its source causes.

Councilwoman Vanta Shafer, who had strongly pushed the city for air monitoring, said she “was tickled pink” that it was finally to take place, beginning in the spring. Russ Maddox, with the Resurrection Bay Conservation Alliance, and the Sierra Club commented Tuesday: “I am very pleased that the city council agreed to support installing ambient air monitors in our community to evaluate the magnitude and sources of our local dust problem. After years of refusing to acknowledge even the possibility of a problem existing this is a huge step towards understanding our situation.” He encouraged city council members to simply go take a look for themselves at the darkened snow downwind of the conveyor belt and transfer operations to see that coal dust is a problem. “I understand the city’s desire to help local businesses but they are walking a fine line in how they express this desire. After removing the patently false fourteenth “WHEREAS”, and removing the third section for later and more in depth consideration the document simply supports the RR’s efforts to remain in our community which we all certainly support,” Maddox stated.

The “PM10”ambient air monitoring program to be implemented by Alaska DEC, will be used to assess the city’s air quality, by collecting and analyzing coarse particulates within the city. The process involves a network consisting of three monitoring sites equipped with mechanical samplers. Each would be located within well- populated areas around the small boat harbor, the downtown commercial district and a residential area north of the harbor—possibly by at the elementary school, children being particularly vulnerable to air quality issues. The city will select the sites, taking into consideration factors such as the noise of the monitor vacuums that suck air; the need for power generated to these sites, access to city employees to check and replace air filters; security at the sites, etc. The samples will be processed using the Federal Reference Method for collection, lab analysis, and reporting, in accordance with the U.S. EPA requirements. They will be mailed to Juneau laboratory for gravimetric analysis, to be weighed, and the results sampled and tallied. An ADEC specialist would travel to Seward to perform monthly QC flow checks, and another would travel to Seward quarterly to perform independent QA audits. DEC also would hold public meetings in town to inform residents of their plans, and their findings.
In response to the recent lawsuit, the Alaska Railroad and Aurora Energy Services, LLC have statedthat  they have spent more $1.25 million on safety, operational and environmental improvements to the facility since purchasing the facility from Hyundai two years ago due to community response over coal dust problems. ARRR Corporate Affairs officer Wendy Lindskoog said local residents could attend an open house at the Breeze Inn, Seward, Feb19. at 10:00am-1:30 p.m. on the railroad’s plans for future capital improvements in Seward and state-wide.

LIO Amplifies Local Voices

(Heidi Zemach, for the Seward City News)

The legislative information office in the SeaView Plaza Building on Railway Avenue was eerily quiet on Tuesday morning, Jan 19, the first day of the state legislature’s 2010 session. But quite a lot of business will be taking place there in the 90 days ahead, says Marianna Keil, Seward’s first and only Legislative Information Officer since the center opened in 1993.

With the center’s help, people interested in things such as whether the state gas tax should be lifted, the library/museum building funded, or using cell phones while driving made illegal, can easily stay abreast of state issues, and share their opinions with lawmakers. Since the legislative session was shortened to 90 days two years ago, legislative activity has intensified, and bills generally have to progress even faster through their committees, Keil said. This being an election year makes it that much more interesting.

With plenty of money in state coffers, Alaska lawmakers are planning to spend more money this session on hometown projects, which were not funded last year in the capitol budget, which means that communities will likely be making the case for their pet projects. Governor Sean Parnell has proposed some ambitious crime prevention, domestic violence and higher education funding packages. And some of the more controversial bills from last year are back on the table—including parental (abortion) notification.

Learning about an issue, or the status of a bill you care about, is easy. If you’re computer savvy, and know how to navigate the state web site, you can do it at home via www.legis.state.ak.us/basis/start.asp. But those who need a little assistance in the process of finding a bill can phone, email, or visit the LIO, and Keil will use her high-speed computer web program to locate the documents you need, and email or fax them to you. Or she can make you a copy at the office. The email and phone number is: seward_lio@legis.state.ak.us or 224-5066. Keil even will deliver copies of bills to the homes of shut-ins or people with special needs, who can not pick them up at the office.

Living in a remote area like Seward, residents might feel like second-class citizens when it comes to their concerns being heard. Our legislators hold constituent meetings once a month via LIO teleconference. Unfortunately, only a few of the larger Alaska communities have access to video-conferencing. But even if they can’t see your expression—lawmakers can hear your voice and answer your questions directly. Our State Senator Gary Stevens, R, of Kodiak), is the Senate President, so he probably has a lot of inside information.

Every Friday, when the legislature is in session, Keil emails an updated list of teleconferences (such as meetings and public hearings) taking place the following week to people who have requested one. She also plans to post them on the Seward City News. During a teleconference, Keil can find out exactly who is currently participating from each office from across the state, and who is listed testify –which takes the guess work out of the process for local participants short on time.

“I like to see when people come in to testify because I think legislators really want to hear people’s input,” Keil said.

The office serves all types: certain citizens who enjoy following politics and expressing their opinions; the local mayor and city manager, or state workers who save taxpayer-money by not traveling to meetings; and disparate groups of people who care about a particular issue. These might be Lowell Point residents participating in capitol budget teleconferences to discuss a local water project, Bear Creek Fire Department volunteers advocating funding for a new fire station, or educators, always concerned about school funding. The most local people Keil has ever seen participate at state tele-conferences were during the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Trustee Council process, Keil said.

The one thing LIO officers can not do is state their own opinion about legislation, or to explain (often complex) bills to the public, as LIO officers are meant to be non-partisan. “We’re basically just public-service oriented,” Keil says.

Hidden though the office may be at the farthest corner of SeaView Plaza building’s ground-floor level, the three little rooms it occupies are worth getting familiar with. Keil is a voter registrar, so qualified residents can register to vote there. She also can refer people with particular concerns to the proper state agency, something that residents don’t always know. The office also has Permanent Fund Dividend application forms, Ombudsman forms, the Landlord Tenant Act booklet, and Keil can access all manner of other state forms that people may need. The office is open for business Monday through Friday 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Kenai Fjords NPS building project scaled down

By Heidi Zemach, for Seward City News

The Kenai Fjords National Park Services’ proposed new downtown facility, formerly known as the “Mary Lowell Center,” has become a more modest, less expensive project. Construction costs also have been reduced from $19.5 million to $12 million. The two new NPS facilities now envisioned will both be located at Washington Street and Fifth Avenue, one on the site of the Legends building, and the other in the Old Solly’s building, which will be extensively renovated. Employee parking will be at the Harbor Dinner Club/Mai property site.

The most significant change in the project, formerly approved by the NPS Development Advisory Board in 2006, is the elimination of the conference center and administrative areas for multi-partner agencies. The multi-agency facility concept had earlier included a small theater, visitor orientation and trip planning area, conference space and sales area. Plans now call for offices for the National Park Service’s (approx 72) seasonal employees to be located in the Old Solly’s building, with additional meeting space for small groups provided downstairs. A completely new administrative office/visitor facility will be built directly across the street, to provide office space for the (18) permanent staff members, and the visiting public. Current design calls for construction of 22,000 square feet, with approximately 8,000 feet to “go cold” (be physically closed off) during four coldest winter months when the seasonal workers leave town, thus saving energy. With any change to the design, the NPS advisory board will be required to review the project again, with particular emphasis on revisions to cost and scope,  according to a NPS briefing statement, dated Jan 10.

The park service still plans to meet top environmental building standards, including LEED 2009 Platinum standards, and current Department of Energy “Net-Zero” ratings. KFNP Superintendent Jeff Mow, who recently updated the city council on the plans, said renovating and re-using an old building will increase the project’s overall energy rating. The park service also is considering the use of a Seawater Heat Exchange pump system such as the type to be installed at the Alaska SeaLife Center. That system will utilize the heat stored in Resurrection Bay to help heat the building, while lowering its electricity costs.

About $2.5 million remains of $8.5 million Congress has been appropriated for the NPS project thus far–to purchase four properties, HAZMAT mitigation, and various designs. The facility will be proposed as “shovel-ready” for federal construction funds. If approved, it may be considered as a 2012 start for schematic and design development, followed by construction and completion in 2016.

Historical Notes:
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25th Annual Polar Plunge is Freezing Fun For All

One-hundred-and-thirty-five brave souls, most oddly dressed as mermaids, flamingos, frogs, green men, donuts and more,leapt off the pier at the Small Boat Harbor and into freezing (32-degree) water in Resurrection Bay Saturday afternoon. It was for a good cause– the 25th annual Polar Plunge to benifit the American Cancer Society, with related events throughout town Thursday through Sunday for Kenai Peninsula Children with Cancer and other causes.

“I love you mom,” shouted first-time jumper Deann Corbin-Dagley moments before taking the plunge. Her mother, a cancer survivor, waved wildly from among a crowd watching from the shore. Mom said she was so proud of her daughter and all of the other plungers for their bravery, and for all the money they manage to raise to aid cancer research. It was clearly a sentiment shared by the hundreds who watched and cheered from the shore, where it was 34-degrees, with little wind and only occasionally spitting-snow sprinkles.

“It was cool and refreshing, it was beautiful, I had a wonderful time,” said Nikki Nelson, as she left the boat harbor for the showers, dripping wet, and carrying a pink donut-shaped inflatable ring. Nelson is a member of The Seward Five, along with Dagley, Suesheila Roach, Julie Shank and Jeff Shank. “The weather was good. There’s a lot of camaraderie and fun. I would suggest everyone do it at least once,” she said. That particular local group raised over 43 hundred dollars,mostly from the Seward community. Some crew who serve on the local USCG Cutter Mustang also fearlessly jumped off the pier and swam to shore, including their executive officer Cindy Travers. James D. Wetherbee, Captain of the USN Ret., a former NASA astronaut and commander of 5 spaces shuttles signed up to jump on the British Petroleum company team—which has participated for more than 15 years.

“When we started out 24 years ago, (with only a handful jumping), and raised $7,000 we thought we were in hog heaven,” said Rosie Szymanski, a local volunteer who helped out with the seafood feed at the American Legion. But by five years ago, the plungers and other participating volunteer events had raised more $1.9 million. Last year they raised $178,126. As of Saturday evening, they had collected $157,000, with some jumpers still collecting promised contributions, and their companies promising to match their own contributions, said organizer Marilyn Sutherland. The Top Three winners of the Jumpers Plunge awards were  Chip Alvord, who raised $24,000; Christie Hill,  $11,175, and Martial Byrd, who raised $4,385. Friday’s night’s auction to benifit area children with cancer raised $7,000.

Many participants and crowd members came from Anchorage, and elsewhere throughout the state-filling local hotel rooms and restaurants, and giving amuch-needed winter boost to the local economy. One group, the 8-balls, (men dressed in black with huge round heads) attended for their 14th year, raising $27,000 between them. Channel 11 News TV also sent along a dedicated group for the fifth-straight year. “Oh gosh I can’t swim so it’s super scary, but as soon as you hit the water it just hits you like a ton of bricks,” said news anchor and reporter Andrea Gusty, a first-timer. “But thank God the divers are there.”

“I’m just going to tell myself I’m in Hawaii, jumping in that beautiful blue ocean,” said Amy Turner, one of three Anchorage women dressed as flamingos. She admitted to being freezing already, although she was marching in the parade, long before the actual plunge. Other fundraising events for cancer scattered throughout the community included a poker tournament at the Pit Bar, a book sale at the library, Wii Bowling at Hotel Seward, steak night at the American Legion, an Alaskan breakfast at the Elks, a quilt show at the Lutheran Church, and Children’s winter carnival at AVTEC, and Turkey Bowling and seafood feed at the American Legion, and much more.

“Anything that gathers the community around an event is always a meaningful activity in my opinion. I like to see small communities support local people, and I like to see the money stay here to help local residents,” said Cheri Hample, health director at Chugachmiut Health Services. Cancer is the number 1 cause of deaths in the Alaska Native population, she added.

Sutherland said she thought the event went very well, everybody had a great time, and there were no injuries. There were a lot of new jumpers this time, which was also good, she said. The number of jumpers allowed is limited due to safety reasons, with the entire plunge scheduled to take no more than an hour–both for the jumpers and the divers who must remain in the water throughout, Sutherland said. If people want to sign up for 2011, the polar plunge nonprofit will begin taking applications August first.

(More photos welcome)

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