GIRDWOOD VALLEY SERVICE AREA BOARD OF SUPERVISORS

Tracey Knutson, Chair;

Victor Duncan, Jim Henderson, John Gallup, Nick Danger

 


Meeting Minutes

Girdwood Board of Supervisors

October 17, 2005

Glacier City Hall

 

Present:  John Gallup, Victor Duncan, and Nick Danger.  Excused absence, Chair, Tracey Knutson.  Not present, Jim Henderson (Chair note: unexcused absence).

 

Call to Order:  7:00 pm

 

Approval of Minutes:

  1. Regular Monthly Meeting September 19, 2005.  Nick Danger MOVES to accept the minutes as presented; Victor Duncan SECONDS.  Vote:  3-0, unanimous in favor.

 

Announcements:

  1. Public Hearings to set mill rate.  Set for November 22, 2005 at 7p.m. and December 15th, 2005, 7p.m., both at Glacier City Hall.  GBOS will take input to set mill rate for 2006, public encouraged to attend.
  2. Department Budgets.  Gallup reads that Parks and Rec. materials budget has $79,035 (seventy nine thousand thirty five dollars), approximately 35% of our yearly budget still remaining.  Our wages are just about spent for the calendar year, 97% (ninety seven percent).  Roads, out of a budgeted $418,000 (four hundred eighteen thousand) we have $29,231 (twenty nine thousand two hundred thirty one) still remaining, or about 7% (seven percent).  Gallup states he believes more expenses have been incurred upon because some streets have been graded again.
  3. Quarterly Mayor’s Meeting.  Gallup states the next quarterly Mayor’s meeting is scheduled for December 15, 2005 from 11:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. in Mayor’s Conference Room and the public is invited to attend.
  4. Habitat for Humanity.  Taking applications for ten (10) families for their next project.  Contact Margaret Forbes at (907) 272-0800 ext. 108 for more information.
  5. Girdwood Roads and Drainage project.  Gallup reads report sent from Jacques Boutet, The Boutet Company, stating the project has been reprogrammed to include the reconstruction of Town Square Roads, improvements to Town Square Park and the installation of culverts to control floods at California Creek.  They have received direction from State DOT to develop a new environmental document because of substantial changes in overall work program.  Scoping letters have been distributed to the affected agencies and Notice of Intent has been published in the Anchorage Daily News, Turnagain Times to publish notice soon.  Expected to submit draft document to the state in mid-November and complete project’s element by year’s end.  Approximately 70% (seventy percent) of preliminary design is complete.  Remaining elements, (design of Girdwood Place and California creek culverts) are underway.  Work has started on Right of Way and Utility Coordination.  Mr. Boutet requests 15 (fifteen) minutes of time at next GBOS meeting for questions and answers.

 

Introductions, Presentations and Reports:

                    7. HLB Report – Robin Ward.

 

8. LUC Report. 

o      Gallup states there is a document that dealt with a Planned Community Zoning district that popped back up on the agenda, but that it does not apply to Girdwood.  Robin Ward states that she does not think it to applies to Girdwood either.

o      The next item was the vacating of an easement dealing with the parking area of the Girdwood School. That represents an old access easement.  The Municipality would like to vacate that easement so that the school could, if they desire, fence the area and gate it for security or other reasons.  This easement was discussed at LUC meeting.  Gallup states a turnaround is required by code.  At the meeting, it was brought up that this might affect the Iditarod Trail and the Athabascan Trail parking situations and that additional land may be needed to add to these trails to make up for the land being used for the turnaround.  The LUC vote was 7-0 in support of the vacating of this easement.  A letter of non-objection was moved by Nick Danger to be written and Victor Duncan seconds the motion.  It passes unanimously, 3-0.  Gallup to craft letter.

o      Gallup states the hearing date for the Crow Creek Plan has been moved to December 5th, 2005, so all input for changes will be looked at during the LUC and GBOS meetings next month.

 

  1. AWWU Quarterly report.  Gallup reads updates. 

o      Girdwood Water Projects, multi-phase Girdwood Water Improvements Project-AWWU continues working with EPA to finalize and revise grant applications so reimbursements can be secured for portions of the project that are constructed and are in service.

o      Girdwood Water Improvements Phase IIB-Crow Creek Plan is pending Planning and Zoning approval.  AWWU continues on hold pending location and development information prior to submittal to EPA. 

o      Girdwood Wastewater Projects, Girdwood Wastewater Treatment Facility Plan Update-Focus continues on stemming the Infiltration and Infill problems.

o      Girdwood Sewer I & I-Additional grouting work has started on 82 (eighty-two) manholes.  So far, 22 (twenty-two) have been grouted.  Grouter is planning to work two days a week for the next four weeks.  At any one time, eight to ten manholes can be in the repair process. 

o      PM & E Girdwood Town Square Street and Drainage Improvements-Tam Construction has mobilized equipment in late September and began laying the 8” water pipe in Holmgren.  The 16” water transmission main is being put in Girdwood Place this week.  All of the property owners chose to have service connections made available for hookup to their properties.  Service connections have been made to both municipal areas Girdwood Town Square Park and Tract A (the area between Girdwood Place and Alyeska Highway).  Once PM & E puts in the drainage, parking and final street surfacing, it will stay unaltered for a while.  When PM & E decides where the Girdwood Place extension to the Alyeska Highway will be located, the 16” water transmission main will be placed in the adjacent right of way prior to paving.  This work is expected to take place in Spring 2006.

 

Public Comment:  None.

 

Old Business:

  1. From the LUC meeting October 11, 2005

·       Agenda Item LUC 0509-04: (Case numbers - PLANNING & ZONING COMMISSION 2005-138 & PLATTING BOARD S11414-1); No representative of the petitioner was present and no action was taken.  Carried over from September meeting.  Gallup states he believes this is the last time this will appear on LUC and GBOS agendas.

·        Agenda Item LUC 0509-05:  (Case number S11415-1 Platting board); Hearing Date: Wednesday, Nov 02, 2005  Petitioner: Municipality of Anchorage School District; Representative:  R&M Consultants, Inc., David C. Hale, Anchorage.  Request Detail: To subdivide one tract of land into a different tract of land with vacation of a Right-of-Way easement.  Gallup states this should have been acted on under old business so to make sure everyone is satisfied he states it passed 7-0 at the LUC meeting and asks for another vote to draft a letter of non-objection.  It passes 3-0 and Gallup will draft letter.

·        Agenda Item LUC 0509-06:  (Case number 2005-104 P&Z); Hearing Date: Monday Nov 07, 2005; Petitioner: MOA / Heritage Land Bank; Request Detail: Plan Amendment Crow Creek Area Master Plan.  This item was postponed to the November LUC and GBOS meetings.

·        Agenda Item LUC 0510-01: (Case number 2005-145 P&Z); Hearing date: Monday Nov 07; Petitioner: MOA; Request Detail: Plan Amendment to the Girdwood Area Plan to create consistency with land use designations proposed by the Crow Creek Area Master Plan. This item was postponed to the November LUC and GBOS meetings.  (This may be the same case as 2005-104 above)

 

New Business:

 

11. Memorandum of Understanding-MOU between GBOS and USFS, faxed from Allison Rein, to be signed by Chair, Tracey Knutson.  MOU is in regards to the establishment of framework for cooperation from which to develop and maintain trails and outdoor recreation facilities located within the Girdwood Valley.  This cooperation serves the mutual interest of the parties involved and the public.  Gallup reads the MOU into the record and states that since it has been read in as new business, it can be voted on next month.

12. Remainder of Economic Development Grant-GBOS has recently succeeded in regaining from SOADOT the remaining (approximately 5.2 million dollars) of the 10.5 Economic Development Grant earmark monies that Senator Stevens had appropriated for Girdwood in 2003. This money will now be transferred from SOADOT to the Municipality for administration and will be used for a roads project. The DOT plan of paving all the way up Crow Creek Road has been nixed. Municipal engineers will be in Girdwood meeting with GBOS representatives and assessing the valley’s roads in October and November.  More discussion on appropriate use of these funds will come in the following months.  This item is on the agenda for the next quarterly mayor’s meeting scheduled for December 15th, 2005. Diane Powers questions how this happened when the original intent of the money was to go to Crow Creek Mine so the tourist busses could go up the road.

Powers states the road needs to be paved, there is too much dust and it’s killing     the trees.  Powers states it will also affect how the Crow Creek Neighborhood Plan develops.  Powers asks how this happened without a lot more public input.  Gallup states he knows there were several conversations with the Senator concerning Congressional intent.  However, he encourages anyone with questions to have a conversation with the chair when she returns because she is more fully briefed on this topic and anything Gallup states at this point, would be second-hand information.  Powers states she thinks it is dirty play.  Gallup suggests communicating with the chair and the Senator’s office.  Powers asks how far the road will be paved since the road is a state road and not a municipal road.  Gallup states that he heard second-hand that the road was going to be paved up to the bus turnaround, but that he doesn’t believe that any of this is cast in stone yet.  Powers says this is not in GBOS jurisdiction and that it is a state road.  Gallup does not want to misrepresent anyone and reiterates talking to her directly.  Powers states that there has been a lot of surveying done and that money will come out of the remaining money and not to plan on the whole 5.2 (million).

13. Request for written agreement between HLB and GBOS-HLB has requested that GBOS enter into a written agreement with HLB as to “policing or monitoring” HLB lands or lands HLB leases to Girdwood.  The issue that HLB has expressed concern over is who is to “police or monitor” these areas for illegal camping or unauthorized use.  GBOS has expressed some concern over its authority to undertake this type of action.  More discussion on the issues surrounding such an agreement will be coming in the next few months. This item is on the agenda for the next quarterly mayor’s meeting scheduled for December 15th, 2005.  Gallup states that the State Troopers are not interested in policing this situation as this is not part of their mission and that it leaves it to the board to come to a decision. He states that as a volunteer, it’s not something he feels comfortable doing, nor does the rest of the board.  Diane Powers asked what GBOS authority actually is for the whole valley because she says that would be stepping out of bounds because the GBOS is an advisor for tax-related issues and that some of those areas are not in the GBOS service area.  Powers asks how it came to be in the GBOS service area without an election.  Gallup states it is an interesting argument because as the land transfers from federal, through state to municipal ownership, does it automatically transfer in to GBOS jurisdiction?  Robin Ward states that is what they (HLB) are asking because there is a bus in the right of way of the road that is under GBOS authority, though it’s a state road.  She says it’s a problem for enforcement and they are very concerned because of safety issues.  The bus is currently on land that is the process of being transferred.  Gallup states that it may have to stay in no man’s land.  Power’s states that the bus will probably just move further up the road.  Gallup states this item will remain on the agenda for further discussion and states it will be on the mayor’s quarterly meeting agenda on December 15th.  He states that ultimately it will be the municipality’s job to take care of the bus.

         

 

Board Reports:

 

  1. Land Use Supervisor, John Gallup.

Gallup notes all land use items have been covered.

 

  1. Parks and Recreation Supervisor, GBOS Chair, Tracey Knutson, not present.

   

  1. Public Safety and Fire Supervisor, Nick Danger. 

o      State Troopers report, Sgt. Welch.  Time to winterize vehicles.  Bridges are icy.  There was a crash Friday.  2 fatalities last month.  Several arrests made from calls in to trooper station on the ready number-911.  Top speed reported last month was 90mph.  If you see something, please call.  The man that hit Diana (SP?) has been arrested and charged.

o      Girdwood Fire Department report.  161 EMS calls this year, 17 last month.  Average response time is down to 7 minutes 15 seconds.  Doing a great job.  EMT1 class going on right now.  20 new EMT’s will be graduating in November.  37 active medic and fire personnel right now, but they are in critical recruiting drive right now for the winter months because they lose a lot of members in the winter.  If anyone is interested, go down to the Fire Hall any Tuesday night at 7:00p.m. and get signed up. 

 

  1. Utilities Supervisor, Victor Duncan.

Duncan states Hotwire is on sight. They probably realistically will be done by next week, weather permitting.  They’re starting their under-grounding for the main power lines.     

 

  1. Roads Supervisor, Jim Henderson, not present.

 

  1. AWCC (additional announcement).   Gallup reads that the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center has a proposal requesting the use of 42 (forty two) acres in Portage Valley for seasonal pasture to support their endangered wood bison captive breeding program.  For more information call (907) 743-9500, go to www.fs.fed.us/r10/chugach, or contact Aaron Poe at (907) 754-2345 or e-mail him at apoe@fs.fed.us.

 

Danger MOVES to adjourn the meeting; Duncan SECONDS.  Vote:  3-0, unanimous in favor.

 

Adjournment:  7:55 pm

 

Minutes respectfully submitted,

Brandi Hoke

 

Secretary’s note:  Additional documents available by fax:

HLB report ,/  AWWU October report  /  MOU between USDA Forest Service, Glacier Ranger District and  GBOS, Girdwood Trails Committee