ITEM TITLE:
City Manager’s Report March 15, 2022
SUBMITTED BY: Mark Detter, City Manager
FISCAL NOTES:
Expenditure Required: N/A
Unencumbered Balance: N/A
Funding Source: N/A
RECOMMENDATION:
Receive and File
SUMMARY STATEMENT:
The following is a report of my activities the past two weeks:
February 28th-March 4th- Several Directors and Supervisors and various staff attended 0-305 AHIMT Training (Incident Management Training) at the Civic Center. The Response Group provided training, including actual Valdez based scenarios related to industrial accidents and Tsunami type events. Staff did an excellent job of engaging in the training.
February 28th- March 1st- The Police Chief, Assistant City Manager, and City Manager met with 3 School Superintendent candidates.
March 1st- City Manager met with Danika Yeager, Interim President of Alyeska and Ben Stevens Vice President, External Affairs & Transportation, Conoco Phillips.
Interactions have been ongoing with different individuals related to State Legislative Issues, including:
On March 5th, City Manager provided testimony to House Finance Committee requesting funding for Harbor Grant, supporting recapitalization of Community Assistance Program, increasing funding for Community Jails, and continued support for School Bond Debt reimbursement and Alaska Marine Highway funding at current levels.
-Contact has occurred with State Lobbyist Kim Hutchinson. Mr. Hutchinson gave specific information on the potential energy assistance from the State and increasing property tax exemption for residential properties. Mr. Hutchison believes there is broad support for energy assistance from State at possibly $1300 per person. Mr. Hutchison believes there is limited possibility that State will increase the property tax exemption from $50K to $75K this year.
-Nils Andreassen (Director of AML) recommended contacting Senator Shelly Hughes and express City of Valdez support for providing municipalities with an option to increase the residential property tax exemption from $50K to $75K. An e-mail was sent to Senator Hughes expressing support for the optional property tax exemption.
-Nils Andreassen developed a letter for Mat Su Borough, FNSB, Aleutians East, Unalaska, and Valdez urging the State to fulfill its commitment primarily to Harbor debt reimbursement (Also for Eielson AFB Schools). Valdez is technically owed 200K for Harbor debt and AML suggested these municipalities go on record reminding the State of debt reimbursement program.
-Representative George Rauscher also stated he would inquire about the status of the optional property tax exemption and energy assistance from the State.
Contract procurement has occurred for the emergency snow removal project from City Buildings and the primary focus is to obtain labor for snow removal on the High School and Elementary School roofs and then the roofs at Civic Center, PD/City Hall, the Airport, and Museum.
A small committee of individuals associated with 0-3 Families Alliance Group received 4 proposals for Childcare Needs Assessment. The Committee will be evaluating proposals over next few weeks and select proposal to work with Community on assessment.
The City Manager, Assistant City Manager, and Interim Finance Director are slated to attend Infrastructure Grant Symposium on April 11th and April 12th.