Resolution 15-069(A) Supporting the Alaska Marine Highway System

CITY OF HOMER

HOMER, ALASKA

Mayor

RESOLUTION 15-069(A)

A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF HOMER, ALASKA SUPPORTING THE ALASKA MARINE HIGHWAY SYSTEM.

WHEREAS, The Alaska Marine Highway System (AMHS) is an essential service linking Alaskan communities and facilitating commerce, economic development, and access to basic goods and services; and

WHEREAS, The AMHS provides alternate access to the lower 48, vital transport throughout Southeast Alaska and serves as a prominent link between Alaska’s Railbelt, Kodiak, the Alaska Peninsula and the Aleutian Islands; and

WHEREAS, The AMHS is responsible for $173 million in direct spending and hundreds of millions more in indirect spending in Alaskan communities; and

WHEREAS, For over fifty years the M/V Tustumena has connected Homer with Kodiak and other communities, fostering fishing, tourism, and other opportunities for economic development in the region; and

WHEREAS, Due to the age of the M/V Tustumena and the severity of the maritime conditions that it often travels in, the Alaska Department of Transportation has identified the need and has begun planning processes to replace the M/V Tustumena in the next ten years; and

WHEREAS, The Department of Transportation has stated that at least one mainline ferry in addition to the M/V Tustumena must be replaced in the next decade; and

WHEREAS, None of the estimated $240 million needed to replace the M/V Tustumena has been identified or budgeted for the next three years in the draft FY 2016-19 Statewide Transportation Improvement Program (STIP); and

WHEREAS, The $16.5 million budgeted for “Design/Construct/Lease/Purchase Ferryboats & Terminals” over the next three years in the draft FY 2016-19 STIP is not enough money to fund the replacement of two vessels; and

WHEREAS, Critical Alaska Marine Highway routes have been recognized as part of the National Highway System; and

WHEREAS, It is a wise use of resources to leverage the federal funds that are available to the State of Alaska for capital construction projects to develop new, more efficient vessels that will cost the State less to operate and repair while ensuring that vital linkages for commerce and economic development are maintained far into the future; and

WHEREAS, Alaska DOT officials testified to the State House Finance Committee on April 17, 2015 that Alaska has more federal transportation funds flowing to the State than projects to spend them on.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the City of Homer urges the Alaska Department of Transportation to include funding to continue the planning process and move toward construction of a replacement for the M/V Tustumena in the FY 2016-2019 STIP.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the City of Homer recognizes the unexpected fiscal challenges facing the State and will work with the Department of Transportation to identify ways to reduce AMHS costs and increase revenue while continuing to provide a basic level of essential service to keep a key economic engine of our region running.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the City of Homer urges the Alaska State Legislature and Governor Walker to continue to recognize the importance of the Marine Highway System during FY 2016 operating budget discussions.

PASSED AND ADOPTED by the Homer City Council this 10th day of August, 2015.

                                                                                                         CITY OF HOMER

                                                                                                         ____________________
                                                                                                         MARY E. WYTHE, MAYOR

ATTEST:

___________________________
JO JOHNSON, MMC, CITY CLERK

Fiscal Note: N/A