Session 08-07, a Regular Meeting of the Economic
Development Advisory Commission was called to order by Chair Hogan on
PRESENT: COMMISSIONERS
ERICKSON, HOGAN, NEECE, RAVIN, SCARPITTA
ABSENT: COMMISSIONER
YAKUNIN
STAFF: DEPUTY
HARBORMASTER
HAWKINS
APPROVAL OF
THE AGENDA
RAVIN/ERICKSON MOVED TO APPROVE THE AGENDA AS
WRITTEN.
There was no discussion.
VOTE: NON OBJECTION: UNANIMOUS CONSENT.
Motion carried.
PUBLIC
COMMENTS REGARDING ITEMS ON THE AGENDA
There were no public comments.
RECONSIDERATION
There were no items for reconsideration.
APPROVAL OF
MINUTES
A. Regular
meeting minutes of
RAVIN/ERICKSON MOVED TO APPROVE THE MINUTES
Commissioner Scarpitta objected to the format
noting that it is more like a transcript than minutes. He also said he didn’t
feel his comments were accurately noted. Chair Hogan asked if he had a specific
amendment and Commissioner Scarpitta said he didn’t.
VOTE: YES: NEECE, ERICKSON, RAVIN, HOGAN
NO:
SCARPITTA
Motion carried.
VISITORS
There were no visitors.
STAFF REPORT
& COUNCIL REPORT
There was no staff or Council report.
PUBLIC
HEARING
There were no items for public hearing.
PENDING
BUSINESS (suggested
time limits in parentheses)
A. Lease
Policies
RAVIN/ERICKSON MOVED TO DISCUSS.
There was no discussion.
VOTE: NON OBJECTION: UNANIMOUS CONSENT
Motion carried.
Point was raised that there are inconsistencies in
some of the business incomes compared to the actual lease amounts as noted in
the chart on page 164. The lease rates are too low.
Commissioner Erickson gave a Lease Committee
update. She asked the Commissioners to review their copies of the lease
policies and bring back written comment to establish what areas they feel needs
to be addressed by the Lease Committee. There was brief discussion regarding
the roles of the Lease Committee and the Economic Development Commission in reference
to the Lease Policy.
Further discussion included:
City Law takes precedence over the policy manual.
The City Code invalidates the manual in the event of a conflict. It was
suggested that if the Code is revised, the Lease Policy should take precedence
to avoid any surprises that are in code. Point was raised that Ordinances and
Code are law, resolutions are policy. Either the Code or the policy needs to be
revised in the event of a conflict.
There was discussion that a commercial or for
profit business should pay fair market lease value and a charter or bar isn’t
necessarily for public benefit. Point was raised that a lot of leases are above
fair market value based on commercial appraisal rates. An issue is that the
same appraiser is doing all the appraisals. It is important to move toward
professional appraisal standards that can be fairly applied. It was noted
property taxes and assessments are paid by the lessee. Consideration should be
given to alternate ways of evaluating the lease rates.
The Commissioners agreed to keep lease policies on
the agenda until they have a full set of recommendations to forward to the
Lease Committee.
B. Review
of Planning Commission Issues: Draft Comprehensive Plan Chapter 8 Economic
Vitality
DEAN/ERICKSON MOVED TO DISCUSS.
There was no discussion.
VOTE: NON OBJECTION: UNANIMOUS CONSENT
Motion carried.
Commissioner Erickson suggested a goal 7 “To
strengthen small business and other area. Actively pursue year round business
in low impact/research business, support for fishing, oil, technology,
environmental research and development.”
RAVIN/ERICKSON MOVED TO INCORPORATE GOAL 7 INTO THE
DOCUMENT.
There was brief discussion that the plan currently
implies that tourism is most important. Goal 2 references year round business,
but it is important to expand the views of economic vitality. Question was
raised to the Commission’s role in making recommendations.
City Planner Abboud explained the process of
developing the document and that after review several people thought it was
poorly written and hard to follow. He explained that staff is going through the
manual to tighten it up without removing any of the goals and objectives, and
ensuring there are clear action statements. The Planning Commission is
reviewing it as well. He suggested the EDC could make recommendations to pass
on to the Planning Commission for their consideration when they review Chapter
8.
There was further discussion about the process of
working through the Comprehensive Plan.
VOTE: NON OBJECTION: UNANIMOUS CONSENT
Motion carried.
Other comments included:
Page 86 Objective A Goal 5 the area become leased
City land and let the private sector develop the
Referring to Homer residents as permanent visitors
is offensive.
Write in that the private sector is encouraged to
develop City lands and leases, like the town square, public restrooms, and so
forth.
Building an Alaska Maritime museum in the town
center to include a convention center and restaurant would be beneficial to the
City and to the State.
SCARPITTA/RAVIN MOVED TO MOVE THIS TO THEIR NEXT
WORKSESSION.
Due to scheduling conflicts the Commission agreed
to move the worksession to October 29th.
VOTE: NON OBJECTION UNANIMOUS CONSENT
Motion carried.
NEW BUSINESS
A.
RAVIN/ERICKSON MOVED TO DISCUSS.
There was no discussion.
VOTE: NON OBJECTION: UNANIMOUS CONSENT
Motion carried.
Port and Harbor Director Hawkins spoke briefly
regarding the East Harbor Expansion. He explained Corps of Engineers projects
take an average of 17 years to complete. He commented that their revenues have
been increasing on all levels. The two sulfur shipments coming through Homer
this summer helped revenue and they anticipate another shipment if the prices
are good. Businesses grow slowly but we now have two transport companies using
the docks year round. When the
Port and Harbor Director Hawkins noted that one
thing the Port needs is a security gate. They are trying to get grant money to
acquire it. The cost of the gate is estimated at about $30,000. Council would
not approve the funding to come from Harbor reserves. A security gate is an unfunded mandate from
Home Land Security. To work on the terminal you have to have a Terminal Workers
Identification Credential (TWICs) card. It applies to vessels that carry passengers
for hire, a vessel that has a foreign flag, tank vessels. When they are at the
dock it makes the facility a
Mr. Hawkins said the dock fees are competitive, and
w
The Commission agreed to take this off their
worksession agenda for the 29th and focus discussion on the
Comprehensive Plan.
B. Should
EDC Sponsor a Public Forum as an opportunity to hear from Business Owners
Concern was raised that the group isn’t established
enough to hold a public forum, but they are interested in soliciting public
input on the frustrations of working through City Hall to get business going.
Comment was made that people get frustrated dealing with City Hall and some
leave. There needs to be a way to hear about the problems and get them fixed.
Discussion ensued about preparing a questionnaire
and having it available at locations throughout the City. Commissioner Erickson
agreed to make up a draft for the Commission to review.
C. “Homer:
Open for Business” - What can the City of
The Commission discussed the need to get the City
Council on board with concept that the City is open for business and the need
for an advocate at City Hall to help people work through the process.
INFORMATIONAL
MATERIALS
Newly adopted City code re Conflicts of Interest,
Partiality, and Code of Ethics
There was discussion that this newly adopted code
is restrictive to Boards and Commission. Including spouse’s financial
information is over the line and these are reasons why it is difficult to get
people to join. The ordinance is a stringent document for what advisory bodies are
doing and it precludes a great deal of business.
B. Newly adopted EDC
Strategic Plan
C. Land Allocation
Plan
Commissioner Erickson, Chair of the Lease
Committee, reviewed the status of the current status on the City owned
properties.
Point was raised that there is a large pool of
assets that needs to be performing to be better used in the public sector. City Council holds a joint worksession with
the advisory bodies at the beginning of the year to review the Land Allocation
plan.
D. Chamber of Commerce relocation
packet
It was noted that the numbers in the relocation
packet are outdated and need to be revised.
E. “Regional
Economic Development Analysis of Harbor Navigation Improvements in Homer,
There was brief discussion.
F. Public
meeting announcement: Homer Harbor Expansion Study
There was brief discussion.
G. Items from
September 22 and October 13 City Council meeting packet: Manager’s Reports; Resolution
08-101 re Agricultural Free Enterprise Zone, Budget
COMMENTS OF
THE AUDIENCE
There were no audience comments.
COMMENTS OF
THE
Deputy City Clerk Jacobsen noted that next meeting
is November 12 due to the holiday on November 11.
COMMENTS OF
THE COUNCIL MEMBER
There were no Council member comments.
COMMENTS OF
THE CHAIR
Chair Hogan apologized that they didn’t get anymore
done. He enjoys working with the Commission.
COMMENTS OF
THE COMMISSION MEMBERS
Commissioner Scarpitta said he thinks there is
development and a foundation forming with the Commission. Pretty soon they w
Commissioner Ravin commented that Representative
Seaton is working with Enstar and Armstrong to get over the minimum 2000
customer hurdle in an effort to bring in natural gas. He suggested
Representative Seaton be invited to talk to the Commission about natural gas.
Commissioner Neece suggested that there is another
shoe to fall yet in the economic situation that is going on. The impacts of it
haven’t got here yet, but they w
Commissioner Erickson said she talked to the High
School Principal about Vo-tech and invited her to attend a meeting. The kids at
school are excited about the upcoming election and starting to get involved in
the political process.
ADJOURN
There
being no further business to come before the Commission the meeting was
adjourned at
MELISSA JACOBSEN,
Approved: