MEMORANDUM 07-14

 

TO:                  CITY COUNCIL, CITY MANAGER WREDE, CITY CLERK CALHOUN

 

FROM:            MAYOR HORNADAY

 

DATE:             JANUARY 29, 2007

 

SUBJECT:       REPORT ON JUNEAU TRIP

 

Included is my report on the trip to Juneau with Walt, Doug and Sandy. We were busy as you can see by the attached schedule.

 

            I.          Municipal League and Mayors’ Conference. Much more positive, Governor Palin was well received. She remembered her trip to Homer for the gubernatorial debate. She has money for the increase in PERS and some revenue sharing ($48mil) in her budget, but no capital money for Homer. The general buzz at the Capitol is that she probably will not be able to put $1.3bil in the CBR and she said she would work with the communities on the capital budget. She is in favor with both the Republicans and Democrats at this time, but she will have a hard time cutting $150mil from the general budget. Big surplus this year, but with falling oil prices may be in deficit next year and many have to dip into CBR for funds for budget.

 

            II.         Project List. See attached talking points from DOT on their projects. See also letter to Governor Palin January 17, 2007. Anne Marie prepared a special packet just for the 2008 projects, which I hope all of you have copies of.

 

            1.         DEC---our best meeting

                        a.         We are No. 4 of the DEC list for the Water Treatment Plant.

                        b.         We can recover about $1mil from prior completed water tank and sewer                                   projects we paid for and for which grants were obtained. Just need to fill out the                                    paperwork—was in past budgets. Great! Area-wide.

                        c.         Nothing new on new water source.

            2.         Bridge Creek Land—DEC is supporting us.

            3.         Deep Water Dock—see Talking Points from DOT

            4.         Land Acquisition for new roads.

            5.         Homer City Hall

            6.         College Expansion—area-wide, we sort of combined 4-6 in pushing for money             from the University to buy City Hall.  We didn’t get any real vibes on this—we said we                   really wanted this and the Water Treatment Plant if push came to shove.

            7.         Senior Access Trail—maybe from discretion funds.

            8.         Homer Intersection Improvements—see Talking Points DOT.

            9.         Main Street—see Talking Points DOT.

 

 

 

 

            10.       Harbor Maintenance—We need to get as-builts to the Coast Guard and see about        dolphins to assist the Hickory mooring and reduce dredging fees, per our meeting with           the Coast Guard. They plan a $2 mil building this year if they get the funding. Area-wide.

            11.       Paving Dock Road—we tied this in with the dock and Coast Guard.

            12.       Spit Trail—we did push this because of all the incentives we are offering—see   Talking Points DOT.

            13.       Public restrooms—no new information.

            14.       Pratt Museum “Fuel tank—in at Paul’s request.

            15.       East Boat Harbor—pushed this with Coast Guard and DOT—see DOT talking             points. Area-wide.

            16.       Hospital area-wide dropped off pamphlet at Commission on the Aging.

 

            III.       I will be gone until February 17

            A.        Dennis will run the meetings.

            B.         Dennis, Doug and others will attend Governor’s Ball February 2 in Kenai.

            C.        Dennis, if possible, should attend Mayor Williams’ Meth Tri Borough Conference          February 8, 2007 in Soldotna if possible. Julie W. is on the committee from Homer.

           

            IV.       Back to capital budget—Legislators said it was important for our projects to be             highly ranked with the administrative commissioners and OMB if possible.

 

            V.        Was advised by aide to Representative Chenault that apparently one of the        Country Club landowners’ attorney is pushing Representative Chenault to help in the           current HEA issue. Gordon should be advised of this and Gordon should come down and            actually look at the property to personally view the slippage on the bank. The venue of         this case should be removed to Homer so the judge can actually look at the slippage!

 

            VI.       Letter to support HB25

 

            VII.      Resolution supporting Representative Seaton’s Fisheries Tax.

 

I will be thinking of you in Hawaii and Mexico!