Proposed code changes on city council agenda

July 23, 2006

By MARY AMES/Frontiersman

WASILLA - At the recommendation of the city attorney, Mayor Dianne M. Keller has proposed two ordinance changes for Monday night's city council meeting.

There will be a public hearing before the council votes on an ordinance repealing the city code 8.12, the section that regulates the posting of political signs, and an ordinance concerning the management of city records.

According to the staff report on the political-sign ordinance, Tom Klinkner, Wasilla's lawyer, expressed concern about the enforceability of the city code. Klinkner recommended repeal of the entire ordinance, and, if the city desires to regulate political signs, it do so under code 16.32, which regulates temporary signs.

The second ordinance addresses what Keller says is the increase in public requests for records.

The mayor will also introduce two ordinances that will have a public hearing on Aug. 14.

Ordinance 06-34 amends the city code dealing with the city's airport manager, and will grant &#8220all the powers of a peace officer of the city” for purposes of enforcing airport manager powers and duties. Keller wrote that her proposed changes are housekeeping measures recommended by Klinkner and supported by city code.

Ordinance 06-35 would add $25,000 from the Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management to Mat-Com Dispatch, which would use the money to provide after-hours answering for the State Emergency Communication Center.

Three resolutions on the agenda designate grant funds from Department of Environmental Conservation to the Garden Terrace Water Main Extension, authorize the mayor to execute grant agreements with the Department of Commerce for capital improvement projects and police department positions, and allow the deputy chief to be enrolled in PERS.

The council will vote on two action memorandums awarding three contracts, $1,433,296 to Alaska Road Boring for water lines and $70,000 to CH2MHill engineering services.

The council will also vote on awarding the city's insurance.

Contact Mary Ames at 352-2284 or mary.ames@ frontiersman.com.