Wasilla City Council ordinance to end print agendas fails

WASILLA — The Wasilla City Council held votes Monday night to determine if they would remove their agenda from print newspaper and give raises to members of the City Council and Planning Commission.

Frequent public meeting attendee and stickler over public processes, Eugene Haberman was not happy about the proposed ordinance 18-15, to remove the publishing of the entire agenda and only publish meeting times, places and public hearing items. The estimate of savings that the council would get back by only publishing a light version of their upcoming activity would have been $4,500 per year.

“No one should discontinue publishing the agenda,” said Haberman. “What you’re talking about in savings is pocket change.”

Council members were conflicted. Councilman Stu Graham, who was for 18-15, saw low public turnout at meetings as reason for his position.

“I don’t think we’re merely looking here at a budget savings, we’re looking at the effectiveness of the money we spend. I read The Frontiersman 3 times a week, and so do 20,000 people per issue was the number that I read. While I prefer print media, I am probably in a dwindling majority,” said Graham. “As The Frontiersman finds better ways to connect with people, they’re finding that a combination of print and electronic media probably works best for them, and as you can see, almost every newspaper that you see has an online presence. The city has an online presence. We have different opportunities to connect with people via different medias.”

The vote ultimately failed 3-3. Mayor Bert Cottle had the option to vote to break the tie either way, but chose to abstain.

The City Council also took up a measure to up the pay for members of the city council for the first time in more than ten years and also to increase the pay for the members of the Planning Commission. OR 18-14 would allow City Council members to be paid $112.50 per special meeting attended, provided that meeting lasts longer than one hour. This is half of what the council members are paid per regular meeting. The limit of special meetings a Council member can be paid for per year is eight. The council also voted to increase pay to the Planning Commissioners from $75 per meeting to $125 per month.

“Some of us, the mayor included, go to a lot of other things besides special meetings, ribbon cuttings and other things for the City,” said council member Gretchen O’Barr. “People are always really happy to see us. ‘Oh wow somebody from the City Council showed up.’ They feel like they’re involved with the city if we show up for these different activities. It just shows that we care about our city.”

The ordinance was split to separate the council raise and the raise for the commission. Council member Glenda Ledford served on the Planning Commission for eight years. She, Graham, and others made a point of stating that those who serve on the Planning Commission go through extensive preparation and the council voted to approve their rase.

Councilman Mike Dryden was opposed to the raise. Graham said he did not know there was any money involved with City Council until the Mayor told him. Burney and Dryden opposed the special meeting pay for City Council, but it passed.

The raises for the Planning Commission passed unanimously.

The Council also brought forward their budget for FY 2019 and will again hear comment on the budget Wednesday April 25 at 6 p.m.