Wasilla eyes new panel

Dec. 10, 2006

By MARY AMES

Frontiersman

WASILLA - An ordinance establishing a new employee relations committee for the city is one of many items on the agenda for Monday night's 7 p.m. meeting in council chambers at Wasilla City Hall on Herning Avenue.

The ordinance would create the committee and set out its duties.

A motion by council member Greg Koskela at the Nov. 27 council meeting had proposed creating an employee relations subcommittee of the council to sit and listen to employee concerns.

After discussions and amendments, the council voted in favor of a resolution to create a 10-member employee-relations committee. Council member Mark Ewing was the only member voting against the resolution.

Mayor Dianne M. Keller, after discussion with the city's attorney, later proposed this amended ordinance calling for a 13-member committee. If approved Monday, the committee would include two city council members selected by the council, one department head selected by the mayor, and two city employees each from the departments of public safety, public works, recreation and cultural services, community and economic development, and finance.

The city clerk would solicit applications from employees to serve on the committee.

If only two employees from a department applied for seats on the committee, those applicants automatically would have a seat at the table. If no employee applied for a seat, the seat would remain vacant.

If more than two employees from the same department applied for two available seats, the city clerk would administer an election among that department's eligible employees, according to the ordinance.

The proposed 13-member employee relations committee would meet and organize within 30 days of all appointments, and would terminate no later than 150 days later, according to the

proposal.

Also on Monday, Theresa Obermeyer already has signed up under persons to be heard.

But before Obermeyer speaks about a draft bill to authorize reciprocal admission to applicants to the Alaska Bar, the council will listen to public comment on two ordinances, one amending city code on trespass the other adopting new city landscaping standards.

Ordinances up for introduction, with public hearings slated for Jan. 8, include one accepting $3,580 in state funds for police officers to receive drug-recognition training, and another that would appropriate $136,000 to purchase Lots 5, 6 and 7 of Block 6 of the Wasilla town site.

Three resolution before the council would authorize the city to issue general obligation bonds - not to exceed $4.5 million - to refund outstanding obligation bonds, authorize the mayor to purchase the previously mentioned lots, and support the fiscal year 2008 capital improvements program legislative funding request.

The council also will vote whether to award $40,000 to Tryck Nyman Hayes, Inc., for consulting service for the parks' master plan.

Up for discussion at a date to be determined by the council include two action memorandums and one ordinance.

Council member Steve Menard sponsored a memorandum to authorized each council member to have one hour of attorney services every month to discuss city-related issues.

Council member Marty Metiva sponsored a memorandum to establish a Wasilla visitors or tourism bureau to market Wasilla as a tourist destination.