Field Trip

Today I drove up to the site of the proposed heliport across the Steel Bridge, approximately 26 mile Haines Highway to see what I could see; to better understand the arguments, pro and con, regarding the proposed heliport.  I took a good look at the esker ridge.  Then I crossed Chilkat Lake Road, turned right onto Eagle Bluff Drive and wound through the neighborhood to Corinna Avenue and back to Chilkat Lake Road.  Finally, I drove to Thirty-Three Mile for scrambled eggs and reindeer sausage.  While I was there a helicopter landed and took off.  I looked, listened, learned.  

Transparency

Two weeks ago Representative Thomas casually mentioned that there might be some funding for small projects from the community of Haines.  Could I get the word out? 

Certainly.  But I was unprepared for what followed.  I had assumed that the projects, submitted by local non-profits would be judged in Juneau on their own merits.  Wrong.  I began to be asked for letters of support. 

I do not believe that "as the Mayor goes, so goes the community."  Instead, I believe that it is my job to represent the decisions of the Assembly.  I am uncomfortable making decisions or recommendations on behalf of the community absent Assembly confirmation.  However, deadlines loomed (last day to submit requests is February 27), and the next Assembly meeting was February 28.  So this year, letters of support were submitted for each and every project either by myself or by the manager.   But with this post, I am announcing a policy: requests for Borough support for legislative funding will need to be submitted for approval by the Assembly.  We will all have to check our calendars carefully! 

All requests for Borough support were honored. Here they are:

• Chilkat Valley Preschool, requesting $30,000 state funding for modular furniture, area rugs and educational equipment for use by students ages 3 to 5.
• Takshanuk Watershed Council, requesting $14,000 to complete the funding for a $17,000 project to erect a high tunnel hoop house for the school garden.
• Haines Senior Citizens Center, Inc, requesting $37,000 to perform weatherization work on the Senior Center.
• American Legion Lynn Canal Post #12, requesting $150,000 to install a fire suppression system required by the Alaska State Fire Marshall to meet updated 2010 fire codes.

Heliski Ordinance: Unfinished Business

The amended heliski ordinance was postponed to the February 28 meeting and will come before the Assembly as "unfinished business," not as a item for a public hearing as I had thought.  However, the public will have ample opportunity to speak to the amended ordinance at the top of the meeting under "Public Comment."  I look forward to hearing from you Tuesday, February 28!

Borough Duty to Report Heliski Activity

I support amended ordinance 12-01-279 which minimizes the question of whether or not heliski operator’s GPS data is proprietary.  It is my understanding that the purpose of the amended ordinance is allow the Borough to inspect the data, but does not require the Borough to take possession of the data.  The amendment eliminates the phrase “shall be provided to the borough,” which suggests that the data is to be delivered to the Borough and the Borough is to be in possession of the data.  Since the Borough will not take possession of the data, the Borough is not in position to release or not to release the data.   Nonetheless, the operators are required to produce the data for Borough inspection when asked, whenever asked.  

I believe that this amended ordinance, the result of which protects the heliksi operators GPS data from general distribution, restores trust between the operators and the government.[1]  I also believe that implementation of this ordinance will require Borough staff (in house or contracted) to interact directly with heliski operators at their place of business.  Everyone will get to know everyone a little better. That has to be a good thing.

However, the amended ordinance eliminated the stipulation that:

The Haines Borough Manager will publish a monthly report, no later than ten (10) days after the end of each reporting month to the community, that will include the names of the ski tour operators who are a) delinquent in submission; and/or 2) are in violation of boundaries and flight paths; or 3) stipulates that all permit holders are operating in compliance for the period.

I recommend that the Assembly either restore this stipulation to the ordinance or adopt the stipulation as a formal policy of the Haines Borough.   I believe that this is essential in order to begin to re-build trust that the government will regulate as promised. 

---

[1] Much has been made of the lack of trust between the public opposed to heliski operations and the government. Little has been made about the breakdown of trust between the heliski operators themselves and the government.  Two heliski operators and two members of the now retired heliski workgroup have made written or oral statements describing their understanding that GPS data would be protected as proprietary by the Haines Borough.

Resolving the Resolution: Increase in State Funding for Education

Thank you for your willingness to re-examine Resolution 12-02-332, originally before you on February 14, and now back on the table for the February 28 under a new number.  The February 28 text is the same as the February 14 text.

On February 14, that Haines Borough Assembly voted to post pone consideration of a resolution in support of forward funding and yearly increases for education. The "resolve" section of the resolution states: "the Haines Borough Assembly respectfully requests that members of the legislature and Governor Sean Parnell support an early passage of legislation that will address these funding needs and support a quality education for our children."

The postponement provided time to clarify concerns that had been relayed shortly before the 2/14 meeting to both Assembly Member Schnabel and myself from Representative Thomas.

On February 15, I emailed Representative Thomas’s staff, Kaci Schroeder Hotch, as follows:

Please see the attached HB Resolution that was "postponed indefinitely" last night.  I will put it back on the agenda under a new number for the 2/28 Assembly meeting.  It would be extremely helpful if you could briefly outlined Representative Thomas' concerns so that we might address them.  Thanks!

On February 16, Ms. Schroeder Hotch responded:

Ms. Scott,

I spoke with Rep. Thomas and he understands that the Borough wants to show support for education.  Education is a huge priority for him as well.  We spend lots of time in the legislature working on education issues and will do so again this session.  He has read the resolution and if that is what the Borough wants to pass he is ok with it.  He will continue to take a hard look at education funding and work on making our educational system one that provides quality education to our children.

Rumblings have reached me that the Assembly was being unduly influenced by our state representative.  I don’t agree.  On the contrary, I think the Assembly would be foolish to disregard concerns expressed by state legislators when attempting to lobby the same.  It is my view that the Assembly was uncertain of the nature of the concerns and so acted to buy some time to obtain clarification.  Obtaining clarification of concerns, from any quarter,  is the first step in making an informed decision to act. Absent clarification of concerns, the Assembly acts in a vacuum unaware of the potential impact of its actions.  That is never a good thing to do.

Energy Audits for the Private Commercial Sector

According to a press release sent out via email today:

The Alaska Energy Authority (AEA) announced the opening of the application period for its Alaska Commercial Energy Audit Program. Owners of eligible commercial buildings throughout Alaska may be reimbursed up to $7,000 for a qualifying energy audit.

The program is funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, and is expected to provide 100 to 150 commercial energy audits that will specify energy efficiency measures that can be implemented, how much energy can be saved, and how fast those measures will pay for themselves.

“Energy efficiency is good for business,” said AEA Executive Director Sara Fisher-Goad. “This program will help private sector commercial building owners make informed decisions about how to invest in long-term energy savings.”

The Alaska Commercial Energy Audit Program will reimburse eligible applicants the cost of an energy audit up to a specified dollar limit on a per square foot basis. Eligible buildings are commercial buildings, including non-profit owned, up to 160,000 square feet. Building tenants are not eligible, but may refer the building owner to the program.

AEA must receive completed applications by 4:30 PM Wednesday, March 28, 2012.

Program guidelines, the application form and related documents can be found at www.akenergyauthority.org/EfficiencyAudits.html. Applicants may also contact Energy Efficiency and Conservation Project Manager Sean Skaling by e-mail at sskaling@aidea.org, or telephone (907) 771-3079.

Don't let Anchorage, Fairbanks, and Juneau snap up these energy audits!  Put Haines on the map. Apply today!

Catching Up...

I attended the Alaska Municipal League Board of Directors meeting and the Alaska Conference of Mayors this past Tuesday February 7 in Juneau.  I met the auditors for the Alaska Municipal League: Elgee Rhefeld Mertz, who by lucky chance happen to also be the auditors for the Haines Borough.  And thus I learned that the Juneau accounting firm earned the title of one of the 100 Best Accounting Firms to Work for in 2011.  They are, in fact, number 13. And we are one of their 1100 clients.  CFO Jila Stuart hopes to bring the firm to Haines to review the finalized Borough audit with the Assembly.

During the AML Conference of Mayors, every Mayor has the opportunity to give an accounting of his/her municipality.  I talked about our mass wasting event and how proud I was of the local responders.  I invited everyone to come to Haines to celebrate the 30^th anniversary of the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve this June. 

And  I listened soberly to stories of $4-$15/gal fuel prices; communities using honey buckets; $0.58/KWH electric rates; suicide rates; and I began to think about what John Sandor, the octogenarian member of the Southeast Alaska Integrated Resource Plan Advisory Work Group said when they met in Haines. Sometimes, he said, it’s a social justice issue. He was talking about figuring out how small Southeast Communities could have access to affordable, renewable energy.  Sometimes is might not seem like good economics to spend dollars to build infrastructure in these relatively out of the way places, but it just might be the right thing to do.   You’ll be hearing more about that as the Assembly considers recommendations that affect Haines laid out in the $850,000 draft Southeast Alaska Integrated Resource Plan next Assembly meeting, February 28.

The Borough Assembly retreated Saturday February 11 to the Library.  We met from 9 to noon to work on a strategic plan for the next 3 years. Then we reconvened and met in public from 2 to 5 right here in the Assembly chambers. Thanks to Bill Kurz and Deb Vogt we did have some public.  We were led in our effort by Lenise Henderson and she will continue to work with us for 4 follow-up sessions, refining our plan.  Our strategic plan is very practical.  It is a “to do” list. 

You might ask, so where have you been between Wednesday February 8 and Friday February 10 because you certainly have not been answering your phone or emails.  Sorry.  I fell flat with the flu in Juneau. I had to cut short my intended stay in the capital, come home, and sleep!  I'm lots better now, though this is a nasty virus and my sympathies to one and all who have had to have the experience!

Beginning the Budget for FY13

I would like to share some numbers that might help anchor the emerging discussion of school district funding.  According to a spreadsheet provided by School District Superintendent for the January 31 joint meeting of the School District and the Borough Assembly, the Borough’s contribution to the school district’s instructional budget has increased every year since FY04.  

There has not been one year in the past nine when the Borough contributed less than it had the previous year.  Student population fluctuates; some years it is less than others.  However, Borough contributions have not fluctuated with the student population. Borough contributions have always gone up, except for FY11, even if student population has declined.  In FY11 the contribution for instruction remained the same as in FY10 ($1,694,044).  In FY12, the contribution increased to $1,744,865, even though the student count dropped from 307 to 300.

The amount of increase ranges from tiny ($4,820) to significant ($150,00).  The contribution to the district’s instructional program does not include the contribution to the Activities Fund ($210,000 in FY12), for public works and facilities work orders  ($11,200), or the 1.5 mil collected from property tax for the school bond payment.

It is true that the Borough does not make the maximum contribution allowed by the state funding formula. But it is also true that the difference between what is allowed and what is contributed has increased every year for the past 9 years.  The state formula is based in part on the total assessed value of all the property in the borough.  It is a complicated formula and I am ashamed to say that I don’t really understand it.

Forty percent of the Borough General Fund expenses (Fund 01) are accounted for by allocation of funds to the Haines Borough School District.  There is no doubt that Haines treasures its school.  The numbers tell the tale.  There is also no doubt that we would all be better off if the State legislature did not wait until the end of the session to determine school funding, and that it would be preferable to increase the state base student allotment.  The Borough Assembly will consider a resolution to encourage the legislature and the Governor to do just that at its next regular meeting February 14.

Plow-Guy Talk: The View from the Cab

Did you ever wonder why the plow operator doesn't smile and wave back?  Bud says, "We're just trying to get past without killing you!"

Bud Barber, retired state plow operator, opened his talk Thursday evening with descriptions of the size of the plow.  "About length of the Community Room in the public library; and the grader blade is 24 feet wide - wider than the width of the room."  These giant pieces of equipment are not easily operated; nor can they turn on a narrow radius.  They need room.  Bud emphasized that plowing requires teamwork between property owners and plow operators.  The purpose of Bud's talk, he said, was to give the property owners the necessary knowledge to be part of the team.

In addition to constraints due to the size of the plow, Bud assured us that "every driveway gets a berm." A berm is to plowing as night is to day.  One necessarily follows the other.  There is nothing personal in a berm!  However, one berm might look different from another because of the physics of plowing:  a driveway that is not perpendicular to the road way will collect a wider berm; more snow will be deposited in an opening (usually a driveway) on the downhill run than on the uphill run; a driveway that slopes down from the road will collect a larger berm than one that doesn't. Plow power is diminished on the uphill run.  It can carry less and therefore deposits less.

Bud also explained the two-berm phenomenon: the inside story is that there are ALWAYS two berms. It's just that when the snow load is light, the second sweep of the plow follows more closely in time to the first sweep, so it seems to the driveway owner like there is only one berm.  In this particularly heavy snow year, the time between sweeps is extended, thus the perception that you have been doubled bermed.  Savvy private operators do try to estimate the time between sweeps so that they can clear their customers drives after the second sweep, but this year of exceptionally heavy snow has made that strategy problematical. 

Here's a tip that was news to me: when clearing your berm, clear to the direction traffic flows.  Then the plow will push the snow away from your drive. Why, I asked myself, did I not figure that out after 30+ years of shoveling?

If you have to park on a street, the plow will create a berm around your vehicle.  After you blast out of your spot, think about parking a little further up the street next time so the operator can clear the snow left when he had to veer around your car.  That will help.

There are rules for parking off the street.  We should park 8 feet from the edge of the pavement, or 20 feet from the center line. Why?  Again, it has to do with the magnificent size of the equipment.  No plow operator wants to collide with your vehicle so they give it room.  When they do, that leaves snow in the road, creating a hazard for the traveling public.  The further from the edge you park, the safer for everyone. 

There are signs about town that say, "No parking 5-9 AM snow removal."  We need to respect those signs.  The consequence can be a ticket or a tow.  But the bigger consequence is to the whole system. Vehicles on the roadways slow down snow removal. When the operators start their rigs at 4 AM, their goal is to clear the roads so that people can get out and about by 8 AM.  We all have to help to make the system work.  Like Bud said, "Teamwork."  Thanks Bud!

Disaster Resolution Adopted February 3

The Haines Borough Assembly convened in a special meeting 1:15 Friday February 3 to consider "A Resolution of the Haines Borough Assembly declaring a disaster and requesting state assistance" for the Ocean View/Lutak Road Slope Movement. All members were present (Lapp and Hoffman attended via teleconference). The Resolution was adopted unanimously.

The Resolution declares that a disaster emergency exists and gives the particulars; it also declares that the Borough "has expended all appropriate resources in response to the disaster emergency." The Borough's request for assistance is outlined in the final paragraph:

FURTHERMORE, it is requested that the governor of the State of Alaska declare a disaster emergency to exist as described in AS 26.23 and provide disaster assistance to the Haines Borough in its response and recovery from this event. The Borough specifically requests individual assistance and temporary housing for impacted residents, public disaster assistance for emergency protective measures, temporary and permanent repairs to Borough sewer, water, and transportation infrastructure, with technical assistance and funding to fully evaluate the threat and/or damage to the Oceanview and Lutak Roads, and reestablish normal transportation of critical resources should the roads be closed.

All the Borough's contacts with the state were notified of the pending resolution, and upon passage the resolution was sent electronically to the necessary contacts before the close of the business day. Contacts include Claude Denver, Military & Veterans Affairs, Division of Emergency Services; Governor Sean Parnell; Representative Bill Thomas; Senator Albert Kookesh; Jeff Rypka and Phil Naegele, USDA Rural Development; Sally Smith with Senator Begich's office; Senator Murkowski; and the Borough's lobbyists in Washington, DC. I understand that the Division of Emergency Services will evaluate the request and make a recommendation to the Governor.

State and Borough officials, and contracted engineers have been monitoring the movement of the Oceanview Road slope and Lutak Road since it was brought to their attention January 16. State geologists and engineers arrived January 18 along with the Borough's contracted geotech engineer. In accordance with the Borough's Emergency Operations Guide, a command center was set up in the Public Facilities Director's office January 19 and staffed by Roc Ahrens. Mr. Ahrens has been coordinating information and working with staff to develop contingency plans.

The Precipitating Event: Sewer Line Sheared.
One of the many plans in place was a plan to provide services should the sewer line running through the slide area and serving 125 homes on the hillside of Highlands Estate and Skyline Drive be compromised by the slide activity. The plan called for crews to access a working manhole and then lay pipe on the surfacing leapfrogging over the damaged line to the next functioning manhole. Thursday evening, Feb. 2, residents were notified of the break; then local crews started work at 7 AM Feb. 3 and sewer services were restored by 3:15 PM. A necessary piece of equipment was provided by Southeast Roadbuilders.

I think Haines is rich in heroes. In fact, it is so common for Haines residents to perform extraordinarily in the face of illness, accidents, and disasters, that we might be in danger of taking it for granted! I would like to mention the dedication of the water and sewer team (Scott Bradford, Dennis Durr, Jim Blilie) to this event, along with the leadership provided by Brian Lemcke and Roc Ahrens. These men are undaunted by rain, wind, snow, or what I'll just call "gunk." I'd also like to recognize Borough administrative staff: Manager Mark Earnest, CFO Jila Stuart, and Acting Clerk Jamie Heinz. Each is intimately involved in managing this event and has demonstrated skill and dedication to the Borough and its residents. I am very proud of our team.

By anyone's measure, a disaster occurred when Joshua and Victoria Moore had to move from their home due to the impact of the ground movement on their residence. About that, there is no question. However, in order to be eligible for state assistance, an even greater level of impact has to be experienced. The threat to Borough utilities and the impact on 125 residents elevated the event, at least in our estimation. We are hopeful that state officials will agree.

It appears that there is an increasing level of concern by the state Department of Transportation and Public Facilities. The Borough was notified by email Friday, Feb. 3, 4:19 PM, that the state is mobilizing a DOT drilling crew to Haines to drill additional borings to supplement those completed by the Borough's engineer. Mitch McDonald, Regional Engineering Geologist, writes:

Our current plan is to arrive in Haines on Wednesday (February 8) and probably start drilling on Thursday. Drilling should be completed by Sunday the 12th....My preliminary plan is to drill 3-4 borings along Lutak and 3 borings on Front Street...We will install 3-5 wells in selected borings to allow additional water level monitoring.
There is no doubt that water is involved.

Water was running freely in a stream just below Oceanview Road (see photo above) and from a drainage pipe just below the Moore's in photos I took today.