OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Valdez City Council Regular Meeting - June 3, 2025

Meeting Portal — Tuesday, June 3, 2025
BodyValdez, Alaska
SessionMeeting Portal
DateTuesday, June 3, 2025
StatusFILED
Video Record
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Transcript — Verbatim
0:01

Okay, we'll go ahead and get the council meeting.

0:03

Uh join regular meeting.

0:07

If everybody please would stand up and join me.

0:11

Pledge of allegiance to the United States of America.

0:16

And to the Republic for which is one individual with Liberty and Justice for all.

0:28

Okay, could I get a roll call?

0:31

There, all council members are present this.

0:34

All council members are present this evening.

0:37

Excellent.

0:38

Approval of minutes for regular council meeting of April 15th, 2025.

0:42

Are there any corrections to the minutes of the regular meeting on April 15th hearing?

0:50

Okay, hearing none.

0:51

The minutes are approved as presented.

0:54

Public business from the floor.

0:56

This is a five-minute.

0:58

If you have any business that's a non-agenda item, please step up to the podium, announce your name, and you have five minutes.

1:09

All right, seeing none.

1:11

Going to the consent agenda.

1:13

Two items on the consent agenda.

1:15

Proclamation National Trails Day 2025.

1:19

And approval to go into executive session session regarding TAPS at Bullarm tax litigation and settlement strategy.

1:29

So I'm gonna read the proclamation.

1:31

Oh, wait, we'll make the motion.

1:33

Motion to consent to all items.

1:36

Second.

1:37

And it's been moved by Councilmember Devons, second by Councilmember Lowing to approve all items on the consent agenda.

1:48

All those in favor, please say aye.

1:50

Aye.

1:51

Aye.

1:51

All those opposed.

1:54

Seven yes.

1:54

Motion carries, Mr.

1:55

Mayor.

1:56

Okay, I'm gonna go ahead and read the uh proclamation, National Trails Day 2025.

2:03

Whereas the American Hiking Society's National Trails Day is a celebration of America's trail system occurring annually on the first Saturday in June, dedicating a day of public events when thousands of hikers, bikers, rowers, horseback riders, trail clubs, federal and local agency land trusts, and businesses come together in partnership to advocate for maintain and clean up trails.

2:27

And whereas our local trail system is important community resource for promoting tourism and economic development and contributing to the physical health and mental well-being of Valdez citizens, and whereas residents and visitors to Valdez appreciate the hard work and tireless dedication of City Parks maintenance staff, the Valdez Adventure Alliance and their effort to develop and maintain Valdez area trails.

2:52

And whereas Valdez Adventure Alliance, as a leader in local recreation and stewardship efforts, has registered a community service project for National Trails Day to benefit our local trail system.

3:05

Now, therefore, I Dennis Fleming, mayor of the City of Valdez, do hear proclaim Saturday, June 7th, 2025 to be trails day in Valdez and encourage residents, visitors to support the national nationwide movement by committing to take action in 2025 to advocate for development, maintenance, and equitable access to our unparalleled outdoor spaces or put from Port Valdez to the summits of our spectacular mountains dated this 29th day of April 2025.

4:20

Go ahead and take a few minutes to speak.

4:22

That's the trail system.

4:23

Go ahead.

5:03

Hello, uh, like Lynnette said, my name is Whitney Root.

5:07

I'm on the board with the AA, and again, we do want to thank you all for your continued support of our trail work through the CSO grant.

5:14

We certainly appreciate that generosity.

5:17

Uh, we'd also like to invite all members of the community to join us this Saturday, June 7th.

5:23

Uh, we will be having our National Trails Day event at Shoot Bay Trailhead at the end of Egan.

5:30

Uh we're gonna start work at 10 o'clock, work till one.

5:34

Uh people can show up at any time during that time frame.

5:37

Stay as long as you can.

5:39

Uh, any help you can provide, uh, we definitely appreciate.

5:44

Uh from one to two, we'll have a little hot dog cook out as an appreciation for our volunteers.

5:50

So uh again, that's June 7th this Saturday from 10 to 1 at the Shoot Bay Trailhead, and we hope we can see some people there.

5:58

So thank you again.

6:00

Thank you.

6:05

Okay, moving to new business.

6:07

We have approval of uh certificate of public convenience and necessity for higher vehicle license for Valdez trolley tours.

6:16

We have a motion motion to approve second.

6:23

And move by council member Devons, uh second by council member Colin.

6:28

Oh, love up.

6:29

Oh, way down there.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Public Engagement████████████████████20%
Insurance Management███████████████15%
Recreational Vehicle Regulation███████████████15%
Emergency Services██████████10%
City Manager Report████████8%
Public Safety███████7%
Procedural█████5%
Legal████4%
City Clerk Report████4%
Summary of Proceedings

Valdez City Council Regular Meeting - June 3, 2025

The Valdez City Council met on June 3, 2025, at 7:00 PM in Council Chambers. The meeting covered consent agenda items, new business including a trolley tour license and property insurance renewal discussion, an ordinance regarding recreational vehicle parks and tent camping (postponed indefinitely after public comment), a resolution authorizing a FEMA SAFER grant application, and various reports from city staff, the city attorney, and council members.

Consent Calendar

  • Proclamation: National Trails Day 2025 – Mayor Fleming proclaimed Saturday, June 7, 2025, as National Trails Day in Valdez. Whitney Root of Valdez Adventure Alliance thanked the council for supporting trail work and invited the community to a service event at Shoot Bay Trailhead from 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM, followed by a cookout.
  • Approval to go into Executive Session – Regarding TAPS Ad Valorem Tax Litigation and Settlement Strategy.
  • The consent agenda was approved unanimously (7-0).

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Kyle Anderson – Lifelong resident; opposed the proposed camping ordinance (25-04) as overreach and a waste of time, arguing it would harm the Alaskan dream and local tourism.
  • Speaker (unidentified, named in transcript?) – Opposed the camping ordinance, citing property rights, lack of transparency, and concern over police enforcement. Mentioned family visiting and camping in yard; argued resources should be used for education and facility improvement rather than enforcement. Stated that if no free camping options exist, they would not visit.
  • Nathan Davis – Newer resident; urged positive enforcement if the ordinance passes, noted police respect in community, suggested schools and parks may not be ideal for camping, and asked council to consider overall community impact.
  • Hayden Bricker – Local; opposed the ordinance, emphasized need for free camping for locals, suggested focus on education about Leave No Trace rather than enforcement. Noted that living in a car, the last thing they want is a knock at 2 AM.
  • Nami Ray – Resident since 2016; argued the ordinance would make Valdez less accessible for young people and those with limited income, mentioning high costs of hotels and Airbnbs. Stated she would not have chosen Valdez if such restrictions existed.
  • Several speakers emphasized that the city should not compete with private RV parks and that free camping is important for locals and budget visitors.

Discussion Items

  • Approval of Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity (For-Hire Vehicle License) for Valdez Trolley Tours – Approved unanimously (7-0) with brief positive comments.
  • Property Insurance Renewal Discussion – Finance Director Jordan Nelson and broker David Hill presented two options for property insurance renewal (due July 1). Option A: stay with current carrier AFM (city increase 7%, school decrease 6%, net city increase of $55,000). Option B: switch to APRA (city savings, net decrease of $37,000, but school district property premium nearly doubles due to higher school construction costs and replacement valuation). Staff recommended Option B, with city potentially absorbing some school costs (e.g., pool district office, bus barn) to mitigate the increase. Several council members discussed statutory limitations, audit concerns, and the possibility of prorating costs for community-use facilities. The matter will return for a decision at the next council meeting.

Ordinances

  • Ordinance 25-04 – Amending Chapter 10.20 (Recreational Vehicle Parks and Tent Camping) – First reading/public hearing. City Manager DeVol recommended postponing indefinitely due to administrative burden and unclear problem definition. Mayor noted the ordinance still contains Title 15 conflicts. Councilmember DeVins initially motioned to postpone indefinitely; after extensive public comment, the motion passed (5-2) with council members DeVins and Foster voting no. The existing ordinance remains in effect. A work session will be scheduled to start fresh on the topic.

Resolutions

  • Resolution 25-28 – Authorizing Valdez Fire Department to Apply for FEMA SAFER Grant – Approved unanimously (7-0). Chief Rayner explained the grant would fund three firefighters for three years (25% city match in years 1-2, 65% in year 3). The goal is to improve response times and meet national standards. Previous grant applications were unsuccessful; the department has incorporated feedback to improve scoring.

Reports

  • Housing Needs Assessment Update – Short Term Rentals Report – Kate Huber reported that the full housing study is expected this fall, with a work session on July 15 for council input. Preliminary data from AirDNA included, but owner-occupancy details are not yet available; that data will be collected via permit applications for short-term rentals. Over 400 responses to the community survey.
  • Community Clean Up Day & Bulk Item Pickup Week – 2025 Report – Not pulled for discussion.

City Manager / City Clerk / City Attorney / Mayor Reports

  • City Manager DeVol – Update on Chugach Mute MOA (sent for signatures), college child care MOA, first child care startup grant awarded, meeting with Providence hospital leadership regarding new CEO search, business outreach, legislative updates (school funding emergency regulation), scrap metal project launching (banner on city website), boards and commissions dinner, and reminder of DOT repaving project from mile 0 (Sawmill) to mile 7 this summer. DeVol will be out of town late Thursday; Jordan Nelson will be in charge.
  • City Clerk Sherry – Theater conference dinner on Friday, June 13 at Eagles Hall; no complex appeals hearing on June 26 (pre-hearing work session on June 18); strategic planning workshop June 20-21; assisting Ports and Harbor Commission in preparing for a work session.
  • City Attorney Jake – TAPS Ad Valorem tax litigation update: SPAR and Alyeska filed motions for reconsideration on Issue 4; city will file oppositions. Procedural timeline stayed pending decision. Also, a request for a temporary restraining order regarding city code enforcement was filed; city filed opposition; court order pending.
  • Mayor Fleming – Thanked attendees of boards and commissions dinner.

Council Business from the Floor

  • Thanked staff and volunteers for Community Clean Up Day.
  • Acknowledged the cost of volunteering, especially for young people, and urged appreciation.
  • Noted progress with Chugach Mute and child care grants.
  • Thanks to staff for boards and commissions dinner.
  • Permanent Fund Committee met today; fund value: $288M (Dec 2024), $286M (Mar 2025), now ~$296M. Finance director will present information on the 1.5% permanent fund draw at the strategic planning meeting.

Key Outcomes

  • Consent agenda approved unanimously.
  • For-hire vehicle license for Valdez Trolley Tours approved unanimously.
  • Ordinance 25-04 postponed indefinitely (5-2); existing ordinance remains; work session to be scheduled.
  • Resolution 25-28 (SAFER grant) approved unanimously.
  • Insurance renewal decision deferred to next meeting with further analysis on cost allocation.
  • Executive Session entered at end of meeting to discuss TAPS litigation (as authorized by consent agenda).

Meeting Transcript

Okay, we'll go ahead and get the council meeting. Uh join regular meeting. If everybody please would stand up and join me. Pledge of allegiance to the United States of America. And to the Republic for which is one individual with Liberty and Justice for all. Okay, could I get a roll call? There, all council members are present this. All council members are present this evening. Excellent. Approval of minutes for regular council meeting of April 15th, 2025. Are there any corrections to the minutes of the regular meeting on April 15th hearing? Okay, hearing none. The minutes are approved as presented. Public business from the floor. This is a five-minute. If you have any business that's a non-agenda item, please step up to the podium, announce your name, and you have five minutes. All right, seeing none. Going to the consent agenda. Two items on the consent agenda. Proclamation National Trails Day 2025. And approval to go into executive session session regarding TAPS at Bullarm tax litigation and settlement strategy. So I'm gonna read the proclamation. Oh, wait, we'll make the motion. Motion to consent to all items. Second. And it's been moved by Councilmember Devons, second by Councilmember Lowing to approve all items on the consent agenda. All those in favor, please say aye. Aye. Aye. All those opposed. Seven yes. Motion carries, Mr. Mayor. Okay, I'm gonna go ahead and read the uh proclamation, National Trails Day 2025. Whereas the American Hiking Society's National Trails Day is a celebration of America's trail system occurring annually on the first Saturday in June, dedicating a day of public events when thousands of hikers, bikers, rowers, horseback riders, trail clubs, federal and local agency land trusts, and businesses come together in partnership to advocate for maintain and clean up trails. And whereas our local trail system is important community resource for promoting tourism and economic development and contributing to the physical health and mental well-being of Valdez citizens, and whereas residents and visitors to Valdez appreciate the hard work and tireless dedication of City Parks maintenance staff, the Valdez Adventure Alliance and their effort to develop and maintain Valdez area trails. And whereas Valdez Adventure Alliance, as a leader in local recreation and stewardship efforts, has registered a community service project for National Trails Day to benefit our local trail system. Now, therefore, I Dennis Fleming, mayor of the City of Valdez, do hear proclaim Saturday, June 7th, 2025 to be trails day in Valdez and encourage residents, visitors to support the national nationwide movement by committing to take action in 2025 to advocate for development, maintenance, and equitable access to our unparalleled outdoor spaces or put from Port Valdez to the summits of our spectacular mountains dated this 29th day of April 2025. Go ahead and take a few minutes to speak. That's the trail system. Go ahead. Hello, uh, like Lynnette said, my name is Whitney Root. I'm on the board with the AA, and again, we do want to thank you all for your continued support of our trail work through the CSO grant. We certainly appreciate that generosity. Uh, we'd also like to invite all members of the community to join us this Saturday, June 7th. Uh, we will be having our National Trails Day event at Shoot Bay Trailhead at the end of Egan. Uh we're gonna start work at 10 o'clock, work till one. Uh people can show up at any time during that time frame. Stay as long as you can. Uh, any help you can provide, uh, we definitely appreciate.

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