Valdez City Council Regular Meeting - October 21, 2025
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Valdez City Council Regular Meeting - October 21, 2025
The Valdez City Council met on October 21, 2025, at 7:00 PM in Council Chambers. The meeting covered routine consent agenda items, approval of a community jail contract, reconsideration of a Parks and Recreation Commission appointment, a discussion on the disposal of the former Pipeline Club property, adoption of three ordinances, approval of three resolutions, and council business including a request for a revised CSO application from the Valdez Avalanche Center. The meeting also included a city manager report and ended with a recess prior to executive session.
Consent Calendar
- Approved Amendment #1 to the Care Management Service Agreement with Personify Health.
- Approved an Exceptional Use Agreement for the Valdez Civic Center by Alyeska Pipeline Service Company.
- Approved moving into executive session to discuss Trans-Alaska Pipeline System ad valorem tax issues, escaped property legal issues, and oil spill prevention and response property regulation.
- Motion carried 6-0 (one absent).
Discussion Items
- FY2026 Community Jail Contract with State of Alaska: Approved unanimously 6-0. Councilmember Foster noted disappointment in funding reduction and emphasized continued lobbying for increased jail funding. City Manager noted the contract is status quo and that the state continued including electronic monitoring due to impracticality of state management. The budget reduction was across-the-board for all jail contracts.
- Reconsideration of Parks and Recreation Commission Appointment: The City Clerk reported that a ballot counting error occurred at the previous meeting. A recount showed Benjamin Rush received the most votes, not Julian Reese. Councilmember Lally moved to reconsider; motion passed 6-0. Then a motion to appoint Benjamin Rush to a three-year term passed 6-0.
- Disposal of Property at 120-142 Egan Drive (Former Pipeline Club Property): City Manager presented options: RFP, negotiated sale, auction, over-the-counter sale. Council discussed the history of two unsuccessful RFPs and the desire to spur housing development. Several council members expressed support for a negotiated sale with a housing component, avoiding overly prescriptive conditions. City Manager will draft a resolution authorizing negotiated sale, using prior RFP requirements as a starting point, including development timelines. The consensus was to proceed with a negotiated sale.
- Ordinances: All three ordinances passed unanimously 6-0:
- Ordinance 25-12: Zoning map amendment to change Tract C-1 to Heavy Industrial (second reading).
- Ordinance 25-13: Amending Chapter 8.20 (Nuisances) (second reading).
- Ordinance 25-14: Amending Chapter 1.08 (General Penalty) (second reading).
- Resolutions: All three resolutions passed unanimously 6-0:
- Resolution 25-48: Authorizing disposal of certain city records.
- Resolution 25-49: Authorizing grant application to ASPCA for $61,000 for veterinary care.
- Resolution 25-50: Amending animal shelter fees, including outsourcing cremations to a flameless process (Aquamation) with pass-through pricing. Private cremations remain available with ashes returned options.
City Manager Report
- City Manager highlighted a visit from Representative Rauscher to discuss legislative priorities.
- A meeting with DOT Commissioner and Marine Highway Director is scheduled for Thursday to discuss the ferry terminal.
- A snow removal contract was inadvertently omitted from the agenda; it will be added to the Tuesday work session.
- Budget work sessions are scheduled for Monday through Thursday of the following week; Monday's session will be at the Civic Center.
- City Manager recommended eliminating the Economic Diversification Commission due to lack of applicants and shifting priorities; an ordinance will be brought forward.
- Welcomed new Capital Facilities Director Casey Walker and acknowledged retiring Public Works employee Dan Moller (11-12 years of service).
Council Business from the Floor
- Councilmember Lally requested that the City Manager work with the Valdez Avalanche Center to resubmit their CSO (Community Service Organization) application for funding between 50% and 65% of total program costs, with specific deliverables: minimum 5-day/week avalanche forecasts (Dec 1–Apr 30), special avalanche alerts, at least one age-appropriate education event at each Valdez City School, and forecaster exchanges with the Chugach National Forest Avalanche Center. Councilmember Devons expressed concern about burdening the organization late in the process, but other council members supported the direction. The City Manager was directed to communicate this request.
Key Outcomes
- Consent agenda approved 6-0.
- FY2026 Community Jail Contract approved 6-0.
- Reconsideration of Parks and Rec appointment approved 6-0; Benjamin Rush appointed 6-0.
- Direction given to City Manager to draft a resolution for negotiated sale of the Pipeline Club property, with housing as a priority.
- Ordinances 25-12, 25-13, 25-14 adopted unanimously.
- Resolutions 25-48, 25-49, 25-50 adopted unanimously.
- City Manager directed to contact Valdez Avalanche Center regarding revised CSO application with 50-65% city funding and specified deliverables.
- The meeting recessed for executive session after council business.
Meeting Transcript
Hello, Reggie. Hey, Olivia, can you hear us? Yes, I can, thank you. I just can't see you all. We can see you both. So we'll get started here in just a minute. Thank you. Great. Thank you. So next item is public business from the floor. So if anybody has public business from the floor, please come up to the podium, state your name, and you have five minutes on your topic, not agenda topics, please. Next, we have the consent agenda. There's three items on the consent agenda. We have approval of amendment one to the care management service agreement with Personify Health. Number two, approval of exceptional use agreement for the Valde Civic Center by Aliesca Pipeline Service Company. And number three, approval to go into executive session regarding discussion of implications for city revenues and litigation strategy regarding Trans-Alaska Pipeline System Advilum tax issues, discussion of ongoing escape property legal issues, and discussion of local regulation and assessment of oil spill prevention and response property. Move to approve the consent agenda as presented. Second. All those in favor, please say aye. Aye. Aye. All those opposed. Aye. We have six yes, one absent. Mayor Fleming. Consent agenda passes. All right. Next up on the new business. We have approval for FY 2026 community jail contract with the state of Alaska. Do we have a motion? Motion to approve. Second. It's been moved by Councilmember Devon, second by Council Member Lally to approve the FY 2026 community jail contract. Any council discussion on the item. How about uh council member green or council member foster anything? No. Right. Um, I will I will just say that I and I find it unfortunate that we were that our funding was decreased and there wasn't a lot of information on why that was happening. But otherwise, nothing other than that. Thanks, cancel council member Foster. Um I have a similar, I guess, comment in that regard. You know, I think this is something that you know when we go down to Juneau and uh talk with our representative, we have Representative Raucher here tonight and uh talk about increased jail funding across the board so that um we can help the you know offset those costs for the operations that we're providing. This is definitely something that we've been uh advocating for for the last few years with Chief Hinkle, and then we'll have hopefully with Chief Kalen as well, came as well. So yeah, something to add to the uh lobbying efforts, I think. Hey, did you have anything? Uh no, I was just gonna say it's uh it represents a status quo contract. Uh, there was some discussions about uh Department of Public Safety taking over the electronic monitoring program. Um that is still included in this contract. Uh just being frank, it's impractical for the state to manage that program for the cost that we're doing it for them on their behalf, and so I think they kind of saw that and said let's continue to include that in the contract. Um as it relates to the cost reduction that was that budget in and of itself was reduced, and so it was essentially a across the board reduction for all the jail contracts, as far as as far as we've been told.
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