The Valdez City Council held a regular meeting on Tuesday, August 4, 2026, at 7:00 PM in the Council Chambers. The meeting included a work session at 6:00 PM on municipal property tax exemption options under HB13 (no transcribed minutes). The regular session covered consent agenda items, appointments, contract approvals, a budget resolution, reports on the scrap barge program, and updates from city staff and officials. All votes were unanimous (7-0) on items brought to a vote.
Oh, thank you. That's what I was hoping for. Okay, I'm gonna go ahead and call this meeting to order. If you would please stand with me and do the Pledge of Allegiance. I don't see the Coast Guard here. So do we want to hold off on that? No, we'll just read the postcard proclamation and get it to them. Okay, we're gonna go ahead and call the order. Uh Sherry, do we have uh everybody present? Um everyone is present and accounted for, Mr. Mayor. Okay. We also in council members are present and uh um we got uh public business from the floor. I'd like to please recognize uh Senator Raucher's staff person online that she would like to provide an update from the Senator's office. Good evening, everyone. My name is Annalisa Roberts. I'm a staffer for Senator Rousher. The legislature is scheduled to be reconvened on August 10th for the continuation of the special session that began on July twenty-ninth is expected to conclude with a thirty-day constitutional time frame, so roughly around August twenty-fifth. Um, as you may be aware, there's significant intention that has been focused on the flooding and erosion in Talkeetna. Senator Rosher visited the area and met with residents and documented conditions to help identify potential erosion mitigation solutions. There are meetings being coordinated between DOT, the Matsu borough, and the Talkina community to discuss response efforts and long term flooding mitigation in addition, and Governor Dunley meeting has issued a state disaster declaration of response to the flooding in the Matsu borough. In addition, and Governor Dunley Vidi has issued a state disaster declaration of response to the flooding in the Mazio borough. Last Senator Rouscher extends his appreciation to everyone who helped organize and participate in this year's Gold Rush Days. Um he was up there, and he wants to thank the community for another successful celebration. So thank you all for that. And that is it. Thank you so much. Thank you. All right, uh public business from the floor. If anybody would like to speak on any uh non-agenda item for five minutes, you have the floor. Please state your name. Good evening. Yes, it's there you go. There we go. Glad I asked. Hello, everyone. Nice to see you all. My name is Kathy Renfeld, and I am here visiting and supporting Martha and Carrie Jean Shepherd on some entrepreneurial and business support initiatives that they are working on. I am the entrepreneur in residence for the University of Alaska Fairbanks, and through that role, I've been supporting coastal communities throughout Alaska with entrepreneurship, innovation, and economic development initiatives, as well as workforce development as well. I've been enjoying uh getting to know students through that role as well through working with the T3 teaching through technology and the Science Olympiad programs. Um, you may know Tommy Sheridan, he and I work together in a lot of those capacities as well. I've been enjoying getting to know Valdez, getting to spend some time with some of your business owners and teachers and citizens. And I look forward to finding more ways to work together with you. And I just wanted to come here tonight and introduce myself, and I hope I have more opportunities to get to know you all. Thank you. Is there any other business from the floor? Okay, moving on to the consent agenda. We have a proclamation. We have four items on the consent agenda. We have a proclamation for the Coast Guard Day.