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Record of Proceedings

Valdez City Council Meeting: October 6, 2026

Meeting Portal — Tuesday, October 6, 2026
BodyValdez, Alaska
SessionMeeting Portal
DateTuesday, October 6, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 1:13:46

Original source
Transcript — VerbatimClick a timed line to jump · ⧉ to share it

Speaker numbers apply only to this recording.

Speaker 1

0:00

Okay, we're gonna go ahead and call this meeting to order.

0:02

Everybody anybody would like to stand up and pledge of allegiance with me.

Speaker 2

0:08

Hi.

0:08

Hi.

0:09

Why do we just do the United States of America?

0:20

Justice

Speaker 1

0:21

Project.

0:24

Okay, Sherry, go ahead and give me a roll call.

Speaker 3

0:28

Mr.

0:28

Mayor, all council members are present this evening online.

0:32

We have Councilmember Foster and Council Member

Speaker 1

0:36

Green.

0:38

Excellent.

0:39

Okay, we're gonna go to approval of minutes.

0:42

Are there any corrections to the minutes as presented?

Unassigned speaker

0:47

Okay,

Speaker 1

0:48

hearing none, the minutes will stand as approved.

0:51

Um next we have public appearances.

0:54

Um update from Senator George Rousher.

Unassigned speaker

1:01

Okay,

Speaker 4

1:02

yeah, can you hear me?

Speaker 1

1:03

Sure can

Speaker 4

1:05

yeah, I appreciate

Unassigned speaker

1:06

it.

Speaker 4

1:07

So I've been working with the commissioner and uh and the manager invalids to uh try and move this very

Unassigned speaker

1:17

well

Speaker 4

1:19

and uh there's it I think it's uh the uh um

Speaker 5

1:29

George

Speaker 4

1:30

Um if I if I lose you, just

Speaker 1

1:38

George.

1:39

I lost your connection

Speaker 4

1:41

here

Speaker 6

1:43

really bad today.

1:45

We've got A T and T, and

Speaker 4

1:47

I think everybody's complaining.

1:49

But yeah, so uh but anyway, so uh we're still working on that declaration.

1:55

We're still uh uh a few uh

Speaker 1

2:09

yeah, George.

2:10

We lost you there in your connection, you're broken up really bad.

Unassigned speaker

2:33

Okay,

Speaker 1

2:34

George, we're having some difficulty with your take a breath there.

Unassigned speaker

2:41

Let

Speaker 1

2:41

me get

Unassigned speaker

2:42

in.

Speaker 1

2:43

You got me, George.

2:49

Okay, we'll we'll try to see if uh maybe later on we can get old to George by radio.

2:56

All right,

Speaker 4

2:59

yep, it's good.

3:02

All right,

Speaker 7

3:06

Senator Rousher, are you connected by phone or computer?

3:12

Okay, I think we've lost you entirely.

3:14

I think we're gonna go to public business from the floor and we'll try to loop back around.

3:17

Sorry.

Unassigned speaker

3:22

Okay,

Speaker 1

3:22

we'll move to uh public business from the floor.

3:26

Are there any individuals with a non-agenda item that wish to come up and speak?

Speaker 4

3:33

I'll try to call in.

Unassigned speaker

3:36

You

Speaker 4

3:36

still don't

Speaker 2

3:37

go ahead.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Budget Equity Analysis████████████████16%
Domestic Violence Awareness██████████████14%
Childcare Services██████████10%
Public Engagement████████8%
Public Safety████████8%
Procedural███████7%
Public Works█████5%
Pending Litigation█████5%
Property Assessment████4%
Summary of Proceedings

Valdez City Council Meeting Summary - October 6, 2026

The Valdez City Council held a regular meeting on Tuesday, October 6, 2026, at 7:00 PM in the Council Chambers. All seven council members were present. The meeting followed a 5:00 PM work session on child care. The council addressed a full agenda, unanimously approving a contract for a child care renovation, introducing a historic property tax exemption, and adopting several budget amendments. The City Attorney reported a major legal victory against Alyeska Pipeline.

Consent Calendar

The council unanimously approved the consent agenda (7-0), which included proclamations commending Chris Herman for tourism, declaring October Domestic Violence Awareness Month, designating October 13, 2026 as "Wear Pink Day" for Breast Cancer Awareness, declaring October 4-10 Fire Prevention Week, and approval to enter executive session to discuss collective bargaining with IAFF Local 5618.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Senator George Rauscher: Scheduled to provide a state update, but his connection was lost due to technical difficulties. The item was deferred.
  • Tommy Sheridan (New Resident): Thanked the city for the Citizens Academy program and praised the opportunities available in Valdez.
  • Rowena (ABV Advocate): Reported that in the last fiscal year, ABV responded to 755 crisis calls, provided 1,204 bed nights to 50 victims, and offered 6,454 services to 225 unduplicated clients. She invited the community to the Woman of the Station Gala on October 17.
  • Judy Bartlett (Grandmother): Expressed concern regarding the Child Care Center renovation, questioning whether it would serve school-aged children or only Head Start. She stated daycare costs for her two grandchildren would exceed $2,000 per month.
  • Roger Keefer (Alderwood LLC Partner): Supported Resolution #26-48, stating the purchase would allow residents to secure mortgages (up to $250,000) and assured no residents would be displaced.

Discussion Items & New Business

  • Ports & Harbors CIP Priorities: The Commission formally submitted its capital project priorities for the five-year Capital Improvement Program. The council acknowledged the report.
  • Child Care Center Contract: The council approved (7-0) a $3,415,360 contract with Orion Construction for the Child Care Center Building Renovation. City Manager Nate confirmed the use of federal grant funds and addressed questions on scope and timeline.
  • Property Tax Exemption (Ordinance #26-06): Introduced on first reading. Councilmembers characterized it as a landmark tax relief effort, crediting State Representative Andrew Gray and Senator George Rauscher. Approved (7-0).
  • General Provisions (Ordinance #26-07): Introduced on first reading. Approved (7-0).

Resolutions

All resolutions were approved unanimously (7-0):

  • #26-41: Accepted $7,000 in Public Library Assistance Grant funds.
  • #26-42: Accepted a FEMA SAFER Grant ($684,903.30) and allocated a city match ($425,750.70) to fund three fire department personnel for three years.
  • #26-43: Appropriated an additional $2,750,000 to the Legal Department for legal fees.
  • #26-44: Appropriated an additional $40,000 to the Economic Development Department for tourism.
  • #26-45: Transferred $142,000 of General Obligation Bond proceeds to Municipal Well #5.
  • #26-46: Transferred $515,600 to Child Care Facility Design and Renovation.
  • #26-47: Adopted Terminal Tariff 101-26.
  • #26-48: Supported Alderwood, LLC in purchasing the Alderwood Mobile Home Park from the State of Alaska.

Reports and Legal Updates

  • City Manager Update: Announced budget work sessions starting Thursday. Reported progress on a D.C. trip and discussions on Coast Guard homeporting, noting Valdez is "absolutely on the list."
  • City Attorney Update (Jake):
    • Alyeska C-Plan Victory: The city prevailed on all substantive issues. The plan must be revised to increase the Greatest Possible Discharge (GPD) volume from 900,000 to 8 million barrels and include more robust procedures and equipment lists.
    • Secondary Containment Leakage: Hydrostatic testing at Alyeska dike cells showed significant leakage, estimated between 7,800 and 57,000 gallons over a 12-hour period.
    • Updates were provided on TAPS property appeals and the Abel employment matter.

Key Outcomes

  • Unanimous Approvals: Every resolution, ordinance reading, and motion requiring a vote passed 7-0.
  • Child Care Investment: A $3.4 million construction contract was awarded, and $515,600 was appropriated for the project.
  • Tax Relief Progress: A historic property tax exemption ordinance passed its first reading unanimously.
  • Fire Department Staffing: A SAFER grant was accepted to fund three temporary firefighter positions to backfill retirements over three years.
  • Legal Victory on Oil Spill Plan: The city achieved a significant win against Alyeska, requiring a major expansion of its spill contingency plan.

Meeting Transcript

Okay, we're gonna go ahead and call this meeting to order. Everybody anybody would like to stand up and pledge of allegiance with me. Hi. Hi. Why do we just do the United States of America? Justice Project. Okay, Sherry, go ahead and give me a roll call. Mr. Mayor, all council members are present this evening online. We have Councilmember Foster and Council Member Green. Excellent. Okay, we're gonna go to approval of minutes. Are there any corrections to the minutes as presented? Okay, hearing none, the minutes will stand as approved. Um next we have public appearances. Um update from Senator George Rousher. Okay, yeah, can you hear me? Sure can yeah, I appreciate it. So I've been working with the commissioner and uh and the manager invalids to uh try and move this very well and uh there's it I think it's uh the uh um George Um if I if I lose you, just George. I lost your connection here really bad today. We've got A T and T, and I think everybody's complaining. But yeah, so uh but anyway, so uh we're still working on that declaration. We're still uh uh a few uh yeah, George. We lost you there in your connection, you're broken up really bad. Okay, George, we're having some difficulty with your take a breath there. Let me get in. You got me, George. Okay, we'll we'll try to see if uh maybe later on we can get old to George by radio. All right, yep, it's good. All right, Senator Rousher, are you connected by phone or computer?

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