The most recent Port Commission meeting discussed a number of issues related to the ongoing Mariner’s Memorial project, lease space at The Marine Service Center, and a determination of whether Shoemaker or Inner harbors would receive priority in renovation efforts.
In harbormaster Greg Meissner’s report to the commission he caught the commissioners up to speed on issues regarding Heritage Harbor.
“The signage will be going in soon,” Meissner said. “We’ll put the parking signs in and the rules signs for the boat launch and all that. It sounds like we’ll start that next week when (they) get a mini-excavator here.”
Meissner then spoke to funding for the proposed Mariner’s Memorial at Heritage.
“The one question we had last meeting was whether or not we could use the remaining balance of funds to work on the Mariner’s Memorial site. There is somewhere right around $40,000, plus or minus, in that pot,” Meissner added. “(We’re) looking at that to see if we can move toward some kind of covered structure. So, we posed the question to the state grant and they said ‘not a problem,’ we could use it for that. They gave us a one-year extension as well.”
According to Meissner, The Marine Service Center Phase II project will begin this week and includes survey work and moving of vessels along with cleanup of the site in preparation for laying of new concrete. Over the next two weeks, he added, tearing up of the ground and preparations for the new road surface will begin.
The prospect of soliciting for donations for the construction of aspects of the memorial, once the essential design is completed, was also raised by commission chair Brennon Eagle and others. According to Eagle the money could help add additional design elements that are possibly not budgeted in the plan for the structure.
“We have people that would like to donate money and I think it would be easier to go to people and say ‘Here is the finished product. Can you help with this part of it or (that) part of it, or if you can with this much it will get us much farther,’” Eagle said. “I’d like to fast-track this thing because we have money that is available for another year, and we know how slow things can move sometimes and we could lose that portion of what is there.”
After discussion, the continuing plan for the process of design and construction of the memorial was put off until the commission’s next meeting in May.
The commission also considered prioritizing capital improvements for Shoemaker Bay over Inner Harbor, with both proposed projects reaching into the millions of dollars.
“The numbers kicked around to do Inner Harbor complete new float structures is about 4 to $4.5 million rough guess as to what it would cost to do that,” Eagle said. “To redo Shoemaker Bay the rough guess there is 9 to $9.5 million, so, obviously we can’t do both because we don’t have enough money … so we need to prioritize one or the other so that we do the one that is most important, or is in the worst shape.”
Commissioner Eric Yancey said he felt Shoemaker was in most need of help – and favored an all-or-nothing approach.
“Shoemaker looked, all around, like it was in a little tougher shape than Inner Harbor,” commissioner Eric Yancey said. “But, it is a lot more dollars to try to find to do major work. I don’t think we need to throw a million dollars into Shoemaker just to try to survive for a few years because we’d be wasting that million dollars if we don’t go for it all.”
The commission then moved forward with a plan for resolution language that will recognize a public acknowledgment of Shoemaker as the priority project for the city.
The commission also unanimously approved a request for additional lease space by Alaska Special Seafoods. The rate for square footage of long-term lease space that is already improved with concrete and other services was set at 12 cents per square foot as well. Commissioner Bill Knecht abstained from the second vote, as one of his lease properties would be affected by the decision. Unfinished lease space to be used in the future will be reserved, by a commission decision, but no boats would be allowed placement there until the concrete work is finished.
During the meeting Meissner also thanked LaDonna Botsford for 17 years of service to the harbor department. She retired March 29.
“After 17 years with the harbor LaDonna has moved on,” Meissner said. “She is moving to the Alaska ferry system … so I wish her well. I thank her for her 17 years of putting up with all that comes with it.”
The next meeting of the commission is set for May 2 at 7 p.m. at City Hall.
Reader Comments(0)