draft minutes of February meeting

Please email Stu or leave comment with any corrections/additions. These are draft until voted on at the next meeting, August 18th, 7-9 pm at Davies garage.


23 Mile Slough RSA February 13, 2010 Meeting Minutes

Meeting called to order at 5:00 p.m at the Moose Creek Community Center

Attendance

Commissioners: Ed Arobio, Irene Coben, Stuart Davies

Residents: Robyn Davies, Darcy Etcheverry, Sharon Harlow, Sherry Henderson, Jerry Marlow, Dan Rees, Warren Smith, Kris Straub, John Tobin

October 10, 2009 Meeting Minutes

The minutes of the October 10, 2009 meeting were reviewed and approved unanimously.

Review of Agenda

Reviewed agenda, asked for any new items to add to agenda, none offered, moved to approve agenda, motion carried unanimously.

Financial Report
$26.073 remaining in this years budget

Review of Contractor Performance and Vote on Renewing Maintenance Contract

Reviewed work done by Mitch with Rolling Stone last year. We have not yet spent the full amount budgeted for his work last year, so we talked about having him start on repair work needed before the new fiscal year budget is approved. A new PO will be issued to Rolling Stone to start work on one of three repair projects that will be needed this year as soon as the road is ready for the work. There was a motion made to approve Mitch with Rolling Stone for next year's work, no objections, motion carried unanimously.

There was further discussion about talking with Mitch to be sure he has talked to Keith about what Keith did on the road before Mitch begins the repairs this year so that parts of the road that are still good are not removed and redone if not necessary. (Cobens driveway to 1st curve)

Bylaws

Proposed changes to the bylaws were reviewed and discussed. These changes have already been approved by borough personnel. A new ordinance passed the borough assembly only requiring 2 meetings each year, so that was changed in the bylaws to require just a first quarter and a third quarter meeting, i.e., February and August each year, also added that membership can call for a vote on issues. Ed Arobio made a motion to accept bylaws as they were changed, but there was further discussion about additional changes that need to be made. There was a discussion about not calling these bylaws, but instead calling them "Operating Procedures". There was a discussion about voting procedures at meetings, and whether two meetings a year was sufficient to conduct road service business. The consensus was that two meetings were sufficient, additional meetings could be called, and with the email contact most members have with the commissioners, information and concerns can get out to the membership between meetings. The idea of voting on and recommending commissioners to the Borough was discussed and dropped. The bylaws (operating procedures) were approved unanimously with changes suggested.

Alternate Commissioner Position

This discussion started with a call again to members to apply for the open alternate commissioner position, and this led to a discussion of commissioner terms, reminding members that Stu Davies and Irene Coben will be applying to renew their terms on the commission.

State Maintenance

Letter was sent out to legislators and state officials. Residents encouraged to talk with their legislators about need for state to take over maintenance of EFR. So far there have been three responses from those contacted, Rep Guttenberg, Director Havemeister and Sen.Paskvan. Rep Guttenberg felt the RSA had good cause for requesting state maintenance and indicated he would pursue it from his end.

Project List

Review of project list was made to members again, same projects are 1 and 2 as before; project list appears to remain appropriate as to RSA needs and priorities.

Budget

The proposed budget for FY 2011 for $89,424 was discussed at length. Mowing the right of way on each side of the main road will occur this year. Reviewed the cost, there are sufficient funds to meet this expense. Talked about what time of year is best to do the mowing, and some of the issues involved with how wide an area will be mowed. The usual, annual expenditures for road maintenance, repair and plowing were reviewed and discussed. Discussion about the use of project funds to repair three ½ mile sections of EFR, from Irene's to the first curve, repair the section just beyond the culverts at Warren's driveway to Davies driveway, and the end of the road for a total of about $47,000, which would be submitted to the borough along with normal annual expenditures. Motion was made by Stu to approve the proposed budget, minus weed control, to include using project funds for estimated repair of 3 sections of road. There were no objections, the commissioners voted unanimously to approve FY2011 budget in the amount of $85,224.

Maintenance Issues

There was a discussion the damage done to road by speed and weight. At breakup weight restriction signs will be posted at each end of EFR. Commissioners will make courtesy phone call and send out letter to Robert Riddell & Jim Huffman when weight restrictions begin. Riddle (Fairbanks Pumping and Thawing) is moving solid waste to his disposal site at 2.5 mile, as well as to Jim Huffman about moving equipment.

There was additional discussion about clearing trees around curves for a better line of sight between Warren's driveway and Sebaugh Road.

Weed Control

This issue was well discussed through emails. It has been determined that RSA money cannot be spent on weed control. It is still going to be up to the individual property owners to deal with weed control in the public right of way. There are some owners who want to use weed killing chemicals to deal with weed control, and there are others who just want to mow, and others who don't want to do anything. There is some concern about liability to property owners if they choose to use weed killing chemicals on their own property, but those chemicals leech over to a neighbor's property who does not want weed killing chemicals used. Darcy Etcheverry agreed to head up the weed control issue and work on arranging for a weed pulling/cutting day to try to get a handle on weed control. Stu will look into the liability issue of property owners doing their own weed control in whatever manner they see fit.

Public Comments

There was a discussion about the desired acceleration lane for turning left onto the Richardson Hwy from Eielson Farm Road. DOT says they will do nothing about that unless someone dies at that intersection and it becomes a safety issue. There was some discussion that repair work for that intersection had already been approved for this summer and how could we get someone to do the acceleration lane while they were already working on the intersection.

Commissioner Comments

Stu is now the District 1 ARSAC rep for our commission at ARSAC meetings. The ARSAC recommended to the Assembly to decrease RSA meetings to twice per year instead of the four times per year previously required.

Accordingly, with only two RSA meetings to be done each year, the summer meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, August 18, 2010, from 7:00-9:00 pm at Stu and Robin's house, and the winter meeting is scheduled for Saturday, February 5, 2011, from 4-6 pm at the Moose Creek Community Center.

Meeting adjourned at 7:00 p.m.