The Soldotna City Council chamber was filled to capacity Wednesday night, but not one person was there to comment on the city’s $11 million-plus budget for the coming year or on the latest version of the city’s proposed sign ordinance.
Instead, a large contingent was present to hear nine fifth-graders read their essays on what they learned through participation in the Drug Abuse Resistance Education (DARE) Program at their schools.
One by one, the boys and girls addressed the council, repeating facts and figures they learned regarding drug and alcohol abuse, tobacco use, Internet predators and bullying. Some threw in plaudits for Soldotna Police Officer Tony Garcia, their DARE instructor.
Garcia introduced the speakers as winners of a DARE essay contest and displayed oversized — 3-foot long — pencils each winner received.
Following the readings, Redoubt Elementary School Principal John Pothast thanked the city council and Police Chief John Lucking Jr. for assigning Garcia to assist with the DARE education.
“Officer Garcia is a tremendous resource and asset for us. He makes an impact. The kids love him,” Pothast said. “Our youth is our future.”
Soldotna Elementary School Principal Carolyn Cannava echoed Pothast’s praise of Garcia and thanked the city for continuing to fund the After the Bell Program.
Stuart Laurion, concession manager for the Soldotna Sports Center, presented a $2,006 check to the city representing 10 percent of earnings from concessions during the past year. Laurion said the concessions generated $24,954 in sales, and after expenses, Soldotna High School netted $6,842.
Two students who worked with Laurion during the school year — Jewell Briggs and Jordan Eckert — thanked the council for the experience they received in cash handling and working with the public.
After the student presentations, Council member Jim Stogsdill asked that a public hearing on the proposed sign ordinance be scheduled for June 13 rather than May 23, when the council is slated to work on the city’s 2008 fiscal year budget.
The city council earlier voted to restrict freestanding signs to 20 feet in height and prohibit them from being placed within 20 feet of a curb. Mayor Dave Carey vetoed the ordinance, saying existing signs should be exempt from the new rules and the council failed to muster enough votes to override the veto.
City Manager Tom Boedeker said earlier, the new proposal took out the provision for bringing existing signs into compliance within 10 years and deleted reference to a seven-year variance for which business owners could apply after 10 years.
“Existing signs will be nonconforming (under the new law), but they do not need to bring them into compliance in 10 years,” he said.
If something happens to a sign requiring it to be rebuilt, the replacement sign must meet new compliance standards.
Responding to a question from Boedeker, the council decided to schedule a work session on the 2008 budget for one hour before the next council meeting, May 23.
The $11 million budget is approximately $1 million more than last year’s city budget, primarily due to hikes in the city’s health insurance rate, its mandated contribution to the Public Employee Retirement System and rising utility costs.
In other business, the council approved an $85,000 appropriation to pay for water and sewer line freeze-up repairs.
Mayor Carey said the city is recommending people continue allowing their water to run to prevent frozen pipes, at least through June 1.
The council also approved an $89,500 contract to Peninsula Construction Inc. to repair flood and ice damage to stairs and walkways along the Kenai River at Soldotna Creek Park.
The council announced the names of four students who won city scholarships. Academic scholarships of $2,000 were awarded to Tashina Wortham-Turnbull and Kendra Merkes; a vocational scholarship of $2,000 was awarded to Cayla Cole; and a $1,500 academic scholarship was awarded to Patrick Moore. Wortham-Turnbull is the student ex-officio member of the council.
Phil Hermanek can be reached at phillip.hermanek@peninsulaclarion.com.
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