CITY PLANNER— Erin Reinders presented an update on the new downtown zoning ordinance in a work session before the Nome Common Council meeting.  A public meeting that was supposed to take place last month was canceled due to lack of quorum of the Planning Commission. The meeting is rescheduled to take place at a later date.

City of Nome to hire PR firm to improve communications with public

In its first meeting this year, the Nome Common Council breezed through an varied agenda, full of issues to be tackled in the year ahead.
While the City is still looking for a permanent City Manager —City Clerk Dan Grimmer is still filling the role of acting city manager — newly hired Assistant City Manager Megan Onders delivered her first report on economic development. A request for proposals for an economic development consultant resulted in six responses, with the most qualified applicant being also the lowest bidder at cost of $37,650 for a six-month contract, she said. The applicant is Stephanie Queen, former city manager and former director of economic development and planning for the city of Soldotna.
Onders recommended to extend a contract to Ms. Queen.
No council action was taken, as no contract was before the panel to vote on.
Onders also briefed the council on her efforts to organize a series of round tables and public meetings, first with a local leaders, organizations and entities to “share their vision and contributions to the economic development of Nome. The event is scheduled for March 21.
A City of Nome Investment Summit is planned for April 18 and will convene corporate leaders from across Alaska “to share best practices in tourism expansion, workforce development, public infrastructure finance, science support, mineral exploration and military support, according to Onders.
Also, a secondary task piled onto Onders’  plate is to help the city with public relations, especially regarding the Nome Police Department. The City had put out requests for proposals to hire on a public relations company. Three bids were received, two from Alaskan firms, one from a New York City firm. Former interim city manager sent a memo to the council to recommend choosing one of the Alaskan firms. Cedar Group quoted a cost of $50-$60,000 for a 12-month period. Thompson and Co. has a minimum of $5,000 per month and quoted hourly rates. This cost was not included in the city’s budget. Onders said she envisions the role of the firm to come up with a set of communication policies  and to train her in the assuming a PR role for the city.
The evaluation for the PR firms,  Mayor Handeland said, should be addressed in executive session, which took place after the regular meeting. No action was taken after the session behind closed doors.
In other business, the Council passed a resolution to authorize Mayor John Handeland to execute an escrow agreement with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Northrim Bank to park funds earmarked for the Port of Nome expansion in an escrow account “acceptable to the government with interest accruing” to Nome. The funds are to be used for payment of the future costs borne by the city in their cost-share agreement with the Corps.
The council also passed a resolution declaring six properties in Nome as hazards or public nuisances and authorizing the buildings’ removal or demolition. The Council passed resolutions pursuing grants. One for a State Homeland Security grant  for the hire of a consultant to update the city’s 2011 Emergency Operations Response Plan and training, as well as “secure information technology upgrades to protect the city from cyber threats. The other resolution passed allows city administrators to apply for a $50,000 NSEDC Outside Entity Funding grant to upgrade the XYZ hot water heater and to renovate the Rec Center’s locker rooms, bathrooms, shower and sauna facilities.
The council mulled a request from Checker Cab owner Rodney Jones for forgiveness of 2021 and 2022 sales tax penalties and interest. Jones cited a hard time and technological barriers to submit sales tax when the city switched to a new online only system of tax collection. Grimmer said Jones paid up 2021 and 2022 taxes, is working on 2023 numbers and is current on sales tax submission for 2024. The council opted to hold off on any action until the next meeting on January 27 when a work session is scheduled prior to address the city’s handling of taxi medallions.

 

The Nome Nugget

PO Box 610
Nome, Alaska 99762
USA

Phone: (907) 443-5235
Fax: (907) 443-5112

www.nomenugget.net

External Links