Council approves Happy Tails contract

Published on March 11th, 2010

By BRISTOL BAY TIMES STAFF

The Dillingham City Council met on March 3 and passed Resolution No. 2010-14, which authorizes the city manager to award a contract with Deanna Hardin's Happy Tails to provide kennel boarding for animals impounded by the city.

The city had been looking to outsource animal shelter services for the current budget cycle ending on June 30. The resolution says the services are of a professional nature requiring specialized knowledge and judgment; the cost for the services is $3,500 per month for the services outlined in the agreement for professional services, and prorated for the first month with the first day of service negotiated; and the cost for the services can be covered under the community services officer department in the fiscal year 2010 budget.

Also approved was Resolution No. 2010-13, which authorizes the city manager to waive the advertising requirements to contract with Happy Tails to provide kennel services. Dillingham Municipal Code (DMC) 4.30.120 allows a waiver of the purchase restrictions if the council determines that the public interest would be best served by doing so.

The council also passed Resolution No. 2010-11, which allows Sheinberg Associates to provide additional consulting support through the next steps of the annexation process. The resolution explains that the city hired Sheinberg Associates to assist in preparing a petition to the local boundary commission to annex territory to its city. The council had already authorized the mayor to file a petition for annexation by local voters' approval to the Alaska Local Boundary Commission of the Nushagak commercial salmon district, and the Wood River Sockeye salmon special harvest area. The city wanted to retain Sheinberg Associates to assist with the next steps since it has the experience, resources and familiarity with the annexation process. In the resolution the council authorizes the city manager to finalize and submit the petition, prepare materials to enact a raw fish severance and sales tax, to support Dillingham during the process. The estimate for this work is $8,750, including $7,500 in professional services and $1,250 in reimbursable costs.

The council also approved Resolution No. 2010-12, which authorizes the city to apply for an easement across a portion of Lot 3, USS 4974, to complete the Tower Road right of way for road reconstruction. The resolution states that the Tower Road is a city road that crosses Native allotment, Lot 3, USS 4974; an easement has not been established for that portion of the Tower Road; the city must file an application with the Bureau Of Indian Affairs to acquire an easement across that land in order to complete reconstruction and paving of the Tower Road; and City Council Resolution 2009-58 supports construction of the Tower Road at the earliest opportunity. City Council approved and authorized the application for an easement crossing Lot 3, USS 4974, for the purposes of completing the Tower Road right of way.

The council postponed until a future meeting a decision about Ordinance No. 2010-03, which amends Chapter 8.16 of the Dillingham Municipal Code related to enhanced e-911 service to increase the monthly surcharge for enhanced e-911 service to and to provide for the surcharge to apply to wireless telephones and to be collected by wireless telephone companies in addition to local exchange telephone companies.