What seemed like a routine budget amendment at Tuesday night's City Council meeting ended up resulting in a lengthy discussion about scrap metal disposal.  The amendment proposed transferring $60,000 from the general fund into a scrap metal removal fund.  In a memorandum to Council, City Manager Chris Hladick explained that the money would be used to pay a contractor to remove scrap metal from the landfill and the rest of the island this summer.  

Tom Robinson, representing the Qawalangin tribe, asked Council to defer any decision on the contract.  He indicated that the tribe has been considering a business partnership that would effectively do the same thing, without a subsidy from the city.  Robinson wasn’t able to provide details of the proposal, however, saying it had only recently been developed.  Council ended up allocating the money in a 6-0 vote, but moving the money doesn't necessarily mean they'll go ahead with the plan.  Council will need to vote separately on any contract before it's awarded.

The other major chunk of the meeting was dedicated to presentation about 2012 capital projects by Public Works Director Nancy Peterson,  They run the gamut from minor fixes at the new small boat harbor and powerhouse all the way to major paving work and utility extensions.

Councilors were most interested in knowing how paving projects were being prioritized this year.  City Manager Chris Hladick says they’ll happen if and when the money is available.

"When you see the CMMP, you'll see the juggling act we're looking at with paving.  As usual we have like $25 million in paving projects we'd like to do and then we have to the landfill, leachate flow leveling tank, wastewater treatment plant, water treatment plant, Ballyhoo road.  So, when you see it in its entirety, you'll see the juggling act we're trying to do trying to get it all done." 

Peterson also explained how Public Works decides whether to put a design contract out to bid or to contract a company with existing ties to the city.  Councilor Dennis Robinson expressed support for the idea of using designers familiar with the City's projects, but cautioned against widespread application of the practice.

"I don't want for a minute to see this spill over into construction-type contracts.  And if and whenever we do a sole-source, it would be very helpful to put that basic information in a nutshell - 'this is why we're doing this.'"

The final Council action for the evening was a unanimous vote expressing support for a House bill creating an Arctic Policy Commission.  If created by the State Legislature, the Commission would develop an Arctic agenda for Alaska.  Unalaska is the nearest deepwater port to the Arctic.