GOLDSTREAM MOOSE CREEK SERVICE AREA MEETING

MAY 20, 2004

The meeting was called to order by Chair Clint Meyer at 7:00 p.m., at the Ken Kunkel Community Center.

MEMBERS PRESENT: Clint Meyer, James Anderson, Mario Gho, Edward Herrgard, and Peter Simpson

MEMBER ABSENT: Doreen Fitzgerald

CONTRACTOR PRESENT: Joan S. O'Leary, Alaska Forget-Me-Not Word Processing Service

Quorum was established.

GUESTS PRESENT:

Deborah Koons

Alfred Sturmann

Erna Sturmann

Diane Solie

Mike Schulze

Migdalin Rentas Schulze

Bob Baker

Robert Webb

Frank Yanags

Gar Pessel

Jan Pessel

Louam Rank

Doug Bishop

Gary Holton

Kent Setzer

Rick Johnson

Jake Sprankle

Richard S. Tilly

Silke Schiever

(List attached to original minutes)

Clint Meyer welcomed everyone to the meeting. This is the largest attendance Clint has seen, which probably is due in part to all the letters sent out. The only thing we need is more commissioners. The commissioners were introduced to those in attendance.

Budget for GMC: Clint reported that as of today there is $12,122.50 left in the GMCSA from the annual budget. We started out with $28,981. Clint stated it would probably behoove us to use this on the road projects this summer because of our contractor King Bee. We are not locked into dollars and cents per yard for material like we are right now. The prices of material for this year from last year’s bid is cheaper than you will find anywhere. Clint asked for any questions or comments on the budget. Clint passed the budget break down sheet showing how the money was spent. This money is just taxes from this fiscal year.

Need for New Commissioners: Ed has signed up for another term. Peter would like to serve again. Jim would be willing to serve as an alternate commissioner. Two more commissioners are needed. Terms are up at the end of June and replacements are definitely needed.

Secretarial Services for GMC Meetings: Joan O’Leary from Alaska Forget-Me-Not WPS is present tonight to take the minutes. It was voted at the last meeting to try a secretarial service in lieu of someone volunteering to take the minutes and transcribe them and take them to the borough, so we will give this a try. A purchase order has been set up for $180 for this fiscal year. We will discuss this for next fiscal year and if we wish to continue with the service. A volunteer does not need to be carry insurance to take the minutes, but a paid service must carry insurance.

Mailboxes: Mario reported that approximately 25 responses were received from the letters. Of those 17 have paid into cluster boxes (3 for the small boxes, 14 for the large boxes). Everyone that has paid should have received their receipt from the borough. At this point we need to make a decision as to when exactly we want to install these boxes and a date to install them. Clint stated it would be 10 to 14 days to receive the boxes. Mario stated that if we have 17 paid boxes, we should order approximately 40 boxes. Mario feels once they are installed a lot of people will want them. Clint stated 16 boxes come in a cluster on a stand. That is the small box - 3-1/4 x 3-3/4 x 12 or 15 deep. Clint figured up for concrete, labor for someone to do it, steel, and for Ms. Worker to have a lock box and extra keys and also extra two sets of locks. Mario stated 10 people wanted their boxes moved. No boxes will remain. The only comment was they wanted it moved but to Jennifer. The down side of Jennifer is that in a different service area so we cannot maintain it. Mario stated the responses were very positive. The idea is to get them out of the Spinach Creek Drive. Each individual pays for their own box. Clint stated that initially the service area would buy the whole group of boxes. The service area is only fronting the money and will be reimbursed as the boxes are sold.

Mario believes all the boxes will be sold eventually and probably more than we have available. Those who do not want them will still have their own mailboxes and they don’t have to pay anything. Mario stated the idea for the boxes is safety. A resident stated it is a security issue as he has found mail under the bridge in the wintertime. Clint figured with installation and everything two sets of boxes will cost something like $3,300 for 40 boxes. Volunteers will be needed in order to install these.

A question was asked if the budgets for the two areas that were merged is going to remain separate or is it going to be one big pot and voted on by everybody. Mario stated the funds are all counted together. It is up to us to be able to account for them separately. The Commission is the one who maintains the funds for one and the other. It is all one pot, except the money Spinach Creek has saved for the last seven years is in a separate pot. Clint stated he figured out each individual house lot on both sides of the road. The revenue generated from Spinach Creek and Moose Mountain Roads is within $200 to $300,000 of total revenues. Your values of your lands are almost equal to Moose Mountain. So the revenues are very close to being the same. Jim has been very impressed by how concerned the Moose Mountain part of our Commission is for Spinach Creek things. Jim was somewhat fearful at first that there would be some kind of big separation of interests or something, but the Moose Mountain people are just as concerned for things in Spinach Creek as they are at Moose Mountain. Jim is quite reassured by that. Clint’s philosophy has always been if you need your road fixed this summer we’re going to fix your road.

Mario asked if there were any concerns or any additional concerns or problems about the process we are going through about the locked boxes and the process of moving the boxes. No questions were forthcoming. A volunteer sheet was circulated and the dates of Saturday July 10th and Saturday, July 24th were set as dates to accomplish this.

The Commission voted on getting 40 cluster boxes. Vote was five out of six commissioners to obtain 40 cluster boxes.

Road Projects for Summer 2004: Mario was asked a question at the last meeting about the funds of the Keystone, Frenchman, and Hardluck for road improvements. Mario did not know the history of this so Mario went through the minutes of the meetings that happened in 1998 when the taxes were increased for the road service. This note was sent to the rest of the commissioners. Reviewed the minutes of Spinach Creek Road Service for the year 1998 when the mill rate increased and discussion of road repairs took place. The cost to repair Keystone, Frenchman, and Hardluck would be about $158,000. It was agreed to increase the mill rate by two points to generate about $10,000 per year for this purpose. The repairs would consist of installing base materials, surface materials, ditching, brushing, and three cross culverts. It would take about 12 to 15 years to generate enough funds to do all the roads from 1998. There was no indication that these funds would be used to install culverts on individual driveways. There were miscellaneous comments about working one road every three to five years, organizing group parties to do some work, ask neighbors to do individual driveways and repair and install culverts on uphill sides of the roads to allow drainage away from the road. Those are the comments Mario got out of the minutes. As of July 1st of this year there was about $54,000 accumulated from this increase of revenue for that, about a third of what we needed.

Clint stated that in April the road commissioners got together with PE Trent Mackey of Rural Services. We drove around and took a look at basically Spinach Creek because there were a number of issues there this springtime. A number of driveways, predominantly all of them on Frenchman and Hardluck on the uphill driveways that all run out onto the road. We came to the conclusion that since we have not really set a precedent of replacing the driveways what we were going to do was raise the crown of the road in front of the driveways. The proposal was that we are going to do Keystone Road from the start up to three-quarters of the way up on the hill. There are two main driveways there that have essentially washed out and there is a sow’s belly right in the middle of the road all the way from the top to the bottom. We are going to redo that from the bottom up to three-quarters of the way and figuring the cost at about $20,000. Then we will start on Hardluck and Frenchman on the uphill driveways and raise the crown of the road and this could be tied in with King Bee because of the good deal on materials and this will be about $300. Pete came up with that idea on Meribel on Moose Mountain last year and it worked very well. Maribel is going to need some minor ditch repair in spots. Some more gravel will be put in spots on Moose Mountain and also do minor repairs.

Spinach Creek will be better than it was and there is $12,000 - spend a little on the Moose Mountain side and the rest of it to Spinach Creek has saved up to get those roads better and next year we will have some more money to spend on the Moose Mountain stuff.

Comments were called for. It was agreed that Frenchman, Hardluck, and Keystone are definitely the worst of all of them. Water is the issue. Tepako Road in Moose Mountain is slimy but not full of potholes. There is another one that is slimy but the rest were in pretty good shape. Clint agreed and that with some grading and gravel it should be fine. Hardluck needs a cross culvert. This could be put off until next year. Moose Mountain has three places that definitely need some work with cross culverts on the main road. Mario pointed out that we wanted to do as much as possible before the end of the fiscal year and the most efficient use of that money.

Brushing was discussed. Pete did a good job in negotiating and they got paid half of what they asked for because of the job that was done. Clint explained King Bee’s bid cost was good so if we can get as much done this year before the fiscal year ends as we are not going to get a price like that again. Jim agreed that we got off on a bad start with the brushing but he was impressed with the snowplowing job. The hardpack was not done to specifications so Pete showed them what needed to be done and it took them twice as long. The borough goes with the low bid for the contractor jobs. It was stated that we do have a choice not to give them as much work and let it go out for bid again and perhaps get someone who will do a better job. Clint stated if there are problems, the commissioners should be contacted so they can look at the job that is being done and something can be done right then. We are all volunteers and we probably all volunteered to do this because we wanted to help, but all of us do not have the time to drive all of these roads and check on everything.

A resident stated that his driveway was left with an eight-inch drop. Mario stated all driveways should be feathered. Call Clint or Mario so that they can take care of the problem when it happens.

A resident stated he feels that the homeowners have a responsibility to keep their driveways in proper condition so that the road drains correctly. He feels it is time that they get the culvert out there and we fix it. An in-depth discussion was held on driveways and various suggestions were received. Mario stated everyone should have received the driveway letters. A lady resident was here tonight because of the letter and glad that we are getting a chance to take care of the problem and is here to be a responsible person. Mario stated the residents will purchase their own culvert and the road service will put it in. Mario again stated we are proposing to do approximately two-thirds of Keystone, 200 yards of Frenchman and 200 yards of Hardluck and the other was with some repairs in Moose Mountain. Those are the four road jobs being proposed. At this rate in about seven years all the three roads will be completed.

Clint wanted it made clear about the service area paying for the installation of the culvert with the property owner paying for the culvert for their driveways and if this is setting a precedent. This is a new service area and this needs to be considered for the long term. Discussion was held on the requirements for driveways and how to enforce the requirements. Another resident felt a large majority would fix their driveways if we ask them to. Another resident pointed out if the equipment is there working on the road we are not necessarily doing it for the landowner. We are assisting him and trying to make it so the common road is better for everyone.

Mario stated that he feels once the equipment is there to work on the road it is not setting a precedent for the homeowner to purchase a culvert and we install it for him. This does not mean we will install culverts for whomever and whenever they want it and that is way out of service area responsibility. A volunteer list was collected for people who will talk to their neighbors regarding culverts. Clint will call everyone in two weeks and you need a list of the people you talked to and as to your progress.

The proposal is to do Keystone, two-thirds of the way up the hill. We start on Frenchman and Hardluck. We go on Frenchman Road and we get all the uphill driveways. Every uphill driveway that has potholes at the bottom we put material in front of there and crown the whole road. We are going to grade the whole road and do as much as there is money for. The high priority areas will be ditched.

A resident suggested a visual inspection by one of the commissioners of the work before the contractor removes his equipment. It will save the contractor money and good for us too. Pete thought this was a great idea and for anyone who sees anything to call the commissioners.

A vote of the commissioners was called in favor of approving the Summer of 2004 Work Projects. Unanimously passed.

Vote to Move Moneys from MM Neighborhood account to the GMC General Account: Roger Evans donated some money to Moose Mountain Neighborhood as a donation in kind. We need to move this money over into the General Fund. It is still going to be spent on Moose Mountain projects. For accountability reasons the borough has requested that it be moved. Clint called for a vote from the commissioners if we want to move it over. Pete has the money in an account. The proposal is to move that money over into Moose Mountain. There was $7,000 and $500 was spent on signs, so the balance is $6,500. This money will be spent on upgrades and safety issues on Moose Mountain Subdivision.

A hand vote was taken for moving the $6,500 over to the General Fund. Unanimous passed.

Next Meeting Date: The next meeting date will be Thursday, August 19, 2004 at the Ken Kunkel Community Center.

Other Comments: A resident had photos of the damage done by the snowplowing contractor to his snowplow drag. He has talked to the driver in person but he did not understand what was done. He would like to be reimbursed for at least the material. The resident is worried about where the snow will be placed next year. Clint said he should have called him at home. If something like that happens, just call Clint or another commissioner because it is easier to fix the problem than at this late date.

ADJOURNMENT: With no further business to come before the Commission, the meeting adjourned at 9:00 p.m.

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