CALL TO ORDER

A Public Hearing was held at the Kenai Senior Center, 361 Senior Court, Kenai, Alaska on March 27, 2001, to hear comments from interested persons favoring or opposing Resolution 2001-026 (Designating Property near the Wildwood Correctional Complex for the Prison Site Subject to Certain Conditions and Authorizing the Mayor to Negotiate with Kenai Natives Association for Transfer by Sale or Long-Term Lease with a Purchase Option). With over 90 people in attendance, President Navarre called the hearing to order at 7:03  p.m.

There were present: (Tape 1, 20)

Tim Navarre, Presiding

Jack Brown

Paul Fischer

Ron Long

Milli Martin

Grace Merkes

Chris Moss (arrived at 7:25 p.m.)

Bill Popp

Pete Sprague

Also in attendance were:

Sherry Biggs, Deputy Borough Clerk

Sue Ellen Essert, Administrative Assistant - Clerk's Office

Senator John Torgerson (via teleconference)

Representative Ken Lancaster (via teleconference)

OPENING REMARKS

President Navarre explained that only public testimony would be taken at the hearing. The Assembly would not take action on Resolution 2001-026 until the regularly scheduled meeting of April 17, 2001.

PUBLIC COMMENTS (Tape 1, 85)

The following people were present and spoke in favor of Resolution 2001-026:

Michael Slezak, 204 S. Forest Dr. #14, Kenai, AK

Janey Ring, 1615 Tanaga, Kenai, AK

Robert T. Peterkin II, PO Box 381, Kenai, AK

Jim Butler, 480 Roy Way, Kenai, AK

Elsie Hendryx, 618 Fir, Kenai, AK

Joe Moore, 1006 Inlet Woods, Kenai, AK

Bill Kluge, 1512 Barabara Street, Kenai, AK

Glenda Feeken, 100 Trading Bay Drive #6, Kenai, AK

Robert C. Favretto, PO Box 7972. Nikiski, AK

Duane Bannock, 1105 First Street, Kenai, AK

Mark Powell, 46655A Spur Highway, Kenai, AK

Susan Wells, 37305 Cetacea, Kenai, AK

Jason Bergevin, 177 E. Redoubt, Soldotna, AK

Michael Carpenter, 37305 Cetacea, Kenai, AK

Blaine Gilman, 116 Haida Drive, Kenai, AK

Craig Wells, Mile 17.5 Kalifornsky Beach Road, Kenai, AK

Tom Livingston, of Livingston Slone, Inc., Anchorage, AK

The following people spoke in favor of Resolution 2001-026, but encouraged the facility to be publicly owned and operated:

Caroline Huhndorf, PO Box 8014, Nikiski, AK

Mako Haggerty, PO Box 2001, Homer, AK

Mike LeMay, 57480 Clover Avenue, Homer, AK

The following people spoke in opposition to Resolution 2001-026:

Sam Kaser, PO Box 451, Sterling, AK

James Price, PO Box 7043, Nikiski, AK

David Thomas, 247 N. Fireweed, Unit A, Soldotna, AK

Rick Van Hatten, 840 Set Net Drive, Kenai, AK

Kellie Kelso, PO Box 2518, Kenai, AK

Leanard Efta, PO Box 353, Kenai, AK

Edward Call, 1202 Lilac Place, Kenai, AK

John J. Williams, 210 Fidalgo Street, Suite 200, Kenai, AK

John Efta, PO Box 752, Kenai, AK

Vicki Duggin, PO Box 42, Kenai, AK

Bobbie Baldwin, 3080 Kim-n-Ang Court, Kenai, AK

Chrystal Schoenrock, PO Box 8583, Nikiski, AK

ASSEMBLY COMMENTS (Tape 2, 890)

Assembly Member Merkes expressed her desire to have a public prison on the peninsula rather than a privately run facility.

Assembly Member Fischer appreciated the public comments and would analyze the responses.

Assembly Member Martin noted the private versus public concerns raised at the hearing.

Assembly Member Moss felt the prison project was proving to be an enormous learning process and encouraged everyone to stay involved.

Assembly Member Popp noted the prison project was a long process with a number of issues still to be addressed. He encouraged everyone to base their decisions on logic and fact, not heresay. Mr. Popp reminded the audience the private versus public concern was a state issue and encouraged people to contact their legislators.

Assembly Member Brown said the prison project was an excellent way to diversify the local economy, thereby reducing the area's dependence on fisheries and the oil industry.

Assembly Member Long noted the public could participate via the local Legislative Information Offices to listen or provide testimony on state legislation regarding the prison project. Mr. Long stated there was a maximum security prison in Seward and the community had not been ruined or hindered by having a prison in town.

Assembly Member Sprague noted for the record the Kenai Peninsula Borough should not have been listed as a partner on the fact sheet presented by Livingston Slone, Inc.

Assembly President Navarre thanked the audience for their participation and appreciated the attendance by the full assembly. President Navarre expressed his thanks to the City of Kenai for the use of the Kenai Senior Center. Mr. Navarre pledged to keep the public informed as the assembly continued to investigate the prison project.

ADJOURNMENT (Tape 2, 1790)

President Navarre adjourned the hearing at 9:20 p.m.