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After a lengthy discussion and several amendments, the Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly approved the creation of job descriptions for administrative service employees, Tuesday at its meeting in Soldotna.

The new ordinance lists descriptions and qualifications for about 50 specific jobs. Due to an amendment made by Assemblyman Paul Fischer, the mayor's chief of staff, special assistant and administrative assistant were excluded from the resolution. Those positions should be the mayor's choice and the not the decision of the assembly, Fischer said.

"The job descriptions for any administrative positions added, deleted or amended will require the mayor's and assembly's approval excluding chief of staff, special assistant to the mayor and the mayor's administrative assistant," the amended ordinance reads.

Borough Mayor Dave Carey requested a rubric of the standard of measurement for each job.

Considerable attention was also given to an ordinance that would redirect $190,000 previously appropriated to the Solid Waste Capital Project Fund to purchase equipment needed to implement a junk vehicle removal program to the Solid Waste Operating Fund. The motion failed on a 5-4 vote.

During former Borough Mayor John Williams' administration, the money was to be used to buy a wrecker/fork truck and to begin work on a preparation station, according to a memo from Jack Maryott, solid waste director; and Craig Chapman, finance director.

"The administration would prefer to utilize these funds to contract for towing, vehicle preparation, crushing and transporting junk vehicles to a recycle center," the memo reads.

Tim Navarre, Williams' chief of staff, said the project was to be a long-term investment for the borough. "I hate to see you go away from that," he said to the assembly.

Maryott estimated the money would eliminate 400 to 500 cars. The previous plan was to have a covered facility that could be used year-round, he said.

The program was funded but had not begun when Carey took office.

"We re-evaluated the situation and decided to spend the money this way," Carey said.

Assemblyman Gary Knopp supported a one-time project, like Carey proposed. Conducting a project such as this once every five years or so is appropriate, he said.

Gary Superman, however, said junk vehicle removal is a major issue plaguing Nikiski. He advised against going to this one-time plan, as it's an ongoing issue.

"I would hope we look at this as a longer-term problem," he said.

The assembly voted against a proposed reduction of borough sales tax on motor vehicle fuel from Jan. 1, 2010, to May 31, 2010.

The borough's General Fund is expected to be larger than anticipated, according to the ordinance. The suspension would result in a $1 million to $1.4 million reduction in sales tax revenue.

Assembly Vice President Pete Sprague said it's premature to discuss reducing sales tax, especially with an uncertain economic future of the borough.

Superman, like Sprague, was against introducing the ordinance. Any fuel tax issues should be dealt with in May, he said.

Knopp, along with newly elected assembly members Sue McClure and Mako Haggerty were sworn in during the meeting.

In other assembly business, the governing body passed ordinances that:

* recorded expenditures of $1,985,582 paid by the state of Alaska Department of Administration on behalf of the borough toward the borough's unfunded PERS liability.

* accepted and appropriated a grant from the U.S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in the amount of $699,300 for the borough's Cook Inlet Beluga Whale recovery study.

* accepted and appropriated funding from the state of Alaska in the amount of $545,400 for community purposes under the state's 2009/2010 community revenue sharing program.

* eliminated limitations on terms of office for school board members.

Mike Nesper can be reached at mike.nesper@peninsulaclarion.com.