The Kenai City Council welcomed its newest student representative, received a check from a fundraiser and addressed four ordinances on their agenda in a brief meeting Wednesday.
Allison Ostrander, a senior at Kenai Central High School, was sworn in to office to begin her one-year term as student representative.
Joseph Jolly, representing Kenai Senior Connection, presented a check for $18,479.86 to the city of Kenai for a Meals on Wheels fundraiser.
Mayor Pat Porter thanked Jolly and all the volunteers who dedicate their time to provide service to seniors in need.
“I know how dedicated you all work in helping others in need,” Porter said. “You provide an extremely important service to our community and we all appreciate your tireless efforts.”
In August, the Kenai Senior Center counted 2,291 home meals served. In addition 65 individuals donated 685 hours of volunteer service for various senior issues, according to a report from Rachael Craig, Director of the Kenai Senior Center.
Porter introduced the newest addition to administration, Matthew Kelly, hired as Kenai City Planner. Kelly, from Fort Bragg, California, started work on Sept. 11.
The council postponed two ordinances indefinitely regarding zoning for group care facilities and emergency shelters with the intention of holding a Planning and Zoning commission work session to review and finalize the code with the city planner.
The council passed an ordinance to re-appropriate state funds in the capital project fund in the amount of $2,302 to complete the boiler replacement and heated sidewalk project at the senior center.
The council passed an ordinance to accept and appropriate federal and state grants for repair of South Spruce Street following the October 2013 flood damage. The city received $27,605.04 from federal emergency management grants and $9,201.69 in state grants after the flood was declared a national disaster.
In other business, the council approved travel for council member Brian Gabriel to accompany Kenai City Manager Rick Koch to petition the members of the Alaska Board of Fish, who are meeting in Juneau for a work session, to conduct its 2017 board meeting on the Kenai Peninsula.
The council also appointed and confirmed Kenai resident James Glendening to the Harbor commisison.
The meeting adjourned after 30-minutes. In his closing comments, council member Mike Boyle welcomed Ostrander to the council with a word of caution.
“This will be the shortest meeting you will be a part of,” he said.
Reach Dan Balmer at daniel.balmer@peninsulaclarion.com
