February 2005
Agenda
O'Malley Elementary School
Thursday, February 17, 2005
CONVENTION CENTER CONTENTION?
I've told 100 people that Chicago is a great city! The truth is, I've seen little more than the airport, my hotel room and the vast McCormick Convention Center. The trade show I go to is bigger than any in Anchorage and only takes up a speck of the McCormick Center. My positive impression and the bucks I spend are just what Chicago boosters want.
And there are more than a few who want to do the same for Anchorage. In the elections on April 5th, we'll be asked to approve an increase in the hotel bed tax rate. Those revenues will go to building and running a new convention center. Scott Anaya from the Anchorage Civic and Convention Center Yes Campaign ( http://www.anchorageconventioncenter.com/ ) will make a pitch for your vote for that tax change.
According to Mr. Anaya :
That's very compelling, but not everyone is so sure this is a good deal. Former Anchorage Assemblyman and astute political observer, Don Smith, will give us an alternative viewpoint. While he makes many points against this proposal, the most salient is this: The Egan Center was paid for by the state and given to the city, yet it has consistently run an operating deficit that is covered by reaching into the pockets of Anchorage tax payers. How will a new and larger convention center pay its operating costs and the cost of construction?
A quick Google will find a few more nay-sayers. Heywood Sanders' Space Available: The Realities of Convention Centers as Economic Development Strategy relies primarily on data from convention centers much larger than proposed for Anchorage, but provides insights into potential challenges. Dionne E. Anthon's Unconventional Decisions: Challenging the Use of Hotel Taxes in Convention Center Projects . chronicles recent history of convention centers. It makes for gloomy reading even before it gets into the legal challenges of a hotel tax.
Nothing ventured, nothing gained, right? Should Anchorage build a new convention center? Your vote may decide it! Make sure it's a smart one!
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WHY DO YOU LIVE HERE? Figuring that out is one of the first steps of the Hillside District Plan. After that's figured out, the next step is to figure out how to maintain that. So we pose to you this question: Why do you live on the Hillside? You can fax your answer to 349-8376 or email to john@weddleton.com.
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BRAGAW/ABBOTT LOOP EXTENSION UPDATE The Environmental Assessment has been drafted and Bob Knieffel will give us the scoop. There will be a public meeting at Service High School on February 23, 2005 from 6 - 8 PM. The meeting will update the schedule, present the results of the noise and moose study, and discuss the mitigation included in the project.
We have been requested to consider a resolution:
Based upon the active public involvement process and the community focused design, the Mid Hillside and Hillside East Community Councils support the ADOT&PF construction of the Abbott Loop Extension project from Abbott Road north to 48th Avenue.
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BEVERLY DRIVE LAKE SWAMPS REPLAT Last month's request to replat two lots into one brought in some neighbors who were concerned about the impact development of those lots might have on a lake the entire neighborhood drains into.
The developer, Lance Lamb, expects to maintain the high standards of his previous developments and is confident he will not harm the neighbors. Come to hear his plans.
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SHOULD WE PLOW UP AND DOWN FIRST INSTEAD OF SIDE-TO-SIDE? Hillsider Jerry Krieter would like us to support a request that Alaska DOT re prioritize plowing Hillside Roads. We've asked our state legislators to query DOT about this and hope to tie this in with our Legislative Teleconference.
According to Mr. Kreiter: "The current priority list was compiled last century when the Hillside was a semi-rural area. Times have changed. Anchorage is now a modern urban city with population densities on Hillside which reflect its transition from a remote rural area to a more densely populated bedroom community. The hazard level to the driving public has increased dramatically.
The new schools on the Hillside have added another dimension to this maintenance problem that recently did not exist, compounding traffic both ways.
I believe we all should address snow clearing priorities on the following roads:
A) Rabbit Creek
B) O'Malley
C) Huffman
D) DeArmoun
E) Abbott Loop
I doubt the time and equipment required to address this issue would adversely impact the total DOT Anchorage area snow clean up to any noticeable degree. It should not require additional funds or equipment, just re-prioritizing of existing clean-up routes.
I do have a strong sense that the immediate effect on the health, safety and welfare of the Hillside driving public would be immediate and would dramatically impact us with a far greater margin of safety. "
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The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints would like to expand
their operations in our area with a new church, meeting house, cultural center,
classrooms and offices. These would be built on 4 acres at the south west corner
of O'Malley and Baronik. The Planning Department will review the plans Friday
March 18.
This is technically out of our Council area, but is close
enough for us to get notice and a fat packet of info. You can see it at our
meeting.
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Abe Lincoln went to school in a one room cabin. Your kids might, too! There may be some changes to the set up of the portables at Service High. Got a beef? The hearing is at P&ZC Monday, March 7. Call 272-3567.
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THE PARKS PLAN UPDATE hearing at the Planning & Zoning Commission has been delayed to March 14. The plan can be posted February 11 at http://www.muni.org/planning/prj_parksplan.cfm. Some comments pertaining to our Councils are posted at the website.
Mid-HillsideBoard Members
John Weddleton -President 349-8370 john@weddleton.com
Brian Johnson -Vice President 345-5883 brian.johnson2@akanch.ang.af.mil
Tom O'Grady -Secretary 345-6948 ogrady@gci.net
Linda Perkins -Treasurer 346-2558 miniaturehorses@alaska.com
Kim Ross -Registrar 344-0333 kimross@alaska.com
John Jenkins 240-8609 laurieb@alaska.net
Shirley McGrath 345-1606 smcgrath@alaska.net
Mark Miner 336-2383 akminers@alaska.net
Lance Powell 346-2327 lwpowell1@juno.com
Hillside East Board Members
Tom Newins, President 345-8881 newins@gci.net
Bjarne Holm, Vice President robinholm@ak.net
Our next meeting is Thursday, February 17.
We meet at 7pm on the third Thursday of the month at O'Malley Elementary School on Rockridge off O'Malley. For more info see www.communitycouncils.org/hillmid.html