Mid-Hillside and Hillside East Community Councils

Meeting Minutes

May 15, 2003

Call to order:

The meeting was called to order by Hillside East President Tom Newins at 7 pm. Approximately 17 were in attendance.

Mid Hillside Board Member present was Tom O'Grady.

Hillside East Board Members Present were Bjarne Holm and Tom Newins.

Introductions:

President's Report: Tom Newins

Minutes of the previous meeting: Summarized in Monthly Meeting Notice.

Federation of Community Councils Report:

Alaska State Legislature Report
Karen McCarthy reported from Con Bunde's office, the only legislative office we were able to contact, with the crunch of only seven days and seven nights left in the legislative session. She reviewed progress on SB 98, the liability bill, and SB 168, a cigarette tax bill that could raise as much as two million dollars.

Anchorage Assembly Report:

Dick Tremaine

Dick Tremaine with the Municipal Assembly announced that in the near future the firm Waste Management may be given the sole contract for garbage services in the city. Additionally all residents may be required to have their garbage picked up by the firm on a weekly basis. With a larger customer base, an economy of scale would be created, allowing for a cheaper rate per customers.

Some local residents, such as Bjarne Holm, objected to that plan, stating that he prefers to haul his own garbage to the city's transfer station, rather that having to hassle with garbage cans out on the street every week. However, it appears that a number of people that haul their own garbage neither store their garbage in a proper manner at their residence, nor do they transport it properly in a secure manner when they transport the garbage to the Transfer Station, thereby causing a lot of the litter problem we now experience along our roadways.

PRESENTATION:

WILDFIRE AND YOU! Anchorage Firefighters Sue Rodman and Michelle Weston York gave tips on minimizing fire dangers in the event of wild fires on the Hillside were presented. It was also reported that the city's tree chipping services would be more restricted this year. Residents could still expect to have trees chipped by stacking limbs along roadways next to their places of residence, but only of neighbors worked together so numerous chipping jobs could be completed with one sweep through a neighborhood.

Bears in the Community Rick Sinnott, a member of the Anchorage Bear Committee discussed progress on a management plan for urban bears, how to keep garbage and bird seed away from bears, and bear safety. Fish and Game biologist Rick Sinnott gave a presentation on bear problems in the city, detailing bear populations and migration patterns within the municipality. Rick presented guidelines for helping to prevent bears from becoming garbage or bird feeder problem bears.

The Anchorage Bear Committee is an interagency group which includes the major public land managers, the municipality and the Alaska Department of Fish and Game.

Meeting Adjourned at 9:00 pm