Sen. Murkowski Discusses U.S., Alaska, Girdwood Trooper Proposal

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VOLUME 1 / ISSUE 13
glaciercitygazette.net
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 24, 2016
LOCALLY OWNED AND PRODUCED IN GIRDWOOD, ALASKA
Girdwood
Fine Arts Camp
Pages 6-7
Trooper Proposal Rejected
By Marc Donadieu
Glacier City Gazette
Marc Donadieu / Glacier City Gazette
The August Girdwood Board of Supervisor’s meeting featured an extensive discussion about policing options and concerns. From the left:
Eric Fullerton, Alyeska’s Director of Marketing; Bill Falsey, Municipal
Attorney; Lewis Leonard, KEUL General Manager; Brian Burnett, Mountain General Manager; and Mandy Hawes, Vice President of Finance.
Sen. Murkowski Discusses
U.S., Alaska, Girdwood
August’s Girdwood Board of Supervisors
meeting lasted 4½ hours, and much of it was
devoted to discussing policing options.
There were presentations from Alyeska
Resort and Alaska State Troopers as well as
an extended questioning of Whittier’s Public Safety Director Chief David Schofield.
The Community Center was full of residents
contributing to the dialogue and expressing
concerns about the direction of Girdwood
policing.
Policing contract negotiations with Whittier are 70 percent complete, and a first draft
is under review. Both sides say that there is
still much work to do, but agreement is with-
By Marc Donadieu
Glacier City Gazette
A week before the Alaska State Primary Election,
Senator Lisa Murkowski
came to speak before and
listen to a small group of
local constituents at Girdwood Picnic Club. The cozy
atmosphere of the new restaurant allowed for serious
discussion and questions on
a range of issues affecting
the local region.
Murkowski’s late arrival was caused by a slow
driving RV on the Seward
Highway and only one open
lane on the Alyeska Highway due to bike path renovation. These scenarios
easily led to the main topic
of conversation: construction. Murkowski began by
asking about repaving the
bike path and what was
involved. Then she heard
about the extent of the project, ranging from replacing
culverts under the bike path
and across the roadway to
utility work such as natural
gas lines.
Then Murkowski made
an announcement about
the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2016 which
would allow for the repur-
In the winter of 201112, Snowpacalypse struck
Whittier. The inordinately
heavy snowfall kept falling
and accumulating. Eventually the weight of it all
damaged the roof of the
Public Works Building,
known as P12 due to its
military origins. This event
was the beginning of a long
process that led to the current construction of the
Public Safety Building.
To better understand the
project, the Gazette was
given a tour of the construction site and the old
building and granted interviews with City Manager
Mark Lynch and Moe Zamarron, Project Manager
for the Public Service Facility Construction Project.
Construction began in
May, has recently been
pushed back to a May
2017 completion date. The
building is expected to be
operational for 50 to 100
years, as it is being built
much stronger than required by code to endure
the rigors it will face.
The structure is designed
to withstand heavy winds
and strong earthquakes as
well as the next Snowpacalypse. Whittier receives
a lot of snow, so the building will be able to bear a
300-pound per square foot
snow load.
“That’s a heck of a lot
of weight at 17,000 square
feet,” Zamarron said. “I
PRSRT STD
U.S. POSTAGE PAID
ANCHORAGE, AK
PERMIT NO. 26
ECRWSS
Postal Customer
posing of unused earmark
funding for projects 10
years or older. The funds
can be applied to projects
50 miles away from where
they were originally designated. Karina Petersen,
Murkowski’s Communications Director, wrote in
an email saying, “DOT has
identified approximately
$172 million in eligible
funds to be reprogrammed
in Alaska.”
Murkowski explained the
effect of new legislation.
“In addition to having the
certainty of six-year funding for highways,” she said,
“we have included a provision that has been little noticed yet. I’m urging us in
Alaska to really pay attention to this. Earmarks that
were laid down in previous
years that were not spent
down have not been able to
be repurposed. They basically sat within the highway
trust fund.
“We put language in the
highway reauthorization
bill that allows a repurposing of the unused earmarks.
The limitation that we
placed was that if the earmark was for something in
one area, you had to repurpose it to within a 50-mile
radius. We will have access
to a $44 billion repurposing account that we can potentially tap into. What we
have to do is find out where
these unused earmarks are.”
The senator’s staff is researching to see what the
limitations may be on the
repurposed accounts, how
the funds can be accessed
and what the federal requirements are. In doing
so, they can learn how
much could be made available in the Turnagain Arm
area, which may lead to an
opportunity for improvements on the Seward Highway between Anchorage
and Girdwood.
“We’re talking all the
time about what we could
do to make the highway
out here safer,” Murkowski
said. “That’s going to be an
expensive project, and how
See back page
See back page
Whittier’s New Public
Safety Building
By Marc Donadieu
Glacier City Gazette
Marc Donadieu / Glacier City Gazette
Sen. Lisa Murkowski met with constituents
at Girdwood Picnic Club to learn about local
concerns.
in reach. There is a sense of urgency to complete the contract and have a policing solution in place before AST leaves its Girdwood
post Sept. 30.
There are a number of hurdles that must
be jumped if a contract is agreed upon. The
potential agreement must receive approval
from GBOS, pass legal review by the Municipality, and be approved by the Anchorage Assembly. The contract would also have to be
introduced to Whittier City Council as new
business and then approved as old business at
the following meeting.
Before the discussion on policing began,
Supervisor and Public Safety Chair Sam Daniel made a statement via teleconvenor from
Marc Donadieu / Glacier City Gazette
The Public Safety Building in Whittier has
begun construction and is expected to be
completed in May 2017.
think it’s probably in the
teens of height. It’s a lot.”
The entrance will be
right across from The
Anchor Inn. The Public
Safety Department will be
on the ground floor just
after entering. After passing through on right, there
will be a large bay used as a
storage area housing all the
apparatus for fire, ambulance and police. The first
level will also contain the
Whittier Fire Department,
which will include a day
room, kitchen and offices.
On other side will be the
Public Works area to keep
snow removal equipment
and gear.
The completed building will be 34,000 square
feet. Phase 1 will lay the
foundation and construct
the first floor at a cost of
$6 million. Phase 2 will
construct the second floor
and add 17,000 square feet
for public works storage,
city offices and other un-
determined possibilities.
The city is getting ready to
execute the design for this
part of the project that will
be completed in later years.
Phase 3 will build council chambers on the third
floor. The latter phases are
expected to cost about another $1 million.
There are a number of
possibilities up for discussion about what to do with
P12 when the departments
move into the new building next door. Options include leasing it, selling it or
taking it down.
“It looks like it has a lot
of potential,” Zamarron
said, “and there has been
interest in doing something with it. I doubt it gets
torn down, but that won’t
be my call. People can easily image boats being repaired here. There will be a
lot of uses for this building
if somebody wanted it.”
See page 11
Page 2
Glacier City Gazette
August 24, 2016 | Volume 1, Issue 13
Principal Leads, Learns with Class
By P.M. Fadden / Associate Editor
Valley children and parents open their 2016/17 academic
terms with not only a fully completed Girdwood K-8 School
facility but a new administrator in Erik Viste at the institution’s Principal post.
Previously Assistant Principal to Rogers Park as well as
Taku Elementary Schools, Viste leads Girdwood School’s
184-strong student population with respect for family, nature and learning.
Viste, a Wisconsin born three-time father and snowboarder, took time from a bustling academic preparatory
period for a neighborly chat with the Glacier City Gazette.
“I believe in education.
It’s one of those on the life-long
learner philosophies.”
– GIRDWOOD K-8 SCHOOL PRINCIPAL
ERIK VISTE
When did you first move to Alaska, and where did
you live?
I moved from Wisconsin to Alaska in July 2001 and began
my internship with the Kenai Peninsula Borough School
District. I lived in a single room hut above a Kenai garage
with a spectacular view of Mt. Redoubt, but I was always
driving to where the snowboarding was, so I later moved to
Anchorage in the summer of 2004.
What was family, school life like back in Wisconsin?
I am the eldest of 5 children (2 brothers and 2 sisters) and
had an assortment of pets in my childhood including rabbits, gerbils, turtles, snakes, crawfish, fish and dogs. My
first pet was Pokey, a small white poodle mix named after
the children’s book Pokey the Little Puppy. I find I appreciate diverse activities and grew up swimming, water skiing,
biking, fishing and camping. I played soccer, basketball and
football as a youth. I even dabbled in the high jump in track
and field. Later, I attend undergraduate and graduate school
at the University of Wisconsin – LaCrosse, and obtained
my administrative Masters degree from the University of
Alaska Anchorage.
What might your new Alaskan pupils and parents find
surprising about you?
I have previously been a mason tender, a concrete worker
and a commercial fisherman.
Now a growing family and position at a new school
must keep you busy but, since moving here, which
Alaskan activities have kept your interest keen?
Girdwood and the greater Four Valleys have always been
a draw to me - I’ve hiked Crow Pass, Bird, North Face and
other trails several times. I’ve stayed at the forestry cabin a few
times, attended the 4th of July parade, Forest Fair and enjoyed
the accommodations at the Alyeska Hotel. I am currently interested in running, snowboarding, split-boarding, fishing,
hiking, camping, reading and raising my three children. I am
a family man, interested in activities and opportunities that
can organically benefit participants—children and adults.
With this in mind how do you find the valley’s communal and educational environments?
One of the Valley’s unique traits is the incredibly strong
connection between the school and the community. [The
school] represents a fantastic common element in-between
the two. That connection is strength for the school and leads
to student support which is highly conducive to a positive
educational environment.
The Four Valleys Community School program provides
enriching opportunities and is unique to Girdwood as other
community schools programs have folded with recent budget
reductions. We have a well-balanced, experienced staff that
are very outgoing, energetic and highly professional.
The school, generally, has limited staff turnover allowing
for stacked success year after year.
Is it too early to ask after any future hopes plans for
Girdwood School or community developments?
I’d like to see our school continue to build on its strong foundation of high academic rigor, opportunities for enrichment,
experiential learning as well as social and emotional learning.
I’d really enjoy planning more Girdwood localized events
such as our upcoming September 7th Alyeska track meet to
support the community from within.
Personally, I seek days to tackle High Traverse, the Headwall and New Year’s Chute, but above all, I am eager to continue to learn and grown myself alongside both the students
and our school.
P.M. Fadden / Glacier City Gazette
Girdwood K-8 School’s new Principal Erik Viste
is no stranger to SE Alaska and stands ready
for the 2016/17 academic term.
>> IN THIS ISSUE
Six Mile Festival
Every year for the last nine
years, there is a white water....
Page 4
Frozen in Time
A look back at the week
that was...
Page 5
HEADLINE
READS
3 top stories
from home
and away
Art Camp Exhibit
Students, parents, faculty
and friends convened at...
Page 6
Page 5
Girdwood Fine Arts Camp
Page 7
FVCS
Sunshine returns and makes
August sweeter just...
Page 9
Glacier City Gazette
© 2016 Roaming Wolverine Media, LLC
We cover the communities of Rainbow,
Indian, Bird Creek, Crow Creek, Girdwood,
Portage, Whittier, Moose Pass, Cooper
Landing, Hope and South Anchorage.
Alyeska
Sitzmark season ending with
a bang...
Page 10
Published the second and fourth
Wednesdays of the month
Marc Donadieu – Publisher/Editor-in-Chief
Email:
[email protected]
Marlene Buccione – Chief Photographer
Mailing Address:
P.O. Box 1903
Girdwood, Alaska 99587
P.M. Fadden – Associate Editor
SK Malone – Staff Writer
Matthew Bailey – Graphic Designer/Webmaster
Volume 1, Issue 13 | August 24, 2016
Glacier City Gazette
Page 3
Live Music
BROWN BEAR SALOON
Sept. 9-11
Annual Softball Tournament
Fundraiser, games all weekend
CHAIR 5
All shows start at 10:30 p.m.
Aug. 24 – Milo Matthews
Aug. 25 – The Quick & Easy Boys
Aug. 31 – Dan Lesperance
Sept. 1 - Larry Zarella
SILVERTIP GRILL
All shows begin at 8:30 p.m.
Aug. 26 – Conway Seavey
Aug. 27 – Dan Lesperance
TRAIL LAKE LODGE
Sept. 10 - End of Season Blowout
with The Shootdangs
SITZMARK
All shows start at 10 p.m.
Aug. 26 – Super Saturated
Sugar Strings
Aug. 27 – Super Saturated
Sugar Strings
Sept. 2 – Eternal Cowboys
Marc Donadieu / Glacier City Gazette
Mario Carboni plays at the Silvertip Grill during one of his recent visits there this summer.
Community Calendar
August 26 - Mushrooms & Martinis Cocktail Party 7:00 - 10:30 p.m.
This is a fundraiser for the Girdwood Center for Visual Arts and the signature event of the Girdwood Fungus Fair weekend featuring mushroom
themed appetizers and cocktails, live music by the Super Saturated Sugar
Strings, silent auctions and fungi games. Tickets are $49 per person and
available at the Alyeska Tram Ticket Office, (907) 754-2275.
Aug. 26-28 - Girdwood Fungus Fair
The fair is a weekend celebrating all things fungi, with displays, talks, forays and evening entertainment. Learn about mushrooms in our area from
national and local mycologists at the U.S. Forest Service Glacier Ranger
District Office, 145 Forest Station Rd. More information at fungusfair.com.
JACK SPRAT
Sept. 6 – Ava Earl, Tanana Rafters,
King Street Brewing
Sept. 17 - Mini-Oktoberfest
THE GLACIER CITY GAZETTE
is looking for freelance
writers and photographers in
Cooper Landing & Moose Pass.
Please contact:
[email protected]
Aug. 27 - Girdwood Lions 17th annual Humpy Fest and Rubber Ducky Races, Food and Humpy Derby - Town Square Park, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.
Sept. 15 – 7 p.m. FVCS Meeting, Girdwood K-8 School Library
Community Calendar submissions and letters to the editor
for the next issue should be submitted by Sept. 10.
165 Hightower Rd.
Girdwood, AK 99587
(907) 783-2594
To Go orders welcome
9 a.m. to midnight
Wednesday thru Monday
Breakfast served all day
Glacier City Gazette
Page 4
August 24, 2016 | Volume 1, Issue 13
9th Annual Six Mile Festival
SK Malone
Staff Writer
Every year for the last
nine years, there is a white
water and bluegrass festival on Six Mile Creek. It is
free festival, but donations
are greatly appreciated. Tim
Johnson, owner and coordinator of Six Mile Festival,
pays out of pocket for this
event. Donations go to help
with some of the overhead
cost and to pay the bands
and musicians who perform.
“I started the festival because I felt there was a need
to gather together all the
whitewater paddlers in the
state to connect with and
meet each other. It’s difficult to meet other paddlers
up here,” Tim Johnson remarked. “The purpose of the
Six Mile Creek Whitewater
& Bluegrass Festival is to
bring the whitewater paddling community, the music
and arts community, and the
general public together to
share a unique weekend of
athletics, entertainment, the
human connection and nature on the beautiful shores
of Six Mile Creek.”
The event usually takes
place the second Saturday in
August. Six Mile Fest starts
at 1 p.m., with a series of
races down the biggest out
of the three rapids (a class
3-4 rapid) in the first canyon
on Six Mile Creek. This area
of the creek is located about
1 mile before the Hope Junction Highway cut off.
The first race is a downriver mass-start extreme
race. There are three heats,
one for kayaks, canoes, and
inflatable kayaks. The second event is the packraft
mass start extreme race, followed by the inflatable pool
This year’s winners are as follows:
KAYAKS
1) Trip Kenney
2) Paul Schauer (crossed finish line
upside down)
3) Tyler Dyer
POOL TOYS
1) Tim Johnson (rode a sea turtle)
2) Gerard Ganey (rode a banana)
3) The Stingray Man (rode a stingray)
Worst Carnage Award went to Scott Rich,
who swam the entire canyon.
There were no packraft times or winners
due to technical difficulties with
timekeeping during the race.
toy extreme mass start race.
Yes that’s right. Pool toys
are ridden down class 3-4
rapids. Standard whitewater
gear is required for all the
races and safety precautions
are taken.
Spectators watched from
perches along the cliffs of
the canyon or from the foot
bridge located approximately 40 feet above the creek.
The racers shoot down the
canyon riding the rapids in
a mass sprint, then turn the
corner at the bottom of the
canyon out of view.
Participants that were
competing or had already
competed in the race joined
spectators on the bridge,
and a few racers took a
plunge off the bridge. One
unidentified race participant
said it’s a 40-foot drop into
approximately 20-30 feet of
water.
After the races, everyone
heads back down to mile 3.4
of the Hope Highway. There
is a small dirt road which
leads to a big grass field
overlooking Six Mile Creek,
where many festival goers
set up tents. A few trails lead
down to a gravel beach, located right next to the river,
surrounded by forest and
alpine mountains. It is here
where the second half of Six
Mile Fest takes place.
Set against the tree line is
a covered stage and sound
booth, all run off generators, as there is no power
there. Around 6 p.m. the
sounds of bluegrass begin
to echo throughout the surrounding valley. This area
makes for a perfect natural
amphitheater. People gather along the shores, next
to the stages and around a
bonfire where they enjoy
the nature and music that
surrounds them. Even the
bouts of rain ranging from
downpour to showers and
the muddy wetness of the
trails couldn’t dampen everyone’s spirits.
Donnie Wiggins, started
the night’s music off, his
gravely voice and bluegrass
creating just the right mood
for the festivities. Up next
was the talented Angeline
Moore, accompanied by
Nessa Marie, sweet and
beautiful bluegrass played to
the notes of a ukulele. The
Shoot Dangs then took the
SK Malone / Glacier City Gazette
The kayak race down Six Mile River is viewed from the cliffs above
near the Hope Highway.
stage with their down home
boot stomping bluegrass.
The nights final performance was the amazing
Orion Donict. A one man
band, he played the banjo
while placing one foot on
drums and another on a
symbol. His upbeat bluegrass had the whole festival
dancing. Some of the Shoot
Dangs, and a few unnamed
musicians joined him on
stage later in the evening.
The twangs and beats from
their instruments could be
heard till 1:30 in the morning. Three of the bands
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scheduled to perform didn’t
show up.
The AK Fire Circus put
on a performance while the
Shoot Dangs were playing.
Flaming Hula hoopers, fire
spinners and eaters were
creating amazing visual art
to the music. There was going to be an aerial show, on
silks connected to a tripod,
but it was rained out.
During intervals from
the live music, awards were
handed out to the winners
of the races. The traditional
“Bootie Beer” award is also
handed out and goes to the
first person to bail out of
a kayak or pack raft. After
receiving the award, the
winner has to chug a dry
suit bootie full of beer. This
year’s award went to Scott
Rich from Girdwood. A
drawing was also held for
a variety of prizes, some
of which included: hoodies
from Chugach Outdoors
Center, a guide book to
the best Alaskan white water, Shoot Dangs’ CDs and
much more.
Six Mile Fest was definitely a romping, boot
stomping, down home,
good time. It’s a festival
that brings people together,
and for some it’s a time to
see family or friends they
haven’t seen in a while. It’s
a heartwarming event filled
with excitement, love, music and friendships.
Volume 1, Issue 13 | August 24, 2016
Glacier City Gazette
Page 5
FROZEN IN TIME:
A look back at the week that was…
By P.M. Fadden
Associate Editor
Monday, August 22 – Leonardo da Vinci’s famous painting, Mona Lisa, is stolen from the
Louvre Museum in Paris where it had hung for more than a century, 1911.
Tuesday, August 23 – Scotsman warrior-patriot, William Wallace is hanged, beheaded,
drawn and quartered in London for crimes against the English crown, 1305.
Courtesy Photo
Poised to make history; Dr. King, speech
notes-in-hand, stands before a thousandsstrong crowd of dreamers gathered at the
Lincoln Memorial steps.
Wednesday, August 24 – An ancient date immortalized when Mt. Vesuvius erupts destroying—and forever preserving—the city of Pompeii, 79.
Thursday, August 25 – The first ever parachute wedding is performed at New York City’s World’s Fair. Groom Arno Rudolphi and bride
Ann Hayward tied the knot while suspended alongside the minister, best man, maid of honor and four musicians, 1940.
I
Friday, August 26 – Alaskan Proud: Participants
in the first Alaska State Primary Election approved
the Statehood Enabling Act 40,452 votes to 8,010,
also enabling nomination of candidates for Governor,
Secretary of State, congressional members and the first
State Legislature, 1958.
Saturday, August 27 – Beware the tax man! U.S. Congress first passes an income tax law as
part of the General Tariff Act, which is later deemed unconstitutional, 1894.
Sunday, August 28 – Among the largest demonstrations in U.S. history, the March on
Washington reaches the Lincoln Memorial steps where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. delivers
his “I Have a Dream” speech, 1963.
Start off the new
school year with
clear vision.
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These dates in history are happily brought to you by the Glacier City Gazette in the hopes that
the current week is just as noteworthy. Cheers.
HEADLINE READS
3 top stories from home and away
By P.M. Fadden / Associate Editor
WORLD VIEW
Oromo protest sign behind ‘hero’ runner’s asylum
Crowd-funding has raised more than $40,000 for asylum-seeking
Olympic silver medallist, Feyisa Lilesa of Ethiopia. The marathon runner crossed his hands overhead while finishing the race – a gesture
made by Ethiopia’s Oromo people, currently suffering brutal police
crackdowns. Lilesa says he may be killed if he goes home. Ethiopia’s
government says he will be welcomed as a hero, reports BBC World
Service
NATIONWIDE
Nominee Trump Wobbles Over Deportation
Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump has signalled he may
drop proposal to deport 11 million people living in the U.S. illegally.
Campaign manager Kellyanne Conway said the mass deportation plan,
formerly a central plank of the Trump campaign, was yet “to be determined”. Trump, after meeting a new panel of Hispanic advisers, told
Fox News on Monday he was not “flip-flopping” but wanted a fair plan.
FRONTIER FOCUS
Nome faces future in cruise ship form
City leaders and tour operators have spent eight months preparing
for cruise ship Crystal Serenity’s arrival, believing successful relations
with the 820-foot luxury transport will bring the community closer to
becoming a major northern port while injecting more outside spending into state economy.
Convenient Midtown Location
Saturdays & Evening Hours
Call 770-6652
Walk-ins welcome
makareyecare.com
Glacier City Gazette
Page 6
August 24, 2016 | Volume 1, Issue 13
Arts Camp Evening a Fine Exhibit
By P.M. Fadden
Associate Editor
Students, parents, faculty and friends convened
at Girdwood’s Challenge
Alaska building for a Friday
social, August 12th to honor
exhibits from 2016 Fine
Arts Camp.
from non-profit entity
Girdwood Art Institute
[GAI], offers student artists
opportunity to be creative
leaders.
“Children suggest the
media they would like to
explore,” said GAI President
Tommy
‘Salami’
O’Malley. “We use a variety
“Art Camp has become an anticipated
annual event; one that parents and
children count on.”
– ARTS CAMP FOUNDER, PRESIDENT
TOMMY ‘SALAMI’ O’MALLEY
Celebrating its thirtieth
year, the two week long
Arts Camp represents annually combined volunteer
efforts of professional artists, professors and teachers
guiding the creative energy
of approximately 100 student-age pupils.
Arts Camp, an offshoot
of media and only rarely do
we have the same artists
year after year.”
“Annie Olson and I
started Camp in 1986,” said
O’Malley. “It has become an
anticipated annual event
and one that parents and
children count on.”
“There are two, two hour
sessions for younger students: one in the morning
and one in the afternoon,”
said O’Malley. “A four hour
afternoon session is for older students.”
“Camp is usually two
weeks at the end of July beginning of August,” he
added. “This year it was
August 1 – 12.”
The GAI overseen Arts
Camp is a labor of love for
directors Carrie McLain,
Amber Molan and Jimmy
Riordan. Alongside President O’Malley, the collective trio organize a multimedia environment to
encourage creative expression.
“We take feedback from
what the students would
like to learn and what we
think will extend what
we have already taught
i.e. portrait drawing,” said
O’Malley. “We plan a mix
of media of two dimensional and three dimensional
works.”
“We choose art instructors who have the ability to
inspire,” he added.
JACK SPRAT
(907) 783-5225
P.M. Fadden / Glacier City Gazette
Why Bother Rehearsing Theatre Company performs The Araboolies of
Liberty Street before a standing room only 2016 Arts Camp audience
August 12th at Challenge Alaska.
“We have a mix of academic university professors
and public school teachers alongside professional
artists like Jim Kaiser who
make their living with their
arts,” explained O’Malley,
“and the directors also
teach.”
“Everyone
associated
with Arts Camp volunteers
their time planning, grant
writing, meeting and organizing,” he said. “There are
about 12 volunteers who
work at the camp. These
are parents, grandparents,
teens.”
Each year’s Arts Camp
registration is directed
through area schools.
“Four Valleys handles
registration,” said O’Malley.
“We have students from
Girdwood, Eagle River,
Cooper Landing, Anchorage, Indian and Bird Creek.”
“Close to 70 children, ages
5–17 participated. Some attended for one week, most
attended for two. A couple
of children attend Camp
from the Lower 48 visiting their grandparents who
live in Girdwood,” said
O’Malley.
“In the past we have had
as many as 124 students
which included three adult
art classes,” he said.
“Challenge Alaska has
graciously allowed us the
use of their building for
the past 12 years,” O’Malley
said of Arts Camp’s varied
locational history. “Before
that, what is now the Grind
was renovated from its purpose as a laundromat to be
the Girdwood Center for
the Visual Arts. Arts Camp
was held there. Arts Camp
has also been at the Girdwood School, in Glacier
City Hall and in a log cabin
in old Girdwood.”
In tandem to the evening’s displayable art forms
was enacted drama The
Araboolies of Liberty Street
by Sam Swope. The outdoor production, as performed by Why Bother
P.M. Fadden / Glacier City Gazette
Young Ms. Molen of Girdwood receives a
complimentary face painting while in attendance of the August 12th Arts Camp Show of
Student Work.
Rehearsing Theatre Company, added stage quality
color and flavor to the already entertaining evening.
“We have always done
some kind of dramatic presentation. Usually we pick
a children’s book to work
from, one that can have a
lot of actors,” said O’Malley.
“Stage craft and prop making is featured. “
“In the past we have
staged Mozart’s Magic
Flute, and have created living tableaus of paintings by
Miro and Picasso,” he said.
Arts Camp’s resounding
success is reflected in both
attendance as well as community response. Camp
directors estimate 250 persons to have enjoyed the
2016 exhibit, accounting
for roughly 10 percent of
the Girdwood population.
“Camp has a return rate
of about 60% of our students from year to year
with most attending more
than 5 years,” said O’Malley.
“I estimate that over the
last 30 years thousands of
children and hundreds of
artists have participated in
the Girdwood Fine Arts
Camp.”
“Jimmy Riordan, who
started Camp at age 5, has
taught at the University
of Alaska,” said O’Malley.
“Students have created
public works of art in the
Forest Fair Park, worked
on mosaics along Alyeska
Highway and in the new
town square park. They
also create a new community mural at the children’s
park every two years,” he
added.
Organizers feel Arts
Camp positively impacts
not only the community
but participating children,
with effects spanning into
their adult years.
“We have ruined many
children for factory work,”
O’Malley said.
Volume 1, Issue 13 | August 24, 2016
Glacier City Gazette
Page 7
Glacier City Gazette
Page 8
August 24, 2016 | Volume 1, Issue 13
Whittier Council: Policing Contract, Construction Delay
By Marc Donadieu
Glacier City Gazette
Whittier City Council’s
August meeting came the
evening after the Girdwood
Board of Supervisors’ refusal to motion consideration
of Alaska State Troopers
alongside Whittier’s policing proposals.
A policing contract update and unexpected construction setback with the
new Public Safety Building
were the main topics before
council went into executive
session to discuss leases and
the Delong Dock.
“The Girdwood policing
is ongoing,” said Whittier
City Manager Mark Lynch.
“I had a short debriefing
today on the meeting they
had last night. My understanding is that the Board
of Supervisors is still in
favor of Whittier policing,
but there is a lot of public
opposition. I’ll continue
to work on that. It may be
necessary to have a special
meeting the second week
of September if possible to
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discuss this.”
Mayor Daniel Blair inquired about the GBOS
vote and wondered if it was
unanimous. Lynch did not
know, and Chief Schofield,
who was at GBOS, was not
yet present at Whittier’s
meeting because he was
installing a new Internet
router for the city. The Gazette, having attended the
4½-hour GBOS meeting,
then informed the council
about the results.
“They listened to the
opinion of Alyeska Resort and what they had to
say,” said Gazette Publisher
Marc Donadieu. “Alaska
State Troopers made their
presentation. Chief Schofield spoke as well. After
all of the public questions
and comments were finished, supervisor Jerry Fox
asked, ‘Does anyone make a
motion to consider adding
Alaska State Troopers proposal in conjunction with
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“The schedule has been
pushed out,” Zamerron
said. “Where we were looking at February or March,
now they are saying May,
which puts it right out to
the end of the contract date.
I just got it today, so I’m still
trying to digest that.”
Council Member Peter
Denmark was not pleased
to hear about the delay
and wanted to know why
the initial February date
for completion had been
moved to May. Zamerron’s explanation referred
to talks with the project’s
architect and indications
that the manufacturer made
design errors for the foundation, which needed to be
corrected.
“When the initial drawings were done for the bid
package,” Zamerron said,
“we had the building manufacturer provide some
calculations for the foundation. When we finally
got the drawings that they
based it on, we realized that
they had missed the mark
on their design.”
”They had to go back. It’s
about a two-month period
that they were going back
and looking at the designs.
Everything was done based
on what they provided initially,” he said. “When they
found out that what they
provided didn’t fit the lay-
out of the building, they
had to redo it, and that took
time.”
The design contingency
is in the contract to complete the building. Zamerron is working on determining who is responsible
for the error and said he
will ask for a cost reduction
to account for the serious
mistake.
“If we are under contract,” Denmark said, “and
we have a bid package to
complete this building, and
there were errors made by
any of the sub-contractors
or the general, why would
we even accept any liability
for additional cost? When
we’re under contract, if
there are problems, somebody is going to eat it, and
it ain’t us. I don’t think it
should be us.”
Wells said she needs to
look at the contract to find
areas of vulnerability, if
there are any or not. There
was concern expressed over
a potential legal battle if
Whitter had to pay above
the contracted cost or if
the other parties contested
paying for the error. Also at
issue is the loss of potential
revenue if the P12 Building
is leased out after the city
moves into the new building, topicss certain to arise
during September’s Whittier city council meeting.
Benjamin Fletcher / Special to the Glacier City Gazette
Seen from the Crow Pass Trail, Natalie Leeper sits in the foreground of Raven Glacier on her way to Eagle River from Girdwood.
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the Whittier proposal?’
Not one supervisor made a
motion. It was unanimous.
That means they are going
to continue with Whittier
and not consider Alaska
State Troopers.”
City Attorney Holly
Wells, who works for
Birch, Horton, Bittner and
Cherot, has been involved
with the negotiation process from the beginning.
She gave a summary of
where the process currently
stands.
“We also have ongoing
service contract negotiations with the Municipality
of Anchorage,” Wells said.
“We have had several meetings in Anchorage with a
lot of their representatives
and Police Chief Schofield.
These are details you’ll be
getting at the next meeting
when we have an ordinance
and a draft contract to propose. They would like to
get two of those meetings
so we can have approval
of a contract by the end of
October, which is when
Girdwood would like to see
that.”
During the Public Safety
Building Report, Moe Zamerron, Project Manager
for the new Public Service
Facility Construction, was
tasked with delivering information delayed by a downed
city Internet service.
Volume 1, Issue 13 | August 24, 2016
Glacier City Gazette
Page 9
Four Valleys
Community School
By Briana Sullivan
Special to the Glacier City Gazette
Sunshine returns and makes August
sweeter just before kids head back to school.
Stay in the loop of activities for youth after
school. Options abound to stay healthy, focused and engaged with their community at
Four Valleys Community School. Kung Fu
is ready for sign up and soon cross-country
running will be taking off.
Board Member Position
Open
Have you considered being more involved
in your community? Would you like to be
an instructor or volunteer with FVCS? We
need volunteers at different times of year, especially for recreational activities outdoors.
Do you have an idea for a class or know
someone who could teach on their subject of
expertise? Perhaps a board member position
is of interest. All are a great place to begin
and continue making a difference. Note our
next meeting on Thursday, September 15, at
7 p.m. in the Girdwood K-8 School Library.
Anyone interested in learning more about
the board is welcome to attend.
Save the date:
A.N.O. (aka Adults’ Night Out!) is Saturday, October 15 at Challenge Alaska. This
annual fall fundraiser is an excellent way
to reconnect with all your neighbors and
friends after an Alaskan summer and fall
of play. FVCS looks forward to seeing you
on this fun occasion of local people, hors
d’oeuvres, beer and wine.
Briana Sullivan / Special to the Glacier Gazette
SMASHers Tennis Camp kids having a great time posing for the camera
with Aaron Haines in early August on the new tennis courts.
THE GLACIER CITY GAZETTE
is looking for freelance writers and photographers
in Cooper Landing & Moose Pass.
Please contact: [email protected]
20 Years Experience in Girdwood
P.M. Fadden / Glacier City Gazette
Third generation Alaskan, grown local author-historian Laurel Downing Bill visited Alyeska Resort’s storied Roundhouse Museum, signing
copies of five-part series Aunt Phil’s Trunk. Bill, recent recipient of
Best Historical Nonfiction as well as Best Nonfiction Series awards,
calls the books “entertaining stories and history for ages 9 to 99”. She
will appear in support of her work at the upcoming Alaska State Fair.
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Glacier City Gazette
Page 10
August 24, 2016 | Volume 1, Issue 13
Alyeska at a glance
By Shannon Markley
Special to the Glacier
City Gazette
Sitzmark
Season Ending
with a Bang
As the summer winds
down, the Sitz is about to
ramp up for the last two
weekends of music before
heading into hibernation
until Opening Day for skiers and snowboarders. Join
us on August 26th and 27th
for two nights of the popular, Super Saturated Sugar
Strings. The Sitzmark will
also be hosting the Fungus Fair’s Mushrooms and
Martinis Cocktail Party on
Friday, which is a fundraising event for the Girdwood
Center for the Visual Arts.
Come enjoy different delectable mushroom appetizers,
two specialty mushroom
martinis and desert. While
the Sitzmark will not be
closed off for this event, if
you would like to join in on
the Mushroom Festivities
and delicacies, please call
(907) 754-2275 for tickets
or visit the Alyeska Tram
Ticket Office.
The Super Saturated Sugar Strings, a high-energy,
harmonious blend of piano,
violin, cello, guitar and percussion will be taking the
stage at 10 p.m. both Friday and Saturday with both
being FREE shows for the
weekend.
Join us the following
weekend, Sept. 2-3 during
Alyeska’s Mountain Bike
Festival, which will be the
last shows hitting the stage
of the Sitzmark for the 2016
Summer Season. The Sitzmark will be kicking off
this four-day event with
some local favorites, Eternal
Cowboys, hitting the stage
at 10 p.m. on Friday night.
Get ready for something
different up the Sitzmark’s
sleeve on Saturday night,
as we welcome Motor City
Soul to their first performance on the Sitz stage. In
December of 2013, Robert Alexander, owner of
the LED Ultra Lounge in
Anchorage, asked local DJ
and singer Lee Reddick
and guitarist/keyboardist,
Ira Sellers, to put together
a “Motown Show” for he
and his wife for their ‘date
night.’ Robert enjoyed them
so much that he made Motor City Soul into a weekly
feature at the Anchorage
night club. Motor City Soul
is Alaska’s only soul revue
style Motown, contemporary and old school R&B,
soul, funk, jazz, blues, rock
group. Join us for the last
Sitz concert of the Summer
Season starting at 10pm on
Saturday, September 3rd
and playing into the wee
hours of the night.
Mountain Bike
Festival at
Alyeska Resort
Live music, bikes and free
competitions which mean
endless
entertainment—
what else could you want?!
The third annual Mountain
Bike Festival will offer three
days of competition, live
music, demos, workshops
and of course, riding the
Alyeska Bike Park. On Friday, Sept. 2 we kick off the
Mountain Bike Fest with
FREE Bike Tours, half price
bike rentals all day long
from the Daylodge Bike
Hub and, of course, $2 Tacos all day at the Sitzmark.
Saturday, Sept. 3 will bring
the infamous Pond Crossing
at The Hotel Alyeska, along
with the Downhill State
Championship Race.
Sunday the 4th get ready
for the Whips & Tricks
competition, with the last
day of the Festival and
Mountain Biking Season featuring the Downhill Vertical Challenge on
Monday, September 5th.
For a full schedule and
registration information,
please visit our website at
AlyeskaResort.com.
Photo courtesy of Alyeska Resort
The State Downhill Championship will take place Sept. 3 at Alyeska
Resort.
Photo Courtesy of Alyeska Resort
The Pond Crossing at The Hotel Alyeska is one of the feature events
of Mountain Bike Fest.
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Glacier City Gazette
Volume 1, Issue 13 | August 24, 2016
Page 11
Whittier’s New Public Safety Building
Continued from front page
The 60-year old P12 was
built in 1956 by the military.
The roof now has heavy
wooden support beams
shoring it up due to damage
from weight of snow over
the years. The protective
membrane was damaged too
but fixed.
“To bring this building
up to code and usable conditions would probably run
more than the cost of the
new building,” Zamarron
said, “so when you start
looking at what is it taking
up plus heating this place,
I heard an estimate about
$5,000 a month.”
The day of the Gazette’s
visit, a vast amount of structural concrete was poured to
create footers, the massive
base that forms an anchor
where the steel is bolted.
It takes seven days for the
concrete to be dry enough
to start building on top of
it. The footers will keep the
new building stable during heavy snow or a strong
earthquake.
“These footers are huge,”
Zamarron said. “One of the
footers had 158 cubic yards
of concrete. The weight of
that thing is 150 tons. The
first day they poured 250
yards and Alaska Sand and
Gravel said that was the
largest pour they had ever,
even including stuff in Anchorage. We’re going to
be looking at 500 hundred
yards of concrete, roughly
speaking, in the foundation.”
The whole building was
barged up from Utah recently. It consisted of 16
truck loads, weighed 250
tons and cost $110,000 to
ship. It was heavy due to the
structural requirements and
amount of steel to be used in
the structure. The building’s
base just started being assembled when construction
workers began bolting steel.
The interview with City
Manager Lynch took place
in one of the large bays inside P12. Since the Internet
was down due to a part malfunction, Lynch was unable
to work in his office. He
chose to make use of the
unexpected time by putting
rebuilt diesel injectors in
the engine of a skid-steer,
a small loader with a front
bucket and pallet forks currently used to build trails.
“I’m down here working
on a diesel engine,” Lynch
said. “We don’t have Internet. Everything is down, so I
figured I might as well come
down and do something.
I did everything I could
think to do in the office
that I didn’t need Internet
for. I had a skid-steer sitting
there, so I can fix it for our
Parks and Rec folks to use.”
Lynch explained that after Snowpacalypse struck,
Whittier received a half
million-dollar grant from
the state to use to fix P12’s
roof. As they started working on it, they realized it was
beyond fixing. The city used
the $300,000 remainder of
the grant and received another $2 million from state
to start the design process
for a new Public Service Facility.
“Everything else, the city
has funded either from local reserves or from CVP,
which is cruise ship passenger tax,” Lynch said. “We
get about $800,000 in cruise
ship passenger tax, and they
have been saving that up for
a number of years. Right
now, they’ve got $3.5 million of that designated to the
building. One of the uses for
cruise ship money is public
safety.”
Whittier has two ambulances that run almost every
day in the summer all day
long. It’s mostly tourists and
cruise ship passengers who
need the service, and sometimes they need to go to Anchorage for treatment or to
the medical examiner.
Marc Donadieu / Glacier City Gazette
The Public Safety Building’s construction site, as seen from the roof of Whittier’s Public Works
Building known as P12.
“It’s not uncommon to
get deceased in,” Lynch
said, “and they take those
to Anchorage with the ambulance. For a community
of 200, one ambulance that
would leave town maybe 20
times a year would be plenty. Instead, I think we make
in excess of 300 ambulance
runs to Anchorage because
of the cruise ships.”
Lynch also gave some
numbers to show how
700,000 people visit the
small community. In addition to cruise passengers
who make up the majority
of visitors, Whittier has the
second busiest marine highway terminal in the state
beside Juneau. The Anton
Anderson Tunnel tracks
how many people go into
Whittier and as many as
2,500 visitors pass through
on a busy day. On busy
weekends, about 1,000 boats
come in and out of harbors,
and about half of those people are from Anchorage.
Whittier’s residents don’t
require all of the police, fire
and EMS services the city
has available, yet they are in
place because of the need to
deal with the seasonal influx
of visitors. Without them,
the city would only need a
full time officer and a part
time officer for the community, but during the summer
it has five officers. At the
end of the summer, some
of these officers are laid off.
If Whittier and Girdwood
are able to agree on a polic-
ing contract, those officers
could be working full time
serving both communities.
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Glacier City Gazette
Page 12
Trooper Proposal Rejected
Continued from front page
Oregon.
“This has been a community
driven process that has really allowed for lots of input from the
community,” Daniel said. “We had
a meeting in November where we
heard from the Anchorage Police Department, the Alaska State
Troopers, and Whittier. At that
point, the community very strongly
supported the Whittier option.”
At a May meeting, we asked the
community present if they supported AST at that dollar amount.
It was very clear at that time from
what I understood listening to the
community that there was a good
deal of concern about using local
property tax dollars being spent
for what local property owners and
taxpayers receive as a state-wide
function, basically patrolling the
Seward Highway.”
A week before the GBOS meeting, Alyeska issued a detailed letter
asserting that the AST proposal
had not been given proper consid-
eration by GBOS and was a better
option than Whittier’s, which was
portrayed as a flawed choice with
hidden costs and unknown risks.
During the meeting, Alyeska
representatives Eric Fullerton,
Director of Marketing; Mandy
Hawes, Vice President of Finance
and Brian Burnett, Mountain General Manager presented the opinion
that the AST’s policing proposal for
Girdwood should be considered
alongside Whittier’s proposal.
“This is a complicated issue,” Fullerton said, “and in some ways we
feel like the issue, as it was presented in May, was dismissed too readily with the state troopers because
immediately after the vote occurred
where we voted to raise a tax, not
necessarily dictating which police
option that we would choose. Soon
after that meeting it became clear
there was another viable option
that would fit in that budget. We
don’t feel like the option was properly vetted or given due process.”
Fullerton requested that GBOS
consider the AST option in con-
junction with the Whittier option to
compare and contrast what each has
to offer before making a decision.
He emphasized that Alyeska wants
to work with the community to create the best possible option. Then he
explained what AST has to offer for
$620,000 a year with a three-year
contract.
“If a contract were entered into
with AST,” Fullerton said, “they
would assign six troopers to the
Girdwood post, just as the current
assignment stands now. Three of
troopers would be from the bureau
of highway patrol troopers, which
has a federal funding source. The
other three would be more general
troopers.”
There would be no additional
charges for serious crime investigation or a crime lab, and there would
be access to a helicopter if needed,
Fullerton said. However, the state
does not currently charge for such
services. According to Fullerton,
troopers will be in South Anchorage
on call after hours as well as engaging in community policing, working
August 24, 2016 | Volume 1, Issue 13
with the school and establishing a
neighborhood watch program.
Troopers would commit to a
greater presence in the community
and have troopers in South Anchorage on call after hours. Troopers
would also engage in community
policing, work with the school and
establish a neighborhood watch
program.
Perhaps the biggest concern over
entering into a contract with AST
has to do with using tax dollars from
the Girdwood Service Area to pay
for policing outside of it. It is a question that still has no clear resolution,
even though Municipal Attorney
Bill Falsey believes that a contact
with AST would not violate the
provision.
“That point was relied upon fairly
heavily in the May meeting and
historically throughout a lot of the
meetings that there would be an inability for us to enter into a contract
with the troopers to cover services
outside of our service area,” Hawes
said. “We asked that question fairly
directly to the Municipal Attorney
Bill Falsey, who is here, and we can
enter into a fixed fee contract with
the troopers. That does not violate
any statute.”
Public Safety Contract Committee member Mike Edgington challenged the assertion by Hawes and
Falsey by saying the statute would
need to be subjected to judicial review for a definitive interpretation.
“My understanding is you can
ask many lawyers that question and
they’ll give you an answer depending
on who is paying them,” Edgington
said. “This is a question that should
really be decided by a judge. It is a
question of opinion. It is not a question of fact. I think when you say it is
allowed that is not true. It might be
allowed. That is something that has
to be decided elsewhere.”
After GBOS and the public concluded a lengthy round of questions
and comments, none of the five
supervisors made a motion to consider the AST proposal alongside the
Whittier one. Alyeska representatives quietly expressed disbelief over
the lack of a motion.
Sen. Murkowski Discusses U.S.,
Alaska, Girdwood
Continued from front page
you get the prioritization for that significant a project has
been difficult. It’s one place where we can look to tap some
resources.”
Murkowski showed her familiarity with the issues regarding the Seward Highway and her concern about its
dangers. When the topic came up, a familiar and often
spoken mantra was heard about building a 4-lane divided
highway from Anchorage to Girdwood.
“I’m reminded when I’m driving back in Washington
D.C. I don’t think I’m ever on a highway that doesn’t have
a divider,” Murkowski said. “Then you get out here and
our highways are pretty wide open, and unfortunately, we
see the fatalities as the consequence.”
Although local policing isn’t a federal issue, the senator
has a personal interest in the topic and how it affects residents.
“As a homeowner out here,” Murkowski said, “I care
about what’s going on. I’m curious what you think is going
to happen next.”
She indicated she had read the letter issued by Alyeska
Resort stating its preference for the Alaska State Troopers over the Whittier Police Department. Residents then
gave her a concise summary of where the issue stands and
what would probably happen at the August 15 Girdwood
Board of Supervisors meeting. After inquiring about recent crime in Girdwood, she was told about a number of
vehicle thefts, a stolen ATV and a house being broken into
during Forest Fair.
“This is troubling stuff,” Murkowski responded. “You’ve
got the issues of a community that is not only next door to
Anchorage, but a lot of folks are passing through to go to
the peninsula, so you can do crazy, bad stuff and then move
right on by. I worry about that a lot.”
As the conversation shifted back toward national issues,
Murkowski was asked what she thought about the future
of Congress after the 2016 election and whether there is a
chance for improved relations among legislators. She asserted the need for a strong Congress to work as an equal
branch of government during uncertain times.
“We don’t know who the next president is going to be,”
Murkowski said. “We’re looking at either a President Clinton or a President Trump. One thing we know, regardless
of where you stand on either one of them, is that whoever
comes in as president will likely be coming in as a president with the lowest approval ratings of anybody in modern electoral history.
“It will make it difficult for that individual to govern.
You’ve got to have a Congress that can come together and
do its work and basically lead because if your executive is
weak and cannot lead, you have to have a strong Congress
that can lead or perhaps check what may be coming out of
the executive branch.”
Murkowski spoke of ways to find agreement to craft legislation that can pass, even if that means reaching across
the aisle to get the job done. She said there is positive work
being done to help the country, but it is often overshadowed by the discord between political parties and attention
getting by individuals. She urged her constituents to stay
informed about the issues and get involved, especially during the public comment period when new regulations are
being proposed.
“There are people that are trying to be constructive instead of being the bomb throwers. There are an awful lot
of bomb throwers, and they are making the news every
single day. They’re driving me crazy,” Murkowski said. “I
think it’s so easy to get discouraged with what we’re seeing
in Washington that it is important to realize that there is
good work that is continuing.”
Marc Donadieu / Glacier City Gazette
Sen. Lisa Murkowski voted in the state primary
election at the Girdwood Community Center. The
incumbent arrived with her family, and she won
the Republican Primary decisively. She will run
against three candidates in the November 8 General Election.