|
Welcome to Anchorage Update
Greetings!
Welcome to the latest newsletter from City Hall. This edition is
full of information about how to get involved in the city's budget planning
process, upgrades and closures at several local parks, and opportunities to
weigh in on the Title 21, the municipality's development plan. As always, send any feedback to mayor@muni.org or follow me on facebook or twitter. Have a
safe and happy holiday weekend.
|
|
Dates, locations for community budget conversations announced
 Dates
and locations for "Anchorage Matters: Tough Budget Choices," a series of
community budget discussions, have been established. As previously announced,
the Municipality
of Anchorage faces
another challenging budget year in 2011 that will require the mayor and
Assembly members to make difficult decisions. In order to solicit feedback from
the community before the budget plan is announced, several community
discussions will be held across town.
The schedule is:
Tues.,
Aug. 3 at the Dimond Center Hotel from 5:30-8:30 p.m.
Wed.,
Aug. 4 at the Embassy Suites Hotel from 5:30-8:30 p.m.
Tues.,
Aug. 10 at the Eagle
River Lions Club from
5:30-8:30 p.m.
Wed.,
Aug. 11 at the ASD Headquarters Bldg. from 5:30-8:30 p.m.
Citizens
interested in participating in the budget discussions should contact mayor@muni.org for more information.
|
Final
comments about the city's development plan (Title 21) due soon
As the Title 21
rewrite process nears the finish line, members of the public are encouraged to
submit final feedback and comments to the municipality. The Title 21 Rewrite Project was started in 2002, and is a major implementation action of Anchorage
2020: Anchorage Bowl Comprehensive Plan.
Previously, the last complete rewrite of the code occurred in 1969. Major goals
for the project include modernizing the code to implement comprehensive plans;
addressing community and developer concerns; restructuring and reformatting to
improve the code's organization and make it more user-friendly; improving the
quality and efficiency of new development. The rewrite project has produced
four major drafts with each including revisions based on extensive community
feedback on the previous draft.
As of now, all but
one chapter of the rewrite has been provisionally adopted by the Assembly. The
goal is to adopt the new Title 21 code by the end of 2010. Members of the public who want to weigh in
should send comments to title21@muni.org by July 31.
|
Two popular parks to be upgraded, will close periodically during
construction
As
part of the mayor's promise to repair and upgrade existing municipal facilities
and with help from legislative appropriations and voter-approved park bonds,
Valley of the Moon and Jewel Lake parks will soon
receive much-needed facelifts.
Construction is scheduled to begin July 7 at Valley of the Moon and July
10 at Jewel Lake, with work extending through
September.
The
following highlights park improvements and expected closures.
Valley of the Moon Park
Upgrades to playground equipment, improvements to
accessibility and a second picnic shelter will be added for the benefit of park
users. Updated
signage for the park entrance, an addition of a picnic plaza with picnic tables
and coal disposal bins also will be installed.
The
Chester Creek trail and lawn at Valley of the Moon Park
will remain open through the summer; however, areas closed to the public between July 7 and Sept. 30 include the
playground and picnic shelter construction zone near the baseball field.
Jewel Lake
Park
Rebuilding
and relocation of the worn lifeguard stands, and underground electric and phone
hardware for the lifeguard station will improve public safety at the
beach. In addition, a paved walkway will enhance pedestrian access into
the park. Most notably, the picnic shelter will receive an expanded paved
plaza extending beyond its existing roofline, allowing use of the facility by
more park visitors while eliminating the muddy, over-used area adjacent to the
facility.
Because
of the configuration of the park and work concentrated around the entrance, Jewel Lake Park will be completely closed during
construction, scheduled July 10 through Sept. 30.
|
Alaska Meth Education Project warns citizens
of dangers of meth use
 The Municipality's
Alaska Meth Education Project has the goal of preventing youth from trying meth
and educating all Alaskans about the dangers of meth. To reach this goal, the AME Project is
working with community partners to deliver meth prevention presentations in Anchorage and communities
across the state.
Last Sunday marked International Day against Substance Abuse and
Illicit Trafficking. In honor of
this event, the AME Project was present at local libraries sharing information about
substance abuse prevention resources available in Anchorage
as well as information about illicit drug trafficking in Alaska. Residents learned about the important role of prevention and education
in reducing demand for illegal drugs.
While the number of
meth labs in Alaska has dropped dramatically,
meth, like other drugs, still arrives in Anchorage
from outside sources. In 2009, the
amount of methamphetamines seized by law enforcement grew by 438 percent.
To read more about
the AME Project, visit the website at www.alaskamethed.com
The project is currently
funded by the U.S. Dept. of Justice Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Grant. Since
its creation in 2006, the AME Project has also been supported by a U.S.
Department of Health and Human Services grant secured in Congress by Sen. Lisa
Murkowski, Rep. Don Young, and then - Sen. Ted Stevens. |
Independence Day Weekend Reminder:
Fireworks and Pets Don't Mix
 As the holiday weekend approaches, staff
at Anchorage Animal Care Control Center
remind citizens that July 4th celebrations can be a potentially
dangerous and frightening time for pets.
While fireworks are not allowed within the Municipality of Anchorage,
many people travel with their pets to see family, camp, and otherwise enjoy the
holiday. Residents can help ensure the
health and safety of pets by following these tips:Keep pets in a secure and quiet setting
like a residence (make sure all windows and doors are closed); Turn on a television or radio to mask
the noise of fireworks, helping keep the pet calm; Be certain that pets have a current MOA dog license, a current identification tag and rabies tag securely fastened
to their collar; While the Animal Care and Control Center can be reached by phone at
343-8122, it is always best to come in person to look for a lost dog every
two to three days, as no one can identify a pet better than its owner.
|
 |
|
|
|
|
Mayor's Calendar
- July 7
F-15 ride with the 3d Wing 19th Fighter Squadron
- July 10
Eagle River Bear Paw Festival
- July 13
Regular Assembly mtg.
- July 14
Project Homeless
Connect
|
|
