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Tuesday night the Park & Recreation Commission held a meeting to discuss the proposed multi-use sports facility in Valdez, and discuss the recently conducted feasibility study requested by the Valdez City Council. According to Wes Lundburg, vice-chair of the Parks & Recreation Commission, ”The community and community organizations showed support Tuesday night with a good turn out.” The feasibility study, cost the City of Valdez approximately $17,000 and highlighted two building costs and operating scenarios, a bare bones facility and an enclosed, more involved facility.

According to Lundburg, the Parks and Recreation Commission will, most likely, recommend building the bare bones facility to the City Council. The bare bones facility, in the winter months, would include a covered, refrigerated ice rink with a Zamboni ice resurfacer to maintain the ice, bleachers for potential hockey sporting events, and large heat lamps. The bare bones facility would cost approximately $3.5 million.

Lundburg said during the spring and summer, the multi-use sports facility would feature a large open space, with matting to accommodate community events. While the City Council approved the $17,000 feasibility study, plans to build have not been approved. The Council will have to determine how this project might fit in with other Capital Improvement projects during budget time and consider operational costs and time commitments involved in the project.

According to Lundburg, the next steps in making the facility a go include interested community organizations pulling information together for the Parks & Recreation Commission to present to the City Council, such as obtaining non-profit grants to offset costs, etc.

 

This past week Valdez received considerable snowfall within a couple of days. According to Dave Noble at the National Weather Service, Valdez received over 2 feet of snow last week, with 15.6 inches on Wednesday, breaking the previous record of 12.4 inches set in 1990. Also according to Noble, the total snowfall for the month is approximately 29 inches, and for the season, Valdez has received 188 inches of snowfall, which is approximately 30 inches above the average for the season.

 

Anchorage- The American Red Cross has released $10 million to support the relief effort in Haiti due to the catastrophic earthquake that hit Tuesday. According to the American Red Cross, priority needs in Haiti are food, water, temporary shelter, medical services, and emotional support. If you would like to make a donation to the relief effort in Haiti, visit www.redcross.org or call 1-800-RED-CROSS. You can also text HAITI to 90999 on your cell phone to donate $10.

VALDEZ CITY SCHOOLS SUPERINTENDENT LANCE BOWIE WILL NOT HAVE EMPLOYMENT CONTRACT RENEWED FOR 2010-2011 SCHOOL YEAR

VALDEZ - Valdez City School District Superintendent Lance Bowie's employment contract will expire June 2010 and Bowie said he was informed by Valdez School Board President Laurie Hull-Engles Tuesday that his contract would not be renewed. "There's no fault on this piece", Hull-Engles said. "His contract expires".

Hull-Engles said of her meeting with Lance Bowie and the School District Attorney, that she actually stated that it was the board's intention to conduct a Superintendent search. While Hull-Engles said the Tuesday meeting with Bowie was a courtesy so he woud not be blind-sided by the Superintendent search agenda item, Bowie said it was clear to him, the board did not want him to continue in his position and said he did not receive any reasons for the School Board's decision. The Superintendent search is on the agenda for Monday, January 11th and at that time the board will have the opportunity to vote for or against a search for a new superintendent. Ironically, School Board agenda item #2 for Monday night is "Superintendent Evaluation".

Bowie asserts that his previous evaluations and communication with the School Board did not provide any insight as to why the School District was unhappy with his performance. "I think I've always done my best to represent this board and the School District", said Bowie. "I have enjoyed working with the teachers, students and the community during my 5-years. I don't think I've done anything wrong in this district and all I've ever asked is that if I do something wrong, I would like people to be upfront and tell me. I don't feel like the board has been upfront with me.

Bowie's last employment evaluation from the school board was conducted in December 2008. No formal evaluation has been done for 2009, but School Board President Laurie Hull-Engles said the board feels that he (Lance) has a job description, a strategic plan, had performance evaluations, and has been given many assignments (by the Board) of things to do".

The next Valdez School Board meeting is this Monday, January 11th at 7pm at the School District office just behind the Elementary school. Approval of a Superintendent Search for Valdez City School District is on the agenda under New Business Monday night. KVAK Radio will have an exclusive interview with Lance Bowie and Laurie Hull-Engles following the meeting. The interview with Bowie will air during the 9am, noon and 6pm news hours on 93.3FM & 1230AM on Tuesday and the interview with Laurie Hull-Engles will air during the 9am, noon and 6pm news hours on both stations Wednesday.