Moose Passings

By Willow Hetrick
Turnagain Times
Moose Pass Correspondent

Seward Ranger District Winter Trail Updates

The Seward Ranger District’s Kenai Lake Work Center Trail technicians continually provide winter trail updates that will be in winter issues of the Turnagain Times so read bi-weekly for the latest updates on the Chugach trails.

By Irene Lindquist

As of Feb. 21 it appeared to be a good weekend for all modes of winter travel on Seward Ranger District Trails. Lost Lake Trail, normally I’m saying “ Please don’t make me, please don’t make me haul propane to the Clemen’s Cabin”, but as of late, I’m telling Fitz we need to haul more propane. What this means is that at the moment we have good conditions. Minus the moguls, Primrose has 4 miles of moguls, Lost Lake has 2 miles, and Snug Harbor access to Lost Lake has 3 miles).

Anticipate good conditions on all our winter used trails. Keep in mind however, there are always obstacles that make some areas difficult, such as the mud hole we almost got stuck in on the Johnson Pass Winter Route, or that windblown side hill where we couldn’t keep our machines going where we wanted.

Large holes in the ice on Snug Harbor Road between mile 5 and 6 may impede travel for rigs pulling large trailers. Classic skiing is great in most areas, skate skiing Russian River C.G., Old Sterling Highway, Trail River C.G., Exit Glacier, Divide Ski area is good. Anticipate fewer updates unless conditions warrant mention. If you would like more specific area/cabin/trail information please call: Fitz: 288-7714, Pat Cook: 288-7711, Irene Lindquist: 288-7748 or John Eavis: 288-7702.

Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly Report

By Sue McClure

The afternoon began with a 2-hour joint work session with the Kenai Peninsula Borough Planning Commission, including East Peninsula commissioner Sandra Holsten, the KPB Assembly, and various members of Advisory Planning Commissions (thanks Jeanette, Dave, and Bruce), and members of the public. Marcus Mueller, KPB Land Management director, led it.

The workshop involved the municipal entitlement land selection process, and was very productive. You still can make comments and selections on the borough’s website: www.borough.kenai.ak.us until the end of February. You can learn more about the borough’s land selection from State lands at the website also.

More advisory planning commission meetings will soon occur, and ultimately a resolution will be presented to the Assembly in July, outlining the acres to be selected. At our committee meetings we heard a review of the borough’s investment portfolio, and a report from the Cook Inlet Regional Citizen’s Advisory Council on their study of marine vessel traffic risks.

There was only one ordinance up for public hearing at the regular, 6 p.m. meeting. Ordinance 2013-04, amending code to repeal the requirement for assembly approval of administrative position job descriptions, was unanimously approved, with no public testimony. Two ordinances were introduced for hearing on March 19. One will appropriate funds for the Bear Creek Fire Service Area to pay for their new building, by issuing of bonds, which will be sold on March 12th. The other, Ordinance 2013-09 standardizes the language in code for all service areas to allow members to hold office until a successor takes office. An additional four ordinances are up for public hearing at the March 19 meeting.

Of those, Ordinance 2013-07 amends code to repeal the 60 percent voter approval requirement to increase the sales tax maximum rate, and Ordinance 2013-08 amends code to require certain reports from the Planning Department on the benefits and effectiveness of Chapter 21.18 (stream protection). The only assembly meeting in March will be the March 19 meeting. Since our meetings now begin at 6 p.m., if this presents a hardship due to work and travel time, please let me know and we can arrange (with advance warning) a teleconference from Seward, or we could schedule public hearings later in the meeting if needed.

I can be reached at 224-6784 or smcclure@borough.kenai.ak.us. You can utilize the Seward Annex office in Sea View Plaza for information as well. We have two vacancies on the Seward Bear Creek Flood Service Area Board at this time, and you can be appointed if you live anywhere within the boundaries of that service area.

Moose Pass Sportsmen’s Club Updated Bylaws

The Moose Pass Sportsmen’s Club recently revised/updated the Constitution and Bylaws that govern how the Club does business. The work was completed by a subcommittee of diverse residents and approved unanimously by members of the community at a meeting on Jan. 31. If you have questions or thoughts, please email us at moosepasssportmensclub@yahoo.com. We hope you will consider getting involved.