A seventh phase of CARES Act funds may become available

The Nome Common Council took care of business in 36 short minutes last Monday, dealing swiftly with a light agenda. Notably, the meeting was transmitted via Zoom, YouTube and on the GCI community channel, featuring multiple camera perspectives that allowed the Zoom viewer to see who is speaking and offered clear sound.

However, while it became customary to offer citizens comments by phoning in, that feature of council meetings is no longer an option. City Manager Glenn Steckman said that the city is nearly at a 70 percent vaccination rate of all eligible people and that people could comment in person. He said that City Hall still encourages the wearing of masks in city buildings but does not enforce the recommendation.

In city business, the Council – minus Mayor John Handeland who was at the Iditarod start and whose flight was canceled due to the blizzard – voted in first reading on an ordinance that amends the acquisition and disposal of city real property. If a parcel of real estate put up for bidding by the City does not receive bids, it can be sold over the counter.

The council also set the date for the 2021 Board of Equalization to meet May 5-7, 2021 and voted on a resolution to appoint Parks and Rec Director Chip Leeper as acting city manager from March 19-30 and July 1-12, 2021.

City Manager Steckman then gave a short report and announced that due to mounting rabies concerns of citizens – seeing many foxes within city limits – the City offers rabies vaccination clinics at City Hall on Friday afternoons. He also reported that up to $275,000 are still left over from CARES Act funding and a seventh phase of distributing the funds in the community is a possibility. He said he is open for suggestions, but with Iditarod not coming to Nome he suggested to target the Nome hospitality industry to receive those funds.

Before the regular meeting the Council heard budget requests from Department heads in a work session.