Happy Retirement, Mike!

Congratulations to Mike Bowden on his retirement from the Valdez Fire Department and his 29 years of service to the City of Valdez!

Mike Bowden moved to Valdez in 1991 and initially worked in the commercial fishing industry. In 1994, Mike started working with the City of Valdez Fire Department as a part-time/volunteer and eventually was hired as a Fire Engineer. In 2008, Mike left the City of Valdez to work across the bay for Alyeska Pipeline Service Company. Even though Mike worked for Alyeska, he still volunteered with the Valdez Fire Department.

Mike returned to the Valdez Fire Department as an Engineer in 2011 and was promoted to Lieutenant in 2013 and Captain in 2015. While Mike started the retirement process in November 2022, he officially filed his paperwork for May 1, and April 30will be his last day of work.

Mike has been one of the department’s Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) training officers, is a Certified Fire Officer and Firefighter, an Alaska & National Registered Paramedic, and has been responsible for several roles within the Fire Department.

While living in Valdez, Mike has actively participated with the local Boy Scouts of America Troop 311. Mike was always there to help the Boy Scouts whenever he could, especially as he was an outdoor enthusiast with carpentry skills. These skills were beneficial during his overnight winter camping adventures with the boy scouts.

In addition to volunteering with the local Boy Scouts troop, Mike has been a construction contractor since 1996, an active member of Epiphany Lutheran Church, and has volunteered for Advocates for Victims of Violence (AVV). He participated in AVV’s Walk a Mile in Her Shoes event, donning size 11 red high heels to walk a mile to raise awareness of sexual violence.

Mike is already planning for life after retirement. He teaches trade and construction skills courses at Prince William Sound College during his off days. He looks forward to continuing this work as full-time faculty with the University of Alaska, teaching Construction Trades and Emergency Services courses.

Mike and his wife Mel have raised three children, Jared, Cameron, and Chase, in Valdez. Mike plans to stay in Valdez, volunteer with the Valdez Fire Department, and travel the road system around Alaska. When not traveling on the road, Mel and Mike plan to explore Prince William Sound on their sailboat.

Whatever adventures Mike has for the future will be the ride of his life! Best of luck to you and your family during your retirement years, and thank you for your years of service to the community of Valdez.

Update from City Council

Regular Municipal Election Update

Who is running?
Thank you to all Valdez residents who filed to run in this year’s School Board and City Council races. Here is the final list of candidates who will appear on the ballot this May 2^nd (listed alphabetically by last name):

City Council: 3-Year Term (2 Seats)
Austin Love
James "Jimmy" Devens
Tammy Jo Liddell

City Council: 1-Year Term (1 Seat)
David Tousignant
Olivia Foster

School Board: 3-Year Term (3 Seats)
Robert Brock
Lindsay Wesely
Bryan Vincent
Rosalyn Esiritu
Carey Wade

School Board: 1-Year Term (1 Seat)
Ruth E Knight

What else is on the ballot?
There will be one proposition on the May 2, 2023, ballot to come before the voters.

Proposition 1 will ask the voters to consider this question: “Shall the Valdez Municipal Charter be amended to replace gender binary nouns and pronouns (including he, she, his, and hers) with gender-neutral terms?”

The City Council opted to have this proposition appear on the ballot for the General Election in May rather than the special election in February due to requests from several community members who opposed the measure.

This proposed change intends to modernize the language in the City Charter to reflect current best practices in legal drafting. This is primarily a technical and grammatical change but does have the additional intent of promoting a culture of inclusivity in the city government. Though the non-gendered language has been the norm for many years with the drafting of new ordinances, much of the older language in the Valdez Municipal Code and the Valdez Municipal Charter exclusively uses male pronouns.

This drafting change will most frequently replace gendered language with appropriate gender-neutral titles. Here is one example:

Section 3.5. The Mayor Pro Tempore. The mayor pro tempore shall succeed to the office of mayor when a vacancy occurs in that office. He The mayor pro tempore shall have and exercise the powers and duties of the mayor when the mayor is absent or unable to perform the duties of ~~his~~ the office. When a doubt exists concerning the ability of the mayor to perform the duties of ~~his~~ the office, the council shall, by resolution, determine whether the mayor pro tempore shall act in the place of the mayor. Such determination shall stand until the council determines that such disability or inability ceases.

How do I find out more?
You will always find the most up-to-date information about local elections on the City's Elections web page and are always welcome to call the Clerk's Office at 907-835-4313 with questions.

Board of Equalization to Consider Tax Appeals

Property tax appeals were due at the end of March, and the City Council will meet as the Board of Equalization this month to consider these appeals. The meetings are set for 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday, April 19,and Thursday, April 20. Additional hearings may be scheduled if needed due to extensive appeals.

Remember- If you have filed a tax appeal, you must attend the Board of Equalization hearing for your appeal to be considered.

Appeals are typically heard in the order they were received, and under state law, the appellant bears the burden of proof. Be sure to have good evidence to back up your appeal when you come before the board- the board can only consider the facts presented to them.

Alaska Statute 29.45.110(a) requires that property assessments be at “full and true value,” which is defined in the statute as the “estimated price that the property would bring in an open market and under the then prevailing market conditions in a sale between a willing seller and a willing buyer both conversant with the property and with prevailing general price levels.” The market drives the assessment process at this time, and Valdez is not alone in seeing a steep increase in property tax rates.

Visit the City’s website to learn more about Property Taxes, or access the following resources: 2023 Assessment and Appeal Information, Citizen’s Guide to Property Assessments, and GIS Map Viewer.

Watch the recorded video of the Board of Equalization training that City Council members. This training provided by the city’s legal staff and assessor covered the legal guidelines the BOE members must follow and touched on the assessment process.

All-America City Scholarship

The City of Valdez offers two $2,500 scholarships each year to graduating Valdez High School seniors who plan to pursue full-time higher education. The scholarship program was established in 1982 as a lasting reminder of the All-America City honor awarded to the City of Valdez in 1965 and 1981.

The scholarship program intends to encourage civic involvement among the youth of Valdez while encouraging the continuation of education. Each year a subcommittee of council members and administrative staff is formed to review applications.

If you know a graduating senior who might be interested, let them know about the All-America City Scholarship! Applications must be received in the Office of the City Clerk no later than 5:00 pm on Friday, April 21, 2023.

Average Sales PRice of Single Family Home Loans

Property Assessments Increased Overall in Valdez - Here are Some Reasons Why

Assessment values can change from year to year for several reasons. Physical characteristics of the property can change. For example, an addition is built on a house, a major remodel is completed, part of the home is destroyed, or a lot is subdivided. However, the most common reason values change from year to year is the real estate market changes.

Property tax values are based on market value. The market had been growing gradually, for the most part, until 2019. In 2020 and through the end of 2022, we saw a significant increase in property prices throughout the country; Valdez was no exception. The main driving factors were low supply, high demand, and the lowest interest rates since 1971 – this is as far as historical information is available.¹ Property owners felt an urgency to buy now to lock down mortgage rates before rates and monthly payments increased.

Valdez’s average home price in 2020 was $272,576; in 2021 was $310,769, over a 14% increase in one year. It is important to note that some housing groups did see a much more significant increase than that – average reflects an average increase. It cannot be applied to one specific property.

Currently, purchasing power has slowed down due to interest rates, and inflation is on the rise. Typically, every 1% increase in interest rates often means an extra $200 in monthly payments for the average-priced home. But due to low inventory, property prices have not declined, and the market remains strong. Trends in 2022 showed that residential property values continued to increase. The average sales price for properties in Valdez increased in 2022 compared to 2021.

Significant factors that continue to contribute to valuation changes in Valdez include:

Supply / Demand – shortage of housing
Limited Availability of Vacant land - costs of available vacant land
Construction Costs – material costs, shipping, labor, etc.

These factors are shared across the State and are the driving force of higher property values. In addition, state law requires assessments to be within a range of 90% to 110% of fair market value.

If you want to understand more about the assessment process and valuations, read A Citizen’s Guide to Property Tax Assessments^3.

¹(Freddie Mac, 30-Year Fixed Rate Mortgage Average in the United States [MORTGAGE30US], retrieved from FRED, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis;)

² Average Sales Price of Single Family Home Loans Graph

Parenting in the Digital Age - Save the Date!

When: Saturday, April 29, 2023

Where: Gilson Middle School Cafetorium

Time: 6:30 - 8:30 p.m.

The Valdez Police Department is partnering with our friends from Homer Police Department to bring the Parenting in the Digital Age Presentation to Valdez.

Lt. Ryan Browning has taken this presentation on the road throughout Alaska this year, with excellent reviews from those who have attended in several different communities throughout the state. We ask that you help us pack the building for this critical topic. As the flyer says, this will be a very candid conversation about what your children are seeing and experiencing online - probably unlike anything you have attended. We strongly encourage you to come if you are a parent, a teenager, or a guardian.

Positive change always starts with an interactive discussion. Please join us for a few hours on Saturday, April 29, at 6:30 p.m. The presentation is slotted for about two hours, but Lt. Browning will stay for questions afterward as needed.

Valdez Zoning Project - Community Survey

Valdez Zoning Revision Project - Community Survey

The City of Valdez requests feedback on draft concepts and proposed changes to the zoning code.

A community survey launched on March 24 asking for feedback on several topics. Find the survey at www.surveymonkey.com/r/Valdez-Zoning-Code-Revision and submit feedback.

This survey will take approximately 15 minutes. We need your guidance to develop the new zoning ordinance so it makes sense for Valdez and achieves the goal of making the zoning code work better for the community.

The survey is open until Friday, April 14.

April Meetings and Events

Important Dates for April 2023

Monday, April 3 - Ports & Harbors Commission
Tuesday, April 4 - City Council
Wednesday, April 5 - Social Media and the First Amendment Training (register to attend)
Monday, April 10 - School Board
Tuesday, April 11 - Parks & Recreation Commission
Wednesday, April 12 - Library Board; Planning & Zoning Commission
Thursday, April 13 - Economic Diversification Commission, Childcare Crisis Task Force
Monday, April 17 - Ports & Harbors Commission
Tuesday, April 18 - City Council
Wednesday, April 19 - Board of Equalization (City Council)
Thursday, April 20 - Board of Equalization (City Council)
Friday, April 21 - COV All-America City Scholarship *DEADLINE: due by 5 p.m.
Monday, April 24 - Economic Development Lunch and Learn (Cruise Ships); School Board
Wednesday, April 26 - Planning & Zoning Commission
Thursday, April 27 - Beautification Commission
Saturday, April 29 - Childcare Crisis Task Force

Access agenda materials and meeting schedules for Valdez City Council and City of Valdez Commissions.

Access online calendars for additional city events and activities.

Engagement Opportunities

Website Photo Project - Spirit of Valdez
Help us capture the essence and spirit of Valdez for use on the City's website. The City of Valdez Communications office is looking for talented photographers to showcase Valdez and is now accepting submissions for photos to be featured on the City of Valdez’s main website. The City is in the process of redesigning the website. While several large images are currently featured on the City’s homepage, the redesign will include images used throughout the site. The City would like to highlight local artists’ photographs and the Valdez community. Photos may be submitted by anyone, with parent or guardian approval, for those under 18.

Title 17 Zoning Code Revision: Sign up to receive project updates by email! Join the mailing list to receive project updates about the zoning revision process. At most, six emails will be sent. To sign up, visit the project website, enter your email address in the Sign Up for Project Updates, and click the JOIN button.

Join a City Board or Commission! The following boards or commissions still need volunteers to step up and engage: the Museum and Historical Archive Board of Directors, Valdez Consortium Library Board, and the Economic Diversification Commission. Visit the Boards & Commissions web page to learn more or to apply for a vacancy.

Sign up for FlashVote!
Valdez residents are encouraged to sign up for FlashVote, a survey tool that allows residents to have a voice in city government through text, email, or voice responses. FlashVote is a public survey research platform that recruits a panel of residents representative of the entire community to answer short surveys. FlashVote is designed to gather feedback within 48 hours, allowing City government to quickly get useful and statistically valid information from residents. Responses from FlashVote surveys will be used to inform City decisions on services, programs, and initiatives.

Join your friends and neighbors and sign up at www.flashvote.com/valdezak.

Help Name the Newsletter! We need your help naming the City's newsletter. Offer a name for the City's newsletter along with a brief statement explaining why your selection is the best name for the newsletter. If your submission is selected, you will win the City's undying gratitude! Submit your newsletter name nomination to communications@valdezak.gov.

Stay Informed

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