Turn back the pages — Sept. 12, 1974
Compiled by Julie Rosier
Assembly Loans Service Area Funds for Pool — Among the three ordinances passed at last week’s assembly meeting was one appropriating $200,000 to the newly created North Peninsula Recreation Service Area so that construction of a heated, indoor swimming pool can get started this fall. Funds will come back to the borough when the bonds are sold by the service area within a month or two. Also passed was an ordinance transferring $136,914 from capital projects to the planning department to cover the solid waste maintenance contracts recently awarded; also another ordinance transferring $9,000 to the debt service fund. Also an ordinance rezoning a portion of the Radar Subdivision in Kenai from residential to light industrial. All ordinances were passed unanimously by the 13 assemblymen present. Absent were Jim Doyle and Tru McGrady of Kenai and Tim Callahan of Seldovia. Two ordinances dealing with borough salaries were introduced by Assembly President Jim Arness. One would raise the borough mayor’s salary from the present $28,404 to $33,000 following the next mayoral election and provide for automatic increases thereafter. The ordinance states that “the present salary set for the borough mayor is not commensurate with the duties and responsibilities of the office, is far below salaries paid other employees of the borough and school district, and is not conducive to securing the filing of competent candidates for the duties and responsibilities of the office of Mayor.”
Storage Tanks Will Be Moved to Valdez — Two large fuel storage tanks, one with a capacity of 840,000 gallons, the other with a 630,000 gallon capacity, are being moved by the Standard Oil Company from Seward to Valdez. The tanks will be floated from here to Valdez as soon as the weather is good enough for the trip, Standard Engineer Al Plotner says. The tanks survived the 1964 earthquake and tidal waves. Plotner says the tanks were made in 1946 “of stout stuff.” He adds that two smaller tanks are being located here to replace the ones going to Valdez. The smaller tanks were built in 1924, “and have another 50 years of life in them,” Plotner says. When asked if removal of the large tanks will endanger the fuel supply in Seward, Plotner said there would still be “plenty of storage here. The plant is resupplied by the Alaska Standard tanker from Valdez. “I guarantee you won’t go cold here.” The big tanks are being moved to help ease the fuel shortage in Valdez caused by pipeline activity and because bigger ship capacity into Valdez is a company aim. The tanks being brought here to replace the large ones are coming from Port Ashton where they have sat without use since the fire there.
Council Considers Annexation Requests 1975 State Census — In regular session Monday night, the Seward City Council voted to support a borough assembly resolution requesting a state census in 1975. Council also considered the pros and cons of working toward annexation of the Fourth of July Creek area where several firms have expressed interest in industrial development. Councilman Hulm, who also serves on the borough assembly, brought up the proposed census. He explained that the assembly felt that a census is needed next year rather than waiting until 1980 for the federal census, because Alaska right now is experiencing some intense growth. He added that for the purposes of Alaska receiving more federal revenue sharing funds, this census would be necessary. Councilman Vincent questioned whether the federal government would recognize a state managed census. Hulm replied that the borough had been willing to accept the census done by the city and this had resulted in a larger revenue sharing per capita base. The 1970 federal census showed a population of 1,587 within the Seward city limits. City Manager Jim Filip said the city census counted 1,823 persons within the city limits. He said that the additional count had made it possible for the city to keep two assembly seats.
40% of Married Women Have Jobs, 30% in 1960 — About 40 percent of married women work in jobs covered by Social Security compared to 30 percent in 1960, according to Social Security officials here. Almost 19 million married women have jobs outside their homes compared to 12.25 million in 1960, according to the U. S. Department of Labor. Nine out of 10 jobs are covered by Social Security. “Working women build Social Security disability , survivors, retirement and Medicare protection for themselves and their families,” a Social Security spokesman said. “More married women work now than in 1960 because families are smaller and there are more jobs for women and more day-care facilities for children.” Monthly Social Security benefits can be paid to a wife and her work record even if her husband keeps working, and if a woman has worked long enough under Social Security and retires, becomes disabled, or dies, her children can be paid benefits on her record until they’re 18, or until 22 if they’re full-time students and remain unmarried. Half of all retired women get monthly Social Security retirement payments on their own record, the spokesman said.
Energy, hard work, Ardell’s formula for successful ASC Recreation Program — Reason suggests everyone in Seward must know who Ardell Filip is. Most of those who know who she is also know of her almost overwhelming pursuit of rod and gun, as well as her headlong progress on her motorcycle, to mention only the minimum of her sporting enthusiasms. Even though those who know her often fail to look beyond her insouciance to the determination and hard work she brings to her job as recreation director at the Alaska Skill Center. Ardell, holder of two bachelor’s degrees from the University of Alaska, joined the Alaska Department of Labor staff of the Skill Center early in 1970 as Homemakers Service Program Consultant, a long title designed to cover her assignment as an advisor to families and dependents of trainees, helping them to adapt to life in the “big city” and ease the cultural shock attendant on some. She then transferred to the Department of Education as a family counselor, essentially the same job. In April of 1973, much against her wishes, she was transferred to the recreation program of the center, during a staff reassignment.