The Nome Common Council will discuss passing a new emergency ordinance during their regular meeting tonight.
If passed, that ordinance would allow the City Manager to continue enforcing travel restrictions, limit non-essential businesses, implement additional curfews, and regulate public areas to minimize the potential spread of COVID-19. It would essentially extend the emergency ordinance the City Council originally passed in March.
In order to alleviate some of the financial stress Nome-ites may be feeling as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, tonight the Council will also consider temporarily reducing the city sales tax. Residents would thus be exempt from the 7% seasonal increase through August 31st and only pay a 5% sales tax on their goods and services.
In other business, the Council will review two resolutions put forward by the Nome Port Commission. One of which is an application for federal funding to complete the Snake River Moorage and Haul-Out project. That would expand the capacity in the Port of Nome Inner Harbor where vessel congestion has been cited as a growing problem by Port staff.
The regular Council meeting is open to the public and citizens can e-mail or call in their comments. Under state guidelines, up to 50 people may gather for a public meeting although people are encouraged to maintain a distance of six feet from others and wear face masks while inside.
The Nome City Council convenes tonight at 5:30pm in Council Chambers at City Hall for a work session to discuss the FY’21 budget, followed by a regular meeting at 7pm.
Image at top: Deputy Clerk Christine Piscoya (left) and City Manager Glenn Steckman (right) at Nome City Council meeting in November, 2019. Photo from Emily Hofsteadter, KNOM (2019).
