The Legislative Council on Sept. 10 approved renewal of a snow-removal contract for the Anchorage Legislative Office Building and lease extensions for Homer and Kodiak district offices.

The council voted, by voice and roll call, to renew renewal number 4 of the snow removal contract with Kelly Incorporated doing business as A-1 Lawn and Landscaping for an amount not to exceed $65,000; to approve renewal number 1 of the lease extension for the Homer legislative information office for $58,119.12; and to approve renewal number 3 of the Kodiak office lease for $71,012.52. All three motions passed unanimously, 11 yeas and 0 nays.

Procurement officer JC Kestel told the council the agency is satisfied with the Anchorage contractor’s performance and that the snow-removal renewal carries no price increase. "This contract has been in place for several years now, and the agency is satisfied with the services that they've been providing," Kestel said.

Senator Kiel moved the motions to approve each renewal. Miss Truett administered roll call votes for the council.

Members asked a handful of procedural and operational questions during discussion. Senator Tobin asked why the Kodiak renewal included a 52-cent adjustment; Kestel said the amount reflects an annual consumer price index calculation that adjusts lease charges by the CPI. Representative Edgmon asked why many district leases include one-year renewal options; Kestel explained that leases typically begin with a five-year initial period and then offer several one-year options to give the legislature flexibility if district needs change over time.

Representative Stutes, whose district uses one of the facilities, raised a separate operational concern about some legislative information offices being open only six months of the year and said staff absence had temporarily locked constituents out of a district office. Chair Hannon said Stutes's concern did not directly pertain to the Kodiak lease and asked that the matter be taken up as a separate item.

The renewals affect the legislature’s district office operations in Anchorage, Homer and Kodiak and will remain in effect under the stated contract and lease terms unless future council action alters them.

After the roll calls the council moved on to other business.