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City of Fairbanks presents draft Polaris publication; 30-day comment period open
Summary
City grants administrator presented a draft pamphlet documenting the Polaris Project demolition research. The document is in a 30-day comment period ending April 10; the contractor is Dowell, the State Historic Preservation Office has submitted comments, and staff said the city will keep research materials on its servers per the MOA.
Sarah, grants administrator for the City of Fairbanks, presented a draft pamphlet prepared under the city’s memorandum of agreement (MOA) tied to the Polaris Project demolition. The pamphlet compiles research and graphics produced under the MOA’s stipulations and is currently in a 30-day public comment period that ends April 10.
Sarah said the city’s contractor, Dowell, prepared the pamphlet from the research index and that all consulting parties on the MOA received the draft; to date she had received comments only from the State Historic Preservation Office. She asked commissioners to provide any written comments before the April 10 deadline so the contractor can incorporate them into the final version.
Commissioners asked whether previous research by the Tanana-Yukon Historical Society and historian Joan Skillbread was reflected in the pamphlet and where citations appear. Sarah said she could check the references and confirm which sources from the research index were included; she did not have that detail available at the meeting. Commissioner Melissa noted the packet contains 67 references (listed on page 172 of the meeting packet) and said that many newspaper articles from 1951–2017 are cited; she suggested those likely reflect earlier research efforts.
Commissioners asked about the number of printed pamphlets and distribution. Sarah said the MOA does not specify how many to print and the city has not decided a print run. She said the city will distribute the publication digitally to MOA parties and is discussing placing printed copies with local repositories and visitor centers such as Explore Fairbanks. Melissa reminded the commission that the MOA requires the city to retain an electronic archive of historic photos, architectural drawings and newspaper articles on the city’s servers indefinitely, and to post photos on the city website for no less than five years.
No formal motion was taken during the meeting. Staff invited commissioners to submit written comments before the April 10 deadline so Dowell can incorporate suggested edits.
