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Photo by Nikolai Ivanoff HERD AND FLOCK—Swans and musk oxen dot the water and tundra near the Bonanza bridge near Solomon east of Nome. C VOLUME CIX NO. 23 JUNE 10, 2010 New count, new outcome Payenna recalled, council certifies all results By Tyler Rhodes tion result, making Friday’s count of- The results of a recall election for ficial. The council certified the results all five of Nome’s school board mem- for the other four school board mem- bers shifted again Friday after a fourth bers at a special noon meeting held counting of the ballots cast for Heather Friday prior to Payenna’s recount. Al- Payenna yielded the fourth different though the vote tallies for most of the tally since election day May 25. four members have changed between The hand count of 484 “Yes” votes the initial count and subsequent re- to 478 “No” reversed Payenna’s fate counts, the end results have remained for the second time since election day; firm with Albert McComas recalled the most recent tally showing that a and Barb Nickels, Gloria Karmun majority of voters cast ballots to re- and Kirsten Timbers retained. move her from the board. The previ- At Monday’s meeting, Payenna ous hand recount, conducted a week was gracious in asking the board to earlier on May 28, showed Payenna re- certify the results and put the vote to taining her seat by a one-vote margin. rest. Noting that although the outcome The initial count after the polls closed was not what she had sought, Payenna and a subsequent machine recount asked that the election be concluded so Photo by Tyler Rhodes both showed Payenna being recalled. that the community can move forward. The Nome Common Council met “It’s been really wearing,” she said. HUMAN CALCULATORS—Election Judge Inspector Francis Alvanna, right, and Election Clerks Lilly Rose Monday for a special noon meeting and Jon Larson count the number of ballots cast in the May 25 recall vote for Heather Payenna during a sec- at which it certified Payenna’s elec- continued on page 8 ond hand recount of the results in the Nome Common Council Chambers June 4. Airport, Snake River proposals meet turbulence By Sandra L. Medearis parallel taxiways, lengthening and pushing the pri- grass, I’d be happy, but Nome is growing. patterns, accommodation of growth in passen- About 30 people collected at Old St. Joe’s mary runway north, even building a new general “You are building a runway for the way gers and newer, larger aircraft in service. June 2 for a presentation from the state De- aviation facility at the airport. But in reality, DOT Nome is now,” he said. The DOT has a proposed solution for now partment of Transportation, Federal Aviation had to spread available annual federal funding DOT’s project manager, R.J. Stumpf, said to fit the money available. Administration, and contract biologists and en- over all airports in the state, so Nome was looking going north currently bucks headwinds in land The proposed “Band-aid” would provide the gineers on design options to meet a legislative at only a minimal Band-aid solution. acquisition and other constraints. most effective solution for achieving full safety mandate on improved airport safety. That airport fix did not fly with those voic- Matt Johnson drew a parallel with Nome ex- area compliance and may provide opportunity Some options concerning Nome airport in- ing a consensus that the main-east-west runway pansion and Anchorage’s Merrill Field ending for lower approach minimums and greater ac- volve changing the course of the Snake needed to move north out of the lowlands and up surrounded with industrial growth. cessibility to the Nome Airport. The proposed River—again. the Snake River needed to stay right where it The fixes under consideration would satisfy action would include the following upgrades: For the most part, the public, as in “public” was. Moving the runway north would get it out the legislative mandate for changes within five • Improvements to address RSA deficiencies input, did not like what they heard. of the flood plain, reduce the need for continual years to bring the runway safety area into com- • Relocating navigational aids and additional “It has never happened in Nome at a meet- resurfacing because of settlement, and lower pliance with federal FAA standards. The run- paving, as required due to threshold shifts ing like this that everyone was on the same the number of delays because of fog, a number way safety area is a cleared area surrounding • Relocation of access roads, as required side,” Sue Steinacher said, laughing. of people said to sounds of agreement. the runway to help reduce the risk of damage to • Relocation of the Snake River. Department of Transportation planners showed “I’m wondering how much you have con- airplanes in the event of an undershoot, over- The Snake River winds around the existing several alternatives for reconfiguring Nome air- sidered the size and growth of Nome?” Vic shoot, or departure from the runway. A sepa- runways creating a barrier to expanding the main port features to provide a greater safety margin. Olson, a long-time commercial pilot, said. “To rate issue is updating to serve a long-term, runway embankment to the west and future im- Main issues are lengthening the runway, expand- go north should allow room for Nome to ex- 20-year plan for further safety improvements, ing the safety area around the edges of runways, pand. If I had 600 feet of smooth gravel or regional economic support, orderly expansion continued on page 4 On the Web: A better Nome, yes, annexation, no! www.nomenugget.net By Sandra L. Medearis Easels standing around the room on the annexation process, that so far, transparent process,” Bechtol said. E-mail: The Nome Planning Commis- at Old St. Joe’s on June 3 gathered is just a tentative gleam in planners’ “We’re at the beginning. Nothing [email protected] sion held an open house to collect lots of ideas written on yellow sticky eyes waiting to be fanned by any in- has been filed.” ideas to feed Nome’s comprehen- notes focusing on Nome’s strengths, terest in the proposition. Still, a majority of the people in at- sive plan update. weaknesses and opportunities. Nome Joint Utility System is in tendance had disaffection for annexa- Given the opportunity to say how People attending had many ideas the process of extending its service tion. Annexation would bring a yet they wanted to see Nome develop, for improving the community, but lit- area, contract planner Eileen Bechtol undetermined property tax liability for including a sounding board on an- tle love for annexing outlying areas. told the gathering, so City of Nome a yet undefined level of city services. nexation of outlying areas, 12 to 15 Two guys from the state Local is exploring the extension of city Cari Miller of Tripple Creek, who active participants showed up, but Boundary Commission came to field boundaries to match. these visitors were very productive. questions and provide information “It would be a totally open continued on page 16 2 THURSDAY, JUNE 10, 2010 OPINION THE NOME NUGGET Letters Dear Editor, They included Floyd Lasseigne, a These people work hard. They 20,000 people working around the week, the federal government sent My Grandmother Frieda Goodwin fourth-generation oyster fisherman. meet their responsibilities. But now clock to contain and clean up this BP a preliminary bill for $69 million lived in Council, Chenik, and This is the time of year when he or- because of a manmade catastrophe spill. I have authorized 17,500 Na- to pay back American taxpayers for Golovin in the very early 1900s. She dinarily earns a lot of his income. — one that is not their fault and be- tional Guard troops to participate in some of the costs of the response so had a younger sister named Mable But his oyster bed has likely been de- yond their control — their lives have the response. More than 1,900 ves- far. In addition, after an emergency who married a white man named stroyed by the spill. been thrown into turmoil. It is bru- sels are aiding in the containment safety review, we are putting in place Ralph Williams. Her other younger Terry Vegas had a similar story. tally unfair. And what I told these and cleanup effort. We have con- aggressive new operating standards sister married Tom Willock. I am in- He quit the 8th grade to become a men and women is that I will stand vened hundreds of top scientists and for offshore drilling. And I have ap- terested in finding out if any these shrimper with his grandfather. Ever with the people of the Gulf Coast engineers from around the world. pointed a bipartisan commission to two families have descendants living since, he’s earned his living during until they are again made whole. This is the largest response to an en- look into the causes of this spill. If in Nome or any other place. shrimping season — working long, That is why, from the beginning, vironmental disaster of this kind in laws are inadequate, they will be I can be reached at (907) 442- grueling days so that he could earn we have worked to deploy every tool the history of our country. changed. If oversight was lacking, it 3276 or at Box 334 Kotzebue, enough money to support himself at our disposal to respond to this cri- We have also ordered BP to pay continued on page 14 Alaska 99752 year-round.