Nome utility board lacks quorum at City Hall, reschedules for Friday

The Nome Joint Utility System Board didn't have enough members present to do business Tuesday and moved its meeting to 5:30 pm Friday. Friday's meeting will open with a budget work session, followed by the regular meeting.

Tuesday's meeting was at Nome City Hall. The board had been meeting at the power plant. In October, the Nome Common Council formally asked the utility board and the Port Commission to meet at City Hall. Council members cited poor audio and low turnout at the power plant, Alaska News reported Oct. 14.

At a Sept. 28 council meeting, a utility representative said the board had moved to the power plant because its meetings kept getting bumped by other meetings at City Hall. He said the board felt it should meet in its own building, as the school board does, and that the utility wouldn't run the generator next to the meeting room, to help the sound.

Members who attended Tuesday chose Friday over Thursday after one member said Thursday might conflict with a Port Commission meeting. Friday gives members time to read their packets and meets the 24-hour public notice requirement, that member said.