The ordinance states that people who own property and pay taxes should be allowed a voice in the local decisions in planning and land use. The ordinance also says that non-resident or commercial landowners deserve a say in Community Council activities because the Councils in turn report to the Borough.

Community Council membership is currently open to residents living within the council boundaries, and specifically excludes non-resident landowners. The ordinance will be introduced and hearings will be scheduled at a future Assembly meeting.

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Another plan shows Trapper Creek in a district with Port MacKenzie and part of Wasilla.  The Susitna Council vote took place at their regular meeting Thursday evening.

The council also listened to a presentation by Bruce Paulsen of the Mat Su Borough. Paulsen presented information on trail designations, trail surveying and obtaining legal access.  According to chair Robert Coleman, the council would like to see connected trails from Willow up north thru the Susitna council area and will be working with the Borough to achieve that goal.

Very few people attended the meeting Thursday night and Coleman apologized to Paulsen and others saying it was the lowest attendance in over a year. The council DID meet with a quorum and was able to not only take action on the redistricting resolution but to write a letter to the Borough on a platting issue in Caswell Lakes.  A resident is asking for a removal of a lot line and the board agreed it more sense to do that the leave 2 very small lots.  The council also hopes to get an improved website soon in which all members can get council information.

The list of concerns was long, including the public water source, Parks Highway improvements, airport improvements, the Susitna Dam, gas exploration and more.

Joe Page attended the meeting and said he would be happy to look into the possibility of a public water source at the proposed site of a future NSI and Denali Arts Council joint effort at the edge of downtown Talkeetna.

The council board voted on one single item, which passed unanimously.  Renamary Rauchenstein approached the board with her project idea of beautifying the Talkeetna Village Park with new flower beds, if the council could pay for the flowers.  She is finishing her master gardeners class and is required to perform 40 hours of community service in the way of gardening.  The council unanimously approved her proposal to plant annual flowers in the village park this summer.  She plans on working in conjunction with Birch Creek Ranch to obtain flowers suitable for the park’s environment.  The council board will discuss which pot of money will be used to pay for the project.  The council received a large donation from the Pick Click Give campaign and they also have five hundred dollars unused from a proposal that fell through in the last round of revenue sharing money.

All of the other 2009 revenue share grants have been distributed. The application period is now open for the next round of grants from the Borough.  Applications are at the public library and the Post Office and need to be completed by October 14^th.

Several directors had been appointed throughout this past year to fill positions left vacant by others who, for various family commitments and other reasons, needed to resign.

The 2010 elections had also been held in April and since the by laws of the council do not dictate at what time of year the elections are held, the Board chair, Virginia Dalton Pollo, said the election would make everything clear and transparent and make sure the community had the board of directors that they wanted.

The election committee consisting of Kay Faerber, Jane Shaw, Allan Ruhter and Jennie Earles met to count and verify ballots on Thursday.  A total of 64 community members voted.  Incumbents Paula Glenka, Rick Leo and Paul Thomas as well as Mike Miller received the most votes out of the 7 candidates.

The candidates will take their board seats at the next Trapper Creek council meeting scheduled for May 19^th.

There are 7 candidates for the 4 open seats on the board.  Candidates include new and long time members of the community.  Candidates are:    Rick Leo, long time Trapper Creek resident;  Teri Lynn Dyrud, who just moved to the Trapper Creek area last March but has worked extensively with community organizations; Paula Glenka, a resident of Trapper Creek for the past  year; business owner Mike Miller; Sariah Neff, long time Alaskan and active volunteer for Trapper Creek preschool.  Kristie May Parsons is also running and is the special education teacher and operator of Arctic Curly Farm.  Paul Thomas, another new member of the community and currently an adjunct math instructor at Mat Su College, has also thrown his name in the ring.

The council will have a meet-and-greet the candidates potluck on April 21^st, before their regular monthly council meeting.  The council will be tackling a number of issues at that meeting including information on the Susitna Dam, a report on concerns regarding kennel licensing, suggested name change of the Chulitna Bridge as well as progress reports on their 2009 revenue sharing projects.

Their elections will be held two days – April 27^th and 28^th –at the Trapper Creek library during library hours.  Absentee ballots are available by request or at the Trapper Creek library during library hours.  The council has gone as far as having a sign up for people unable to drive themselves to the polls in order to arrange transportation.

Results of the election will be available April 29^th.

BIOGRAPHIES:

TeriLynn Dyrud, M.S.
My name is TeriLynn and I am a proud full time resident of Trapper Creek. My husband and I have businesses: Trapper Creek Soap Company, Northland Fishing Adventures and the Trapper Creek B & B. We moved to Trapper Creek in March of 2010. I have an extensive background in community organizations as well as grant writing and implementation. I am working on a doctorate in psychology. I am looking forward to volunteering my time to this wonderful community.

Paula Glenka – Homeowner and full time resident in Trapper Creek, I’m proud to be a part of this community. Being an active and productive member of the community is important to me. In business since 2005, I have a home office bookkeeping service. I look forward to volunteering my time and assisting in the continuing progress towards the betterment of our community.

Richard Leo – Has lived in Trapper Creek for 30 years.

Mike W. Miller – Mike Miller moved from Washington state in 2007. He and his wife – Julie have built their home and Alaska business in the Trapper Creek community. He is a business owner who is interested in promoting positive works in the community. He has been involved in golf course boards and community service boards in the past. His goal is to create a community environment where everyone’s individual skills and talents can be utilized for the good of the whole community.

Sariah Naff
Age: 30
Occupations: Owner/operator Alaska Pony’s and a Personal Care Attendant
As a mother of 3 elementary age children, whom are 5th generation Alaskans, I look at Trapper Creek’s future as what I would like for my children’s children and I actively work towards that vision. We have a wonderful rural environment that I would like to see continue with opportunities for our children that enrich their lives. Volunteering for the community is an important value within my family. I am an active volunteer for the Trapper Creek Preschool Program, Trapper Creek Parent Teacher Association, Cancer Research, Disabled Children, and for the Trapper Creek Community Services.

Kristie May Parsons
Age: 43
Occupations: Special Education Teacher and Owner/Operator Arctic Curly Farm
My occupational history provides me with skills that will benefit the Trapper Creek Community Council include: Community Service Director for UAF; Executive Assistant for the Downtown Association of Fairbanks; and Upper Susitna Soil & Water Conservation District Manager. I have skills to write winning grant proposals, to administer grants awarded by the Federal, State, and Borough governments and to pass audits of awarded grants. I have experience and knowledge of governmental policy and procedure execution and the ability to coordinate volunteer programs. Above all else I have been an active volunteer in my community and am known to walk my talk. My complete resume is available at the Trapper Creek Library.

Paul Thomas – Moved to Trapper Creek in July 2010. Formerly worked for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania (Department of Corrections) for 20 years as a teacher and Corrections School Principal. Currently employed as an adjunct math instructor at Mat-Su College. Appointed as interim Community Council Treasurer in October 2010. Long term goal is to see a suspension bridge connecting Talkeetna and Trapper Creek made of stone towers quarried and stacked by inmates seeking to improve their lives through honest hard work and positive goal achievement.

About 18 people showed up at the monthly meeting, perhaps attracted by the one single topic on the agenda – the proposed Susitna Dam.  Many people applauded the council and said the draft letter that had been written and presented by the newly formed Susitna Dam committee was thoughtful and well written.  A few suggestions were made and once the revisions are finished, the letter will be sent directly to Senator Charlie Huggins and Representative Mark Neuman and copied to the Governor and the rest of the legislature.

The letter will also be an attachment to the Mat Su Borough assembly along with a short letter asking them to reject a proposed Borough resolution supporting the dam.  The Susitna Dam committee is not taking a side on whether or not the dam should be built, but questioning lack of process and oversight in the legislature as well as true cost of the project.

At the same time, the Chase Community Council sent their letter of disapproval on the Borough resolution to all the members of the Assembly.

The Council also voted to send a letter to Senator Charlie Huggins in reference to work slated at the Talkeetna State Airport this summer and asking him to hold a town hall meeting in Talkeetna about the project and its impacts on residents and pilots.  The letter will cover at least 3 points: the proposed pedestrian pathway that abruptly ends at the Railroad tracks without taking pedestrians safely across the tracks; the number of trees to be removed appears to be excessive and perhaps detrimental to the floodplain; AND there doesn’t appear to be sufficient funding to complete the project as proposed.

Communications and council business can be found on their website at tkacouncil.org. The next meeting of the council is May 2^nd.

That resolution was tabled indefinitely.  However, wording has changed and has been re-introduced by Assembly member Noel Woods from Wasilla.

The resolution essentially says the Mat Su Borough supports the proposed dam project and House Bill 103 and Senate Bill 42.

Several members of the Susitna Dam committee of the Talkeetna Community Council are questioning the resolution.

Last month, Assembly member Vern Halter questioned the resolution stating he isn’t sure that the Alaska Industrial Export and Development Authority should be the one to construct the dam due to past questionable projects such as the Healy Clean Coal Project, which has never been operational.

The current Susitna Dam project schedule, if the process starts next year, is 11 or 12 years of permitting and construction before power is available.

The resolution will be part of the consent agenda Tuesday evening at the regularly scheduled Assembly meeting in Palmer.

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Port MacKenzie Rail Extension EIS Released

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Alaska Senate Bill 42 Heads to Finance Committee

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Matanuska Susitna Borough Assembly Meets with a Full Agenda

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Alaska House Bill 103 Moves out of Special Energy Committee

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Two separate discussions will take place that day: one on parking issues and accommodation of vehicles around the Talkeetna Village Park AND a discussion of proposed trail improvements in the non-motorized, Borough-owned Talkeetna Lakes Park.

The new arsenic plant erased some of the downtown parking that had been used by Chase residents.  The Borough has been working since that time to come up with a plan that can accommodate all residents as well as summer visitors that tend to park behind the Village Park.

Dwayne Adams is a planner with USKH, Incorporated but has been hired by the Borough to lead discussions on Saturday.  He says discussion of the Talkeetna Riverfront Park plan will not be excluded since campsites and parking are part of that plan.  He has invited Railroad personnel to the meeting.

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The new trails in Talkeetna Lakes Park have been in the planning for quite some time and this will be the unveiling of the plan for anyone who has not had a chance to see the maps.  There will also be discussion on proposed trails in the future.   Last month, the Borough Assembly approved one hundred thousand dollars in grant money to be allocated to the project to build about five kilometers of ski trail.

Residents can attend one meeting or both on Saturday.  The parking and village park meeting starts at 10 a.m. at the Talkeetna Elementary School. The Ski trail and Talkeetna Lakes Park discussion starts at 2 p.m.

Senate Bill 42 is the senate companion bill to House Bill 103, which would allow the Alaska Energy Authority to proceed with studies, construction and ownership of energy projects along the Alaska railbelt.  The bill was introduced by Governor Sean Parnell to jump start the Susitna Hydro project.

At the same time, a new committee of the Talkeetna Community Council met to discuss how to proceed with discussions on the Susitna Dam and how to get input on feelings the community has on the proposed project.

Discussion on the bills in the legislature and the proposed project lasted for a couple of hours. Discussion ranged from how to ask AEA for more information, to potential other renewable energy projects and it was clear that not everyone at the table felt the same about the proposed project.

In the end, the committee decided to write a letter to the entire legislature detailing a concern for the lack of information on the project at this point. The draft letter will be available for the public to review at the upcoming Talkeetna Community Council meeting on April 5^th.  The committee will try to have the draft letter available on the council website prior to the meeting.  That link is tkacouncil.org.

At this point, the Susitna Dam committee has not taken a position on the proposed project.

Paula Glenka is chairing the committee to look into the cost, and type of sign, that will be posted at the entrance to the community.  Several months ago,  the Community Council decided that one of the things missing from Trapper Creek was a welcome sign as visitors enter the community.

Saturday at 12:30 will be an announcement of the finalists.  A ballot box with forms will be available at the Trapper Creek Community Center until 5:30 p.m. and attendees of the festival can vote on their favorite design.  Voting continues through Thursday the 17^th at the Trapper Creek Library during their regularly posted hours.

Glenka says the council meets that Thursday evening and although votes will be counted, she says a firm decision on the exact design, and materials used for the sign may not occur until later.  The purpose of the contest was to collect as many ideas as possible.

Glenka is the newest member on the Trapper Creek Community Council Board of Directors and takes over from Dondi Twigg.

The council is also using revenue sharing funds for the pavilion repairs, a shed that will be located in the community park and improvements to the community cemetery.

Robert Gerlach, at the Council meeting Monday evening, suggested that a committee be formed.  He, along with Whitney Wolff and John Strausenberg will sit on the committee.  A meeting date was not discussed, but Gerlach said he would inform the council on the place and time of the first meeting.  He will not be able to meet for a month or so.  Meanwhile there was a very brief discussion on House Bill 103, the legislation that, if passed, will give Alaska Energy Authority the go ahead to study and proceed with construction of alternative railbelt energy projects.

The council also heard from Chris Mannix who said the Trails Master Plan is in the hands of the Borough.  The Borough would like to have an open house in Talkeetna to unveil the plan and answer questions, but no meeting date has been announced.  The Borough recently hired James King to fill the empty Community Service manager seat.

The revenue sharing committee has met and starting up their next round of applications for the 2010 pot of money.  An application deadline has been set for October.  The new applications will be available before the end of March.

The council set a near-record by adjourning just a couple minutes after 8 pm.

In 2003, DNR released their final finding which stated that oil and gas exploration in the Susitna Basin area was in the best interest of the state. In April of last year, the division of oil and gas received a proposal for an exploration license in the Susitna basin area.   When DOG issued a call for any possible NEW information regarding that proposal, they received comments from the Talkeetna Community Council, the non-profit Talkeetna based-group called Alaska Survival and the Mat Su Borough.  The different entities questioned wildlife habitat, trails, as well as future potential hazards and disasters such as those that happened with the Deepwater Horizon in the Gulf of Mexico.

The comments that were received prodded officials to find there was substantial new information – enough to justify an addendum to the finding, which includes information from the Deepwater Horizon disaster last year as well as the Alaska Risk Assessment Project.

The licensing WILL move forward, but Saree Timmons, the leasing section manager at the division of oil and gas, cautions people to realize that the exploration license is just that.  A license to explore, and that it is only the first step in obtaining the numerous permits required.

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Trapper Creek is currently asking its residents to participate in a design contest for signs to be put up at the south and north of Trapper Creek along the Parks Highway.

Trapper Creek Community council president Virginia Dalton-Pollo said that the artwork is meant for an eight-foot by four-foot sign. Trapper Creek residents participating in the contest should submit their entries by March 5 to Jenny Earles at the Trapper Creek library.

A council committee will then select four finalists and they will be announced at the Cabin Fever Reliever event on March 12. Trapper Creek residents can then vote on the final design.

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Contest rules:

Submit design on paper with dimension of a 2 to 1 ratio, the longer side used horizontally. Example; 10” x 5” or 16” x 8”.
·     Any medium can be used (colored pencils, paint, pastels etc). Clear lines are important.
·        Suggested fonts (type of lettering) to go with your artwork will be considered.
·        Do not sign your work.  When you turn in your artwork, it will be assigned a number to insure the utmost impartiality.
·        You may submit more than one design.
·        Only Trapper Creek residents will be allowed to submit. ( students attending school outside and active military personnel assigned outside will be able to participate) The Community Council reserves the right to evaluate each request individually.
·        Any artwork submitted will become property of the Community Council.
·        The committee appointed by the TCCC Board will choose four finalists to be announced at the Cabin Fever Reliever Event on March 12, 2011.
·        Trapper Creek will then be given the opportunity to vote on one of the four finalists.  Details to be announced.
·        Please submit your entries to  Jenny Earles at the Public Library in Trapper Creek
·        All artwork needs to be submitted by the 5th of March 2011

Representative Neuman said that there are three avenues to pursue state funding for those improvements. One is through the capital improvement project list. Another possibility is through the State-wide Transportation Improvements Projects list, also known as STIP. And yet another possibility would be through the Governor’s Roads to Resources program.

Neuman said that the governor directed the Commissioner of the Department of Transportation and the Commissioner of the Department of Public Safety to meet with him and Senator Huggins regarding safety issues on the Parks Highway and also Knik-Goose-Bay road.

Another topic the legislators discussed with Susitna Council members was the need for an underpass at the Su Valley High School to allow for safe passage across or underneath the Parks Highway. The Department of Transportation had put this request on the STIP list.

The Parks Highway mile 83 to mile 90 project is supposed to be limited to repave and improve the road bed in order to do away with the seasonal weight restrictions for truckers.

The Susitna Community Council had been actively advocating for added safety features to the Parks Highway rehabilitation project. The DOT has sent representatives to recent council meetings who repeatedly said that bigger changes to the design of the project would have to come through the legislature.

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At issue was Marie Richter’s request on behalf of fifth and sixth grade Talkeetna Elementary School students for partial funding for their end-of-year science field trip called “Project Earth”. During the January council meeting, their proposal was tabled for the 2009 round of revenue share money, but the council asked Richter to come back to the February meeting with students to justify their request. In last night’s  meeting, eight students along with their teacher Bruce Hamler showed up and were questioned by council members about what other fundraising efforts they’ve done and what their project is all about.

Their field trip is to take place in mid-May. The project is a three-day field trip to the Matanuska and Bodenburg Butte area to study geology and glaciers.

Confusion arose when the council said that the money for the 2009 round of revenue share has been doled out already and that their project could only be considered for the next round of funding.

Councilman Scott Holcomb expressed his concern that the process has not fairly treated all applicants as no other group than the elementary school kids were asked to show up before the council and defend their request. He said that the council didn’t ask Terrence Shanigan to bring trail users to defend the trail grooming equipment request, and didn’t ask students interested in the Moose Club to show up and testify why the project is important to them.

The council agreed to hold a grant expenditure committee meeting within the next two weeks to open up the nomination process for the 2010 revenue share funds, totaling $20,200.

*** To make contributions for the fifth and sixth graders’ “Project Earth”, contact the Talkeetna Elementary School.

In other business during Thursday’s council meeting, the board of directors heard from two people presenting their projects that seek funding from the 2010 community revenue share.

Steve Harrison presented the Moose Club project. School nurse Barbara Mercer presented a proposal to purchase a heart defibrillator to be placed at the Trapper Creek Elementary School.  Dalton-Pollo said that while the Trapper Creek Community Council has not established yet how to get the 2010 revenue share process started or how to get the public involved for project submissions.

While still waiting for the Mat-Su Borough to send the check for the 2009 community revenue share, the council voted to start a community art design competition to involve Trapper Creek residents in designing a new “Welcome to Trapper Creek” sign to be placed north and south of Trapper Creek at the Parks Highway. The sign is one of the projects that the council decided on to fund with the 2009 community revenue share.

After the election, the directors selected officers. Mike Wood is the new chairman of the board. Peg Foster was selected as the secretary and treasurer. Jeff Olson serves as the co-chair.

The Chase Community Council meets quarterly.

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