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On the ballot are two bond propositions:  a transportation system bond totaling over 32 million dollars, with a fifty percent match from the state, and a five-year bond for educational and school-related capital improvements, totaling over 214 million dollars, with 70 percent debt service reimbursement from the state.

Voters will also be asked whether they approve of the reapportionment plan for assembly districts. Maps will be available at polling places.

There are also two school board seats up for election.

Polls are open from 7 am to 8 pm. Polling places are as follows: Susitna precinct residents go to Sunshine Fire Station 11-2, Talkeetna voters go to Talkeetna Elementary School, Trapper Creek residents go to Trapper Creek Elementary School, and Willow voters go to the Willow Community Center.

For more information, review the election brochure mailed to registered voters, go to matsugov.us/election, or call 745-9683.

Welton focused on Ballot proposal 3.  This proposal addresses capital improvements for Mat Su schools.  Welton said, “This measure contains something for everyone.”  In the $215 million proposal, a sizable hunk of the fund is set aside for new construction, which is needed especially in the Knik-Goose Bay area.  She sited sub-standard conditions at Iditarod, Pathways and Colony that needed immediate attention.  However, warming huts, playing field improvements, energy upgrades and flooring replacement are also proposed for the Upper Valley schools of Trapper Creek, Talkeetna and Su Valley as well.

Welton reminded voters that idea behind the large bond is to address all the needs for the next five years in a single vote.  If voters approve the five-year proposal, new bonds will be issued beginning next year and phased over a five-year period.  She said no additional request would be made for at least five years. The State of Alaska should reimburse the borough 70% of the total.  The tax burden to homeowners is projected to be $64 million.  The estimated cost to a homeowner with property valued at $200 thousand would be $12.40 a month.

Halter also asked for support for both bonds, but focused on the Roads Proposal. The $ 32 million road bond package offers road and trail projects in every Assembly district, but the projects are largely located in the core area.  Halter specifically addressed the safety concerns arising from the growth in the Borough. The Borough population has increased by over 88 thousand residents in the last decade according to the latest census.  (more)

A portion of the bond is dedicated to lower Valley trails.  Earlier Mayor DeVilbiss vetoed the transportation package largely because of the inclusion of trail projects.  The Assembly override trumped the mayor’s veto in order to let the voters decide at the polls.   Road Bonds are expected to be reimbursed 50% by the state. All bond reimbursement by the state is subject to Legislative appropriation.

Road and school construction will “prime the pump” of our local economy by providing jobs next summer if this bond passes according to the Assembly.  Mat-Su local contractors will be invited to bid on all projects.

The forum was sponsored by the Mat-Su Democrats at Twister Creek Brewhouse and with around 40 residents from the Borough attending.

Download audio (mp3) First segment: 12 min

Download audio (mp3) Second segment: 17 min 15 sec

Download  audio (mp3) Third segment: 17 min 20 sec

Download audio file (20110822MSBPermitChange.mp3)

Download audio file (20110819XYTrailWork.mp3)

Download audio file (20110811SchoolBonds.mp3)

The Knik Fairview area grew by more than 100 percent in the last decade and its population is now larger than both Palmer and Wasilla combined.  Therefore the reapportionment had to account for that change as well as the Butte and Sutton area, which also grew substantially.

The proposed new boundaries for the seven districts are not drastic.  The Assembly proposes that district one moves south slightly and moves district 2 to the west.  Growth in the Knik area requires the boundaries of district 5 to shrink.  District 6 will shrink a bit and District 7 will stay the same, according to Borough Clerk Lonnie McKechnie.

The proposed new districts will be on the ballot for Mat Su Borough voters to decide.  The election is scheduled for October 4^th.

The full bond package is $50 million. If the proposition passes this fall, the Borough will ask the state to match the local contribution by paying half, as other municipalities have done, making the voter share 25 million dollars.  The bonds will not be issued unless matching funds are received from the state

Several amendments were made to the original proposal.  Assembly members reduced the borough’s portion of the project costs from $32 million.  Assemblymember Warren Keough removed $1.3 million in projects from his district and encourage other Assemblymembers to do the same.

The list of projects is still lengthy.  The estimated cost to taxpayers per one hundred thousand dollars of assessed property value is approximately twenty nine dollars; in other words, a little over $60 a year for the average Borough home price of $209,000.

Every Assembly district has at least one project.  The list could change.  Assemblymember Colver has filed a motion to reconsider the vote.

Download audio file (20110803TKABluegrassEnd.mp3)

Assemblyman Vern Halter put a stop to the proposed engineering contract to study how and where to install meters for both residents and commercial properties.

Jeff Walden, project manager, on Monday said  that roughly 300-thousand dollars was leftover from the arsenic treatment system grant.  That money, he says, was to be used to install both commercial and residential meters for the Talkeetna sewer and water system.   Walden says the USDA grant requires installation of meters as an integrity check on the system.  Without meters is there is no way of knowing whether there is a leak in the system.

Halter is concerned with what is occurring with the utility and said paying an engineering firm to study the meters was not a good use of money when there are companies that can be hired that will just install the meters as needed.

Talkeetna resident Kathy Stoltz was at the Borough Assembly meeting and was shocked to hear the proposed meter study.  She clearly remembers a Water and Sewer Board meeting where operations manager Chuck Braun said there was 225-thousand dollars left in the grant and that the money ‘ABSOLUTELY COULD NOT’ be used to install meters — it was too far out of scope of the grant.

The issue is most likely only delayed. Walden wasn’t available for comment AFTER the Assembly decision but has said it is part of the grant agreement with USDA to install meters for all customers.  It is unknown at this point who will pay and how those meters will be installed.

The question on the ballot will ask whether the towers shall be setback at least the distance equal to the height of the tower from all property lines and any public right of way.  Assemblyman Warren Keough sponsored the divisive ordinance.  He asked that the residents weigh in on the matter after much discussion took place at the planning commission level on tower setbacks.  He says the current regulations state a 10 foot setback.  There has been an argument that the tower should be setback from the property line the equal distance of the height of the tower.

Assembly members Mark Ewing and Ron Arvin opposed the ballot measure.   They were in the minority though, and the question will go in front of residents in October.

Originally, James King, the Community Development director at the Mat Su Borough, said that a large sum of money was slated to be spent at Christenson Lake, Talkeetna Lakes and downtown Talkeenta Village Park.  However, that sum is less than half of what he estimated.  Instead of $390,000 dollars, the total line item for the three parks is about $170,000.  Deshka River, Meadow Lakes and Willow also will receive substantial improvements bringing the Borough wide amount to two hundred and ninety thousand dollars.

Each Talkeetna Park will see between $50,000 – $70,000 worth of repairs and upgrades. Signage, kiosks, tables and grills are all part of the plan.

Assembly representative Vern Halter said that each community that is receiving park upgrades can be part of the process.  The amount of money spent on each park will most likely not change, but WHAT it is spent on specifically is negotiable.

For a few years, the Village Park has had difficulties with missing parking barriers.  There is very little signage at Christiansen Lake Park, and there is no signage on the Spur Road indicating there are Borough parks nearby. For years, the Chamber of Commerce has asked for money to build a kiosk and signage at the overlook into Talkeetna as well as other informational kiosks.   The Community Council’s Board of Directors has asked James King to attend the next council meeting and come up for a tour.  They hope the local parks advisory committee will get involved with the issue and help give some direction.  << The parks advisory committee is currently without a chairman and has not met since spring.>>

Although the upgrades are in the Borough’s 2012 budget, Halter said he thought the money would not necessarily all be spent within the coming year. King has said that planning and design will take place this fall and much of the work can be done next summer.

RESTORATION IN PROGRESS – The YCC, US Fish & Wildlife, AK Dept F&G, Mat Su Borough and the USSWCD work to repair salmon habitat along Sunshine Creek.

Sunshine Creek, north of Talkeetna, is a popular location for anglers at this time of year.  The Creek has seen severe  stream bank deterioration over the past few years.  This week, over a dozen youth from the Upper Valley, ages 14 to 17,  are working to improve the salmon habitat in the area.  Sue Deyoe visited the work project and has this story:

Download audio file (20110623-YCCSunshine.mp3)

Download audio file (20110608ITBoroCut.mp3)

Kellard came to the meeting to give a brief report on the Talkeetna utility’s history and actions that had been taken to date.  Over the past couple of years, the Sewer and Water system has struggled to comply with state and federal standards.  The installation of an arsenic treatment plant came thru and series of grants and loans, meaning that customers, at some point would need to pay a rate increase.

Assemblyman Halter became visibly irritated with Kellard and asked why a decision had not been made, when the Board was aware of the financial issues in February. Kellard said he belived it was March but replied that the Board had just been slow to decide what to do and were waiting for a better explanation from the Borough’s financial department on the one hundred thousand dollar deficit.

The issue of how to pay for the debts incurred by the loans on the grants remains unresolved.  Even though the amount seems extreme, Halter reminded the crowd that one hundred thousand dollars out of one million dollars granted isn’t much.

Resident Brian Okonek asked that the community council become more involved with the Talkeetna Sewer and Water process.

The Sewer and Water Board has 5 different scenerios in front of them on how the deficit could be paid.  They are supposed to get a decision to the Borough Assembly so the Assembly can approve their proposal.  Halter said it was up to the utility board to hold public meetings to gain input. The Board has been discussing rate changes and increases since last August.

The utility has struggled since its inception in 1987 to pay for itself.  As an incorporated village, Talkeetna has no way of paying an employee and billing customers, so the Borough manages the finances out of the utility’s finances.

At this point, Customers rates are expected to rise almost 50 percent** in July unless the Board comes up with another solution.  **Customer rates would go from $81 to $126 per month.

Download audio file (20110518BoroEndBudget.mp3)

This year’s regular 90-day session was immediately followed by a 27- day special session that involved a number of disputes about energy projects and coastal zone management.  In the end, the Coastal Zone Management plan was not reauthorized.

The legislature’s final budget includes a number of small, as well as extremely large, projects within the Mat Su Borough boundaries.

The $65 million for further study of the Susitna Dam stayed in the budget.  The budget also includes $750,000 to help construct a wood fired boiler at Su Valley High School, $3 million for further construction at the South Denali Visitor Center, $120,000 for library and technology upgrades (borough wide) and $420,000 for Sunshine Community Health Center construction in Willow.

Caswell Lakes received $20,000 in funds for their fire service area as well as some funding for the road service area.

Original funding was restored for the Goose Creek Correctional Center at Point MacKenzie.

The lawmakers’ budget will likely see cuts when it goes to the Governor’s desk. Parnell’s arbitary spending limit was originally set at $2.8 billion.  If his goal still stands, he will have to find projects to eliminate.

The next session of the legislature begins January 17^th of next year.

*Not all line items are listed in this story.  Other projects include:

$5.7  million for paving of Talkeetna Airport; $5 for other airport improvements

$1 million for Hatcher Pass Trail and Scenic Overlook

$30,000 for Talkeetna RSA road upgrades

$30,000 for Trapper Creek RSA road upgrades

$20,000 for Talkeetna Fire Service

$3 million for Mat Su Borough substandard roads and bridge replacement

$37 million for Port MacKenzie Rail extension

The capital budget is here. Look under District 15 for Upper Valley projects.

The Borough Attorney says the action came about because of citizen complaints.  Complaints on the two separate festivals started in 2006.

In the fall of 2010, up to fifteen hundred people attended the festival.  The Borough requires a large-event permit when more than 500 people attend an outside event.

The festivals have had problems in the past. In 2009, Trapper Creek resident Rodney Humphrey was accused of trying to kill a man from Texas when he ran over him with his pickup truck at the festival. The man was taken to the hospital with severe injuries. The attempted murder charge ended in a mistrial last year. The jury DID agree on a driving without a license charge as well as leaving the scene of an accident.  Humphrey has since struck a plea deal for the attempted murder charge.  Sentencing is scheduled for the end of June.

This year the events are advertised for May 27 through the 29^th and August 19^th to 21^st on Boot Rosseau’s private property. Neither festival has a permit yet.  The festival promotion site says they are only selling 500 tickets.  The injunction says if attendance at the festival surpasses 500 people this year, the Borough could ask State Troopers to direct people away from the event or assist with enforcing the court order.

Superior Court Judge Kari Kristianson granted the preliminary injunction for the Mat su Borough.

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 Talkeetna Sewer and Water Board met twice last month to discuss next year’s budget shortfalls and continued their discussion at the latest meeting on Wednesday.

The new arsenic plant, a required installation by both state and federal standards, was made possible through a $1 million grant.  However, it came with a $105,000 loan that needs to be paid back over the next 20 years.

Last month, there was no agreement among the Talkeetna board members on how to handle the huge deficit that will occur in the utility bank account because of that loan.  Borough Operations and Maintenance manager Chuck Braun, said without lack of direction, he would advise the Assembly to approve a 35 to 50 percent increase in every customers monthly bill.

The board is supposed to be a 5 member advisory board to the Borough Assembly, but has been operating with only 3 members for months. Jane Steere was accepted as a board member by the Borough Assembly last month, and another person is putting his name in this coming month.  Those that have watched the process over the last month or two, agree Talkeetna’s system is in dire need of financial-minded individuals to solve complicated issues and the future financial decisions that the utility will face as the 20 year old system looks at repair issues.

Residents and businesses on the Talkeetna water and sewer system can expect a $44-month-increase starting in July if the Borough Assembly approves the budget as it has been presented.

The Borough’s budget is currently going through the public testimony process and can be found online at matsugov.us

The Mat Su School District’s Board of Directors recently met in a work session to discuss the school bond proposal, which would include life safety measures, construction and facility upgrades.

Proposed projects include life safety features, such as fire alarms, replacing bleachers, pedestrian crosswalks and emergency generators.

The second part of the bond package is two new schools.  One school would be an elementary school in the west part of the lower Valley that would serve Knik Goosebay Road and also  a Junior and Senior High School near Knik Goose Bay.    Additional construction projects would be athletic fields and tracks at the larger lower Valley schools.

The third part of the package includes other upgrades. Facility upgrades would include improvements to energy efficiency, parking lot repairs, locker replacements and fixture replacements.

The Board will be voting May 11^th whether to forward the proposal to the Borough Assembly.  The Assembly then decides if they will  place the proposal on the ballot in the fall election

Weighing in – John Moosey, Mat Su Borough Manager, speaks to the Chamber of Commerce photo courtesy of MSB/Patty Sullivan

The long wait for a permanent Borough Manager is over.  John Moosey, formally the county administrator for  Chisago County, Minnesota, arrived at his new post as Mat Su Borough Manager on Tuesday.  He has already attended a Wasilla Chamber of Commerce meeting, Palmer Chamber of Commerce as well as a Borough Assembly meeting and the first public hearing for the Borough budget.  His first day on the job lasted until after 11 p.m. when the Borough Assembly finally adjourned their meeting.  His second day lasted past 9 p.m. as he listened to public testimony on the Borough’s budget.

Moosey has been a manager for over 25 years. He holds a master of public administration from Kent State University.    He says he wants to run a hard-working, service oriented government that is transparent in its operations.

Elizabeth Gray has stepped down as acting borough manager and is now Assistant Borough manager, the job she was originally hired to perform.

The manager position has been vacant since last year at this time when former manager John Duffy stepped down from his position.