Assembly voting on school board selection method

Voters this fall might decide on a measure that would affect how the Mat Su School District School Board is elected.

The resolution in front of the Mat Su Borough Assembly would put the question to voters to decide if the school board will be elected like the Assembly.  In other words, 7 seats from 7 areas.

Currently, the board is picked at large, meaning that every registered voter gets the say in electing every member of the board of education.    As it is currently, all school board members live in the lower valley.

The breakdown would be Seat A, Mike Dunleavy, would be assigned to District 1 and represent Sutton and Chickaloon.  Seat B, Sarah Welton, would be assigned District 2, representing Palmer.   Seat C, currently Susan Pougher, would be in District 3 and represent part of Wasilla and Palmer.  Seat D is currently Ole Larson and that would turn into Wasilla’s District 4.  Seat E, which is held by Erik Cordero, would be District 5 in Big Lake and Knik.  Seat F would be Neal Lacy’s District 6 and would be Hatcher Pass area.  Finally, Lynn Gattis would holds Seat G would then represent District 7, which would be Willow,  Talkeetna and Trapper Creek.

The terms would change slightly if the resolution is voted through.  The three members whose terms are up this fall would get three year terms.  Two members would have 2-year terms and 2 would have one year terms.  Voters would have a chance to choose a person from their area to represent them as some of the above board members would not qualify for their area.

The assembly vote on the whether to put the measure on the ballot is next week at the regular Assembly meeting on August 2^nd.