Borough Assembly moves forward with CARES Act funding plan

The Mat-Su Borough Assembly has approved two ordinances that lay out how money received through the CARES Act will be spent and pushed back discussions of significantly changing the way the borough is run.

The Mat-Su received more than $38 million in CARES Act funding.  The two proposals that came into Tuesday’s meeting stayed intact, with a few additional items being added.

Two grant programs will be rolling out to spend up to about $25 million.  One targets businesses affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.  The program could give small businesses and nonprofits up to $10,000 to help offset the impacts of the disease.  Businesses that have not received aid yet are prioritized, but any qualifying business may apply.

The second grant program gives individuals $100 to offset costs of dealing with COVID-19.  The program will be open to anyone who can certify that they have incurred losses.  Residency will be checked via permanent fund dividend data.

Even if every man, woman, and child who applied for a PFD last year applies for this individual grant, there would still be money left.  At Tuesday’s meeting, multiple assembly members stated a desire to revisit community needs later this year and to spend unused money, then.  The borough has until the end of December to use the funds.

A number of other borough services are receiving funding.  Internet infrastructure to allow working from home, costs associated with emergency medical response, and increased costs to cleaning borough facilities are all included. In addition, the borough intends to limit the number of in-person interactions for paying bills by setting aside funding to cover credit card fees that would normally be passed on to residents.

The only changes to the CARES Act spending ordinances was to add grants to the Alaska State Fair, Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race, the Musk Ox Farm in Palmer, and the Big Lake Lions Club.

Two ballot measures that would normally dominate conversation at a borough meeting were pushed back to January, meaning they will not appear on this fall’s ballot.  One proposal would shift the balance of power in borough government away from the manager and toward the mayor.  The other proposal would change the Mat-Su to a first-class borough, meaning it would have access to many powers it currently lacks, including authority for law enforcement and to make health mandates.