District 7 Unrepresented in Library Committee

The Mat-Su Borough Assembly approved the nominations for the Library Citizens’ Advisory Committee without changes on Tuesday night. Mat-Su Borough District 7 Assemblymember Bernier nominated an individual from District 5 who will now serve as Chair. No District 7 representative sits on the Committee. Yet, three of the five Borough libraries are located in District 7.

Bernier cites disapproval of the American Library Association, or ALA, and his own religious beliefs as a reason for not selecting a District 7 candidate. 

He says the District 7 applicants did not have the qualities he thought were important to serve on the Committee. He nominated Chad Scott, a pastor from the Meadow Lakes area living in District 5. 

“Well, I would like to say that there are many qualified residents in District 7 that could have filled the seat for the Library Citizens’ Advisory Committee. Many with good common sense, many that do not support the American Library Association that pushes LGB agendas and woke ideology. Many that believe in the ten commandments. Many that believe in family and country, two genders, and one god.

Chad Scott meets all these qualities and more. He was raised in Meadow Lakes. He grew up there. His grandfather built the B&J Center right there in Meadow Lakes. He’s been actively on the Meadow Lakes Community Council for eight years. He chairs the Safety Board on the Meadow Lakes Community Council. He voted for District 7 in 2021. It wasn’t until last year when they redistricted that put Buttercup, the road that he lives on, as the border. So he lives on one side of the street that’s District 5. The other side of the street is 6 [7]. And he is all Meadow Lakes.

He doesn’t have anything to do with Big Lake, Knik. Meadow Lakes is his home. He was in Meadow Lakes when I got elected. And he’s the man for the job. If somebody from District 7 met those qualifications, I would have stood up behind them. But I didn’t see anybody out of those 13 that applied that I would like to put in that position. Thank you.”     

When asked if they had communicated with any elected officials, none of the District 7 applicants who have responded thus far had any contact with anyone from the Borough about the Committee except to confirm that their application was received.

Bernier says he did not speak to any of the applicants directly, but says he knows them from the Assembly meetings through their public comments and emails. He says the District 7 applicants all have their own agendas. 

Bernier has not provided Assembly or District updates to any of the Upper Valley Community Councils where residents regularly attend, nor has he attended any meetings in more than a year. He also has not communicated to any Council leaders over the past year. Bernier says he thinks the community councils want to be coddled, but believes there are other more important things happening in the Borough.

He says he gets feedback from residents by visiting churches all over the District. He also welcomes phone calls from constituents about specific issues and ways the Assembly could help resolve those issues.