Talkeetna Community Council addresses downtown bathrooms, bank stabilization, invasive trees, and recycling.

At its regularly scheduled monthly meeting Monday evening, the Talkeetna Community Council tackled a wide variety of topics.  This was the first time the council has met since early March, and instead of meeting inside the library, they circled up lawn chairs in the library’s parking lot.

Bill Rodwell, Chair of the Talkeetna Chamber of Commerce, informed the Council that he would be asking for $50,000 of CARES Act funding to open the Denali Arts Council’s bathrooms, provide hand sanitizing stations around town, and aid with trash disposal.  Tam Boeve of the Mat-Su Borough Assembly confirmed that the Borough would be receiving 37 million dollars of CARES Act funding to disperse for COVID-19 related responses.  The Council voted to support the Chamber’s request.

Terry Dolan, of the Department of Public Works, addressed the council about the revetment project at the end of Main Street.  He plans to use $90,000 of funds derived from the flood service area to place rip rap, some pieces weighing up to 2,000 pounds, along the bank to protect the soil from erosion.  The project will take place in two phases.  The first will be staging the rip rap at the river, and then the material will be moved into place about a week later.

The council voted to write a $25,000 state grant for May Day tree removal in Talkeetna.  According to Brian Okonek, the trees are invasive and choke out the natural species wherever they are found.  The project will involve cutting down larger trees and applying an herbicide to the trunk stumps.  Younger saplings will then be pulled by hand.

Cici Shoenberger reported a record day for the recycling center after its brief hiatus due to COVID-19 with over 1,200 pounds of cardboard being recycled in one day.  The recycling committee plans to return to its regular pre-COVID schedule of both Tuesdays and Saturdays this week.

The Talkeetna Community Council also voted to amend its bylaws to hold its election the same day as Borough elections in November.  This also moved the nominating period from August to September and the Council’s Annual meeting from November to December.  A brief discussion of how voting might look in November was held.  Tam Boeve relayed that some of the polling sights and polling workers are hesitant to open due to COVID-19, and that an area wide voting by mail option might be encouraged.