Talkeetna Council says farewell to Jacobs

The Talkeetna Community Council met last night to discuss everything from illegal camping along the river, to new floodplain maps to revenue sharing.

The council and the community said farewell to Chuck Jacobs and thanked him for his eight years of service with the Talkeetna Sewer and Water system and public facilities maintenance. Jacobs gave the community a final update on the Talkeetna water system, concluding that it is the best water in the state.  He said vast improvements have been made to the system since he started. He encouraged the council and community to take ownership of their sewer and water utility, a system that belongs to the village, but the Borough oversees. Jacobs leaves for a permanent job in Homer next week.

On another issue, resident Al Gallo approached the council with a recommendation that a letter be written to the Alaska Railroad asking for a fence or barrier to be constructed to prevent illegal camping along the river in east Talkeetna.  The area in question has been problematic for years. At one time there was a building at the end of F Street that discouraged illegal camping in the area. Bears were reported around the junk cars last summer. The Board of Directors voted unanimously to write a letter to the Railroad authorities as well as FAA to ask that some type of device be constructed at the end of F Street to discourage junk cars and other issues from arising in the future.

–Steven Jacobsen of Meadow Lakes spoke at the meeting and is challenging incumbent Mark Newman in the race for House Seat 15.  He fielded questions from the audience on his positions.  The primary election is August 24^th.

–There are several separate committee meetings planned for April that will discuss a variety of issues:  the state’s Susitna Matanuska Area Plan; the proposed rail extension;  the Talkeetna Main Street issues; AND revenue sharing ideas.