Tourism plan will wait for summit

PALMER — The Mat-Su Borough’s bed tax won’t change this year and any action on recommendations from a consultant’s report on tourism will wait until after a planned tourism summit.

At a special meeting this past week, the Borough Assembly set a date for the summit of Oct. 18 with invitations going to tourism industry representatives.

The assembly was examining recommendations made in a report prepared by consultants from McDowell Group regarding tourism in the Borough. Among other things, the report points out that a hike in the local bed tax from 5 percent to 6 or 7 percent might be worthwhile and not a terribly hard sell.

Assemblywoman Michelle Church said she thought the bed tax was going to be changed this year. Rob Wells explained why he didn’t put it on the agenda.

In conversations with officials at the Mat-Su Convention and Visitors Bureau, Wells said it became clear that “until we know and can clearly show how the money will be spent we should hold off.”

The report also calls for more bathrooms and improved pullouts along the Parks and Glenn highways.

Assemblyman Tom Kluberton said there are few, if any, public facilities between Wasilla and his home district of Talkeetna. He said that in addition to upgrading trailheads and installing facilities in those spots, he’d like to see toilets at popular lakes and streams.

“There are a lot of fishing spots that are real atrocities,” Kluberton said.

Assemblywoman Cindy Bettine said she recognizes the need for more sanitary facilities, saying that she’s been in the tourism business in the Borough for 25 years.

Twenty-three years ago, the Mat-Su Convention and Visitors Bureau was discussing Hatcher Pass, and at that time, “That was our first priority, to get some potties up there,” she said. “I’d hate to see us today focus on where each bathroom needs to be based on our own districts.”

The consulting report also calls for informational kiosks at the Valley’s gateway corridors, a recommendation about which Borough Mayor Curt Menard voiced concern because of the potential for vandalism.

“How are the [road] signs doing in your area?” Menard asked Kluberton.

“They’re taking slugs left and right,” Kluberton answered, detailing how dinner table conversation often turns to the subject of sign hunting and how to tell what caliber of gun was fired at which sign.

“That’s what I worry about with those kiosks,” Menard said.

Contact Andrew Wellner at andrew.wellner@frontiers-man.com or 352-2270.