Allen, Colver asked to resign Assembly seats

Frontiersman

PALMER - Off with their heads!

The outcry from both the public and Mat-Su Borough Assembly members wasn't quite that serious, but assembly members Bill Allen and Jim Colver were asked to resign their seats during Tuesday's assembly meeting.

Recent reports and allegations that Allen and Colver abused their positions prompted the requests. Wasilla resident Tammy Miller led the charge, followed by former assembly member Jay Nolfi of Big Lake and assembly member Betty Vehrs.

Miller called for the resignation of both assembly members.

&#8220It only takes one bad apple to spoil the barrel, and with the two of you on the assembly things are rotten,” Miller told the assembly during the public comment period. &#8220Colver is worse than Allen because he intimidates people and is a bully. He uses his position to garner business for himself. Allen is just dishonest.”

She said she was motivated to call for their resignation because of recent reports connecting both with the abuse of their position. Colver is under investigation by the Palmer Police Department for alleged misuse of his office, with charges that he pressured his way into a borough contract as the surveyor.

And the federal Office of Special Counsel recently released a report that Allen misused his position as the Alaska director for rural development with the United States Department of Agriculture, leading to his resignation in July.

Nolfi limited her request to just Colver.

&#8220Jim used his position to make a profit for his company and that is appalling,” Nolfi said. &#8220It is a misuse of the position the people entrusted him to, and increased the level of distrust many have in government.”

Vehrs, upset that Allen used the borough clerk to distribute a three-page explanation of his position on the special counsel charges, asked him to step down at the end of the meeting.

&#8220This is a subject that is not very pleasant to me,” Vehrs told the assembly. &#8220I don't like scrubbing out toilets. But I'm not afraid of getting my hands dirty. Because of his actions, I ask Mr. Allen to step down.”

She then explained her request.

&#8220I got a communication from the clerk and thought it was borough business,” Vehrs said. &#8220But I was duped into reading a letter from Mr. Allen. I was ashamed to see him continue to misuse public employees. If we can use the clerk's time to explain away personal things, maybe I will submit a three-page letter about my granddaughter's vacation.”

Both Allen and Colver said they have no intention of leaving office before they complete their terms. Colver completes his second full term on the Assembly in October and may not serve another consecutive term because of term limits. Allen's first full term in office won't be over until next year. He could choose to seek a second term.

&#8220They've both brushed their problems off as trivial,” Miller said. &#8220It appears to me that they are both sure that everything will be swept under the rug. I don't think that either of them deserve to be on the assembly after the way they've acted. The people deserve better representation than that.”

Contact Darrell L. Breese at 352-2267 or at darrell.breese@frontiersman.com.