Appointments draw political fire

PALMER -- An ongoing power struggle between some on the Mat-Su Borough Assembly and Borough Mayor Tim Anderson erupted last week when the mayor sought for the second time to fill an empty seat on the borough's planning commission, without considering an assembly member's recommendation.

The planning commission, a seven-member body with one member elected from each assembly district, is tasked with making decisions about land issues in the borough -- approving or not approving setbacks or code variances, for example. The group also considers changes to borough codes relating to planning, such as the Title 16, Subdivisions, rewrite that has now entered its fourth year of work. A seat was left empty on the commission in December when former planning commission chair Lee Sharp stepped down.

Two attempts have been made to fill the District 3 seat by Anderson, and twice, District 3 Assembly Member Talis Colberg, along with other assembly members, objected. Anderson, at a Mar. 2 assembly meeting, put forward the name of Michelle Church, the previous director of local planning nonprofit Friends of Mat-Su. Some assembly members said Church's involvement in hot-button planning issues such as zoning and, recently, coal-bed methane development, have led people in the community to see her as a lightning rod of controversy.

"There's no single person who could have been more controversial for the planning commission than Michelle," Colberg said. "She came to me and asked for my support -- I said I wouldn't do this, wouldn't support her."

The motion to seat Church on the commission failed at that meeting with assembly members Mary Kvalheim, Jim Colver and Betty Vehrs in support.

On the April 20 agenda, Anderson put Mark Masteller, a former Department of Fish and Game biologist, up for confirmation to the commission. Masteller's proposed confirmation also met with resistance from assembly members.

"Mark Masteller is a good guy, I know him. My objection here, at this point, is simply that, when you first came on as mayor, you said you would like to talk with assembly members about appointments from their districts," Colberg said. "I asked Mrs. [Bridgette] Preston to apply for this, and I could not vote against her … I object to this procedure."

Anderson said he didn't remember Colberg bringing "any discussion" to his attention about Preston's application. Colberg said he sent a note to Anderson regarding Preston's application. Anderson said he remembered seeing a note that indicated Colberg was submitting Preston's name.

"That's your method of discussing?" Anderson asked.

Colberg said it looked as though the matter was a stalemate, and suggested discussing it further in the future. Anderson said in the meantime, he intends to keep Masteller's name in the confirmation column. Several assembly members said they're looking for the matter to be resolved, for a variety of reasons.

"I think it's ridiculous we are at a stalemate," Assembly Member Jody Simspon said. "Mr. Colberg represents district three, and he looked among his constituents and put forward a name … I would like these folks to work this out -- there is opposition and strife between them."

"I don't know Mark Masteller -- but I do know the planning commission had to cancel a meeting due to a lack of a quorum," said Assembly Member Mary Kvalheim. "They are volunteers, they have a lot of work to do."

The vote to confirm Masteller failed with assembly members Kvalheim, Jim Colver and Betty Vehrs in favor.