Assembly defeats proposed ordinance on term lengths

PALMER — The Mat-Su Borough Assembly voted 7-0 on Tuesday against a proposed ordinance to extend the length of the mayor and assembly members’ terms from three to four years.

The change would not have affected any of the sitting members’ terms, or that of the current mayor Vern Halter.

District 7 assembly member Randall Kowalke had originally proposed the ordinance, citing the potential improvement in what he called “efficiency” in government that could accrue with longer terms.

But he also said he wanted to put the idea out to see what the public thought about it. After assembly discussion, Kowalke ultimately voted against the ordinance, along with the rest of the assembly.

“My situation — I have the most of the darned land in the borough — I’m running ragged and trying to get up to speed,” Kowalke said.

District 7 encompasses Willow, Trapper Creek, Talkeetna, Sheep Mountain, and Meadow Lakes. Kowalke said had earlier said he’d hoped that more time would help future assembly members in his district better govern so much space, and cited that as one of the reasons he advanced the proposed ordinance.

“I don’t know that there was the sympathy there for the challenges that I face,” Kowalke said, noting that other districts in the borough encompass smaller landmass areas.