Assembly gives $19,000 to local groups

MAT-SU -- Several groups solicited money from the Mat-Su Borough Assembly at its Tuesday meeting, and three walked away happy after the assembly, in split votes, agreed to allocate $19,000 for their projects.

The Mat-Su Boys and Girls Club came away with $5,000, the Veterans' War Dog Memorial project got a $5,000 boost and Valley Hospital secured $9,000 to fund a community needs assessment, but none of the projects had the full support of the assembly.

Assembly member Talis Colberg, who pulled the three items from the consent agenda, said he felt moving the funding forward would set a dangerous precedent.

"I don't see, at this point, why any group in the Valley wouldn't come to us for funding," Colberg said. "It's just not part of our required duties … We're trying to treat groups that come forward [for funding] differently than other groups who don't …"

Colberg cast a dissenting vote on all three items.

Other assembly members, however, had mixed stances. Assembly member Jody Simpson, who voted with Colberg against funding of the Boys' and Girls' Club, said she felt she was placed in an awkward position.

"It bothers me that I would be forced to choose between all of the worthy charities … to spend taxpayer dollars," Simpson said.

But assembly member Sara Jansen had a different take on the role of the assembly in spending its discretionary funds.

"It's why we have a reserve fund, in my opinion," Jansen said. "Things that are beneficial to our community -- it's well within our right and our responsibility to do that."

Assembly member Jim Colver, however, said he considered the money, which would come from the assembly's $60,000 reserve budget, well spent.

"I'd sure rather spend $5,000 on kids than $30,000 on a reapportionment lawsuit that went up in smoke," Colver said.

Linda Anderson, the area manager for the club, asked for less than one percent of the club's overall budget. The money, she said, will pay for approximately one month of programming and lease costs for the clubhouse. A sign at the clubhouse's Bogard Road location lists the monthly sponsors, Anderson said. The city of Palmer is a recent donor, and Anderson said she plans to address the city of Wasilla soon.

The motion passed with Simpson and Colberg opposed, and Mayor Anderson recused himself during Linda Anderson's presentation and the later debate on the matter, as he is Anderson's husband.

The Veterans' War Dog Memorial project received $5,000 from the mayor's reserve budget. The money will contribute to the $30,000 needed to fund the creation of a bronze statue honoring the more than 4,000 German shepherds who, according to project coordinator Leo Kaye, served as scouts and sentries in Vietnam.

Although Anderson said he could allocate the funds without assembly approval, he said he preferred to have the assembly's backing on the matter.

Assembly member Dan Kelly said, while he would support the measure, he felt the process could be, at times, unfair.

"When we asked for … $1,500 for [the veteran-related Alaska Path of Freedom project in] Wasilla, it was turned down, thank you very much."

The motion passed, with assembly members Bruce Bush, Kelly Lankford Ladere and Colberg opposed.

Valley Hospital, through a 5-2 vote, received a $9,000 grant that will allow Mat-Su Agency Partnership, a joint partnership with several groups in the Valley, to conduct a community assessment. Bush and Colberg opposed the measure.

The survey will cross eight communities, asking people how they see the services provided in the borough and where they feel improvements should be made.

"We've always had to rely on data that lumps us in with Anchorage," said Becky Williams, who spoke on behalf of Valley Hospital.

Kelly said he supported the measure and felt it was beneficial to a group of people the borough doesn't often have a chance to directly support.

"There are agencies out there who are trying to help people who can't help themselves," said assembly member Dan Kelly. "We can't help everyone in the world, but we are responsible for taking care of our own."