Assembly hears from passionate public

PALMER — The Mat-Su Borough Assembly passed Ordinance 19-107 to appropriate $20,000 for the Board of Fisheries fund.

The transfer of monies was requested for the five proposals the Mat-Su Borough Fish and Wildlife Commission will present to the Board of Fisheries. Borough Manager John Moosey said that he hopes this transfer can help the borough lobby for more funds for personal use fisheries in the Mat-Su Valley and not commercial fishing on the Kenai Peninsula.

“This is quite honestly one of the biggest political battles that goes on, per se. Gov. (Mike) Dunleavy appointed John Wood who sat on the Mat-Su Borough Fish Commission to the main fish board and that’s a giant step forward and this money just assures we’ll have a shot. If the meeting’s down in Kenai we’re in a world of hurt to tell you the truth,” said Mayor Vern Halter.

The public hearing on the ordinance did not come without opposition, as Assemblyman George McKee opposed the amount of money being spent on hotel rooms in Anchorage during the largest public meeting in the state. Assemblyman Jim Sykes countered by noting that the meetings often begin early in the morning and continue late on into the night, often changing the schedule throughout the day.

“We’re sticking with science and we think that the science is going to trump politics again,” said Sykes. “I don’t think any money is being wasted here.”

Sykes said that in the last three years since the meeting has been moved to Anchorage, there have been at least four attempts to relocate the meeting. In the eyes of many assembly members, that relocation would have a negative effect on the fisheries in the Mat-Su. Sykes also noted that the MSB FWC has leveraged millions of dollars to make progress on restoring depleted salmon runs. McKee was still not convinced.

“Balogna,” said Mckee.

The motion passed 4-2 with only McKee and Jesse Sumner voting in opposition.

Members of the public showed up by the dozens to speak their concerns to the assembly about two issues. A group of concerned citizens from near Finger Lake were concerned with a neighbor’s plans to develop a commercial kennel club in their neighborhood, which goes against the neighborhood covenant.

“We would like our residential area to stay a residential area,” said Vicki Wentz.

Wentz said that she had collected signatures from 64 of the 65 neighbors in the area, and dozens came out to speak against the new commercial building. However, without an agenda item to do anything, Borough Attorney Nick Spiropolous said that the likely course of action would be for the neighbors to try to sue. After members of the public had their time to comment, the assembly members addressed the issue in their comments. Sumner felt that the builders would be insane to build in breach of the covenant, possibly bringing litigation upon themselves and Sykes asked Spiropolous what action the assembly could take to allow the community council to amend zoning regulations themselves, as the Willow residents did to double their fire service area taxes.

The other hotly debated issue of the night was Resolution 19-083, which would request borough staff to develop a Conditional Use Permit process for commercial, educational and nonprofit outdoor shooting facilities. Efforts over the last year were made to form a working group to discuss recommendations for outdoor shooting range facilities, but the working group was never formed. Many passionate members of the community came to speak on the dangers of an unregulated gun range and the rights of gun owners. Bev Cutler told the assembly that this issue was not a second amendment issue.

“All we’re seeking is to impose some orderly way of allowing mutual use of property that doesn’t exclude people from owning guns but doesn’t allow them to endanger your neighbors,” said Cutler.

After deliberation, the ordinance passed 4-3 with Sumner, McKee and Leonard voting against.