Borough Assembly to consider longer terms

WASILLA — The Mat-Su Borough Assembly is scheduled to hold a public hearing at its regular meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 24, on an ordinance to extend the length of assembly member and mayoral terms, from three to four years.

The ordinance would not extend the length of the current terms of any sitting members. It would not extend the term of borough mayor Vern Halter. It would only apply to future members and mayors.

Assembly member Randall Kowalke proposed the ordinance, listed as number 17-007. Kowalke said he thinks three years is too short a time, to support good governance by borough policy members.

“We have a situation with the change out every three years,” Kowalke said, “where it’s hard really to do any planning, because we elect two to three people each one of these election cycles.”

Kowalke said he hasn’t discussed the proposal with other assembly members.

“We’ll see what kind of support there is for this,” he said. “And underlining all this, it isn’t going to make my term a year longer, or anyone else currently sitting there. I’m not asking to change the term limits, but the term itself, would be an improvement in efficiency. If people agree with me, good, if not, I’m fine with that.”

The assembly is also slated to take up approval of funding appropriations, scope of work items, purchase and bid awarding for local projects, as well as approval of an appointment of Brian Davis to the Central Mat-Su Fire Service Area Board of Supervisors.

The borough assembly meets at 6 p.m. Tuesday in the Assembly Chambers, at 350 East Dahlia Avenue in Palmer.