Borough chips in $500,000 for Palmer ice

PALMER -- Through a narrow vote and after listening to more than an hour of impassioned public testimony, the Mat-Su Borough Assembly agreed Tuesday to chip in $500,000 toward the construction of an ice arena being built by the city of Palmer.

It wasn't an easy sell, either to the sizable crowd gathered to speak both for and against the one-time grant, or to the assembly members, all of whom had strong reasons for their support or lack of support for the project.

The funding will allow Palmer to step up its schedule for building the facility, which is estimated to cost about $2.5 million for the project's first phase, laying down gravel and getting the building up, complete with utilities, a floor under the ice sheet, an office area, restrooms and the like. The city, according to City Manager Tom Healy, already has roughly $2 million set aside for the project -- enough to put the basic building together. Although the design allows for expansion at a rate determined by the city, some areas of expansion, such as putting showers and locker rooms in, are less expensive if they're incorporated into the first phase of the project. Construction of that phase, Healy said, is currently being bid out, and bids are due back March 23.

"As those other funds come available, we can finish out the locker rooms, do some paving and add other elements," Healy said.

Healy said the council is hoping the $500,000 from the borough will also be recognized as a symbol of support for the project, and increase the chances of obtaining a grant from the Rasmuson Foundation. Healy said the city applied for a $500,000 grant from that foundation that, if granted, may be available in 2005.

"It's my understanding they like to see partnerships," Healy said.

But not everyone in the borough assembly chambers Tuesday evening was in favor of a partnership. Several pointed out that the project had had its chance for public support -- through the $5.375 million parks and recreation bond package that was one of seven on the ballot last October. That bond package failed by 187 votes boroughwide. Some suggested using the money -- appropriated from the Mat-Su Borough's budget reserve account of $750,000 -- for other purposes, such as to purchase property for Midnight Sun Family Learning Center, to fund the local community schools program, or to turn the Mat-Su Borough Gym into a larger, more accommodating assembly chambers.

"I'm not in favor of this for the simple reason that this was in the bond package and was voted down -- are we going to totally disregard that vote?" Farm Loop resident Pio Cottini asked the assembly. "The city of Palmer should increase their sales tax by 5 percent and build their own, like the city of Wasilla did -- or put it back to a vote of the people, in a separate package."

About 30 people testified at the assembly meeting, and for every person opposed to the proposition, two spoke in favor of it. Several in favor of the proposal said Palmer needed opportunities for recreation for teens in the area.

"It wasn't that long ago that, within the city we had a bowling alley, a theater, a roller rink and Burt's Drug, where you could get a cherry soda for a dime," Palmer city council member John Combs told the assembly. "We have a great need on this side of the Valley for recreation, and we've taken steps for it … The city of Palmer has about 5,474 citizens who also live here, pay borough taxes, city taxes -- the city of Palmer is not an entity in and of itself, it is part of our greater community."

Hockey coaches and players told the assembly adding an ice sheet in Palmer would not only make more ice available in the Valley, but would allow residents of Palmer and the eastern side of the borough to participate in ice-related activities when doing so now is both difficult and expensive.

"It's not that they don't want to participate, the ability isn't there," said one hockey coach. Others testifying pointed out that Wasilla has, for 20 years, been the home of the borough-operated Brett Memorial Ice Arena, and said it was only fair the borough pitch in a portion of the cost for a Palmer rink.

"We're asking for one-time capital," Palmer city council member Tony Pippel said.

In discussing the issue, assembly members had their own views about why they supported or did not support the measure. Assembly members Betty Vehrs and Jody Simpson, both of whom represent the western Mat-Su, said their constituents didn't support the parks bond, and they were not able to support Palmer's proposal. Vehrs said people in her area weren't likely to have the chance to use the facility, and Simpson said Palmer had requested and been given parks powers, therefore they should be willing to take on the responsibility of paying for improvements such as the ice arena. Assembly Member Mary Kvalheim said she couldn't give her support either, although she clarified that it wasn't because she was representing the city of Wasilla, which lies within her district. She said she didn't believe the borough should be spending the money on ice arenas when the money was set aside for necessities.

"We don't have the money to do this," Kvalheim said.

Assembly Member Jim Colver pledged his support, noting that he has regularly supported projects that benefited residents outside his area.

"It's not about what community you represent, it's about what kind of community you want to have," Colver said.

Talis Colberg said he had struggled over his support of the project. Initially, he said, it seemed only fair to give Palmer support after having invested so much money in the Brett arena in Wasilla. The fact that no long-term commitment on behalf of the borough was required solidified his decision, Colberg said.

"Because this doesn't have a lot of obligation for the borough, in terms of sustaining it, and because they assumed responsibility for taking care of it themselves, I am supporting this," Colberg said.

When it came to a vote, the measure passed with assembly members Simpson, Betty Vehrs and Mary Kvalheim opposed.

Contact Rindi White at rindi.white@frontiersman.com.