Borough credits emergency responders for Memorial Day weekend actions, rescues

The Matanuska Borough Assembly ticked through a largely routine business agenda at its Tuesday, June 7 meeting, but borough manager Mike Brown also gave a shout out to borough emergency services responders for handling the expected long Memorial Day weekend incidents quickly and efficiently.

There were 195 calls to the emergency “911” phone number between Friday and late Monday along with 16 wildfires all of about an acre and five structural fires, nine auto accidents and two airplane crashes. All of these were responded to, and there were no fatalities, Brown told the assembly. “We were handling about 50 calls a day to 911,” he said.

Brown also introduced the borough’s new public works director, Tom Adams, a long-time Mat-Su resident with 30 years of experience in engineering and project management, much of it with Lounsbery & Assoc. Adams has also served two years on the borough’s planning and zoning commission, which gives him valuable experience in local issues.

In other comments, Brown asked the assembly for a special meeting on Aug. 2 to discuss issues relates to landfill operations and how federal money available through the American Rescue Plan Act, or ARPA, can be most effectively used.

Assembly members agreed, and the meeting is scheduled at 4 p.m. that day prior to the regular assembly meeting at 6 p.m.

Also, at the Tuesday meeting, Todd Smoldon, the governor’s representative for the Mat-Su region, said state agencies along with municipalities in Mat-Su are closely watching the process to approve the Fiscal 2023 state budget approved May 18 by the state Legislature along with possible vetoes of spending by the governor.

Smoldon told the assembly that the governor has 20 days to approve the budget, and make vetoes, beginning at the time the Legislature formally transmits the budget bill to the governor.

That is done formally by the Clerk of the House and occurs even after the Legislature has adjourned, which it now has.

There is no deadline for the transmittal but it must be done in time for the governor to approve the budget by June 30 so that the state can legally operate on July 1, the start of the fiscal year, with an approved budget, Smoldon said.

Assembly members as well as Mayor Edna DeVries expressed concern over the delay in transmission because many parts of the budget will affect Mat-Su, but the budget transmittal is mainly a formality that is often delayed by the Legislature, so the 20-day clock doesn’t start, to give the state administration more time to review the document and prepare veto actions.

Sometimes the governor asks for the delay to give more time, in fact.

Smoldon also told the assembly that he is getting many calls from local residents asking how soon the Permanent Fund Dividends, or PFDs, can be paid. Traditionally the checks are paid in October but people are asking if they can go out earlier in view of sharply rising costs, mainly for gasoline.

On another item Smoldon said the state Division of Forestry is seeking proposals for contracts to remove beetle-damaged timber, which has created a fire hazard in many areas.

In approvals on spending actions, the assembly approved a small appropriation for a cultural resources survey of borough-owned property that would be used for the proposed Gateway Visitor Center. The survey is required under terms of a $6.7 million federal Economic Development Administration grant for the visitor center. The borough is providing $1.6 million for the required local “match” for the project, borough manager Brown told the assembly.

In other actions the assembly approved ordinances establishing methods of terminating assessments and making refunds in natural gas special improvement areas including North Suzanna Street and South Ridgecrest Road, along with acceptance of a $18,910 state grant for volunteer firefighters and another $1.89 million state grant for firefighting equipment and matching funds for grants to the West Lakes, Caswell, Talkeetna and and Willow fire service areas.

Another ordinance was approved to reappropriate $500,000 from Fiscal Year 2020 state And Federal transportation funds for matching grants for road paving projects on Caswell Lakes Road, Bendapole Road and Passthebait Avenue.

A “consent agenda” was also approved, a listing of projects approved in one action, that included:

• Resolution amending acopes of work for The Borough-Wide Comprehensive Plan Update and the Stormwater Management Plan.

• Resolution amending the scope of work and budget for four parks, trails and recreation projects.

• Resolution providing a one-time waiver of landfill fees for up to four dumpsters for the Big Lake Area and removal of up to 30 junk vehicles For Fiscal Year 2023.

• Resolution for approval to extend the Period Of Performance under a contract with HDL Engineering Consultants for up to $100,000 and to June 30, 2023, for Geotechnical Services.

• Resolution for award of contract for Pavement Marking, LLC for $143,986 for 2022 Road Striping.

• Resolution for award Of $319,290 contract to Western Construction And Equipment, LLC to improve Aurora Hills Drive And Hickory Street.

• Award to McKenna Brothers Paving, Inc. for up to $331,198.47 for Greater Butte Road Service Area No. 26 annual road maintenance.

• Award to McKenna Brothers Paving, Inc. for up to $630,162.54 for South Colony Road Service Area annual road maintenance.

• Award of $2,692,152.75 contract to Pruhs Construction Company, LLC to construct the Felton Street Extension.