Borough officials laud success of Williwaw community cleanup

Mat-Su Borough Assembly members heard upbeat and downbeat notes at its meeting Tuesday, Oct. 7. For the upbeat, the assembly got an update on large volumes of debris and hazardous materials removed in the Williwaw community cleanup, on September 11, 12 and 13, in what was largely a volunteer effort done at relatively little cost to the borough.hailed as a success and could be a template for future cleanups of derelict areas, Jason Ortiz, the borough’s planning and land-use director, told the assembly.

The downbeat note was a barrage of public criticism of the assembly for its approval of what many feel is a partisan message, a commemoration of conservative political activist Charlie Kirk in a Sept. 10 political assassination at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah.

Though tragic, Kirk is not a resident of the Mat-Su Borough or the state of Alaska and the commemoration, proposed by assembly member Dimitri Fonov, violated the long-standing tenet that voter information booklets are intended solely to inform voters about candidates and ballot propositions and not as vehicles for partisan messages, several people said during the public participation part of the assembly meeting.

Two borough residents drove in from Talkeetna to air their views, joining others. One person praised Kirk for setting an example for young conservatives but did not voice an opinion on the message in the voter information booklet.

The assembly should develop a policy to vet and approve materials in the voter information booklet, and there was criticism in particular that the assembly’s action in approving the message was done without advance notice and a chance for the public to weigh in.

Meanwhile, the Williwaw cleanup involved 452 properties deemed blighted, Ortiz told the assembly. Borough attorneys had prepared requests in advance for permission to do the cleanups.

Sixty seven property owners declined and borough staff were unable to make contact with 175 owners. But contact was made, and permission given, with owners of 178 properties, Ortiz said. Follow-up efforts will be made with property owner who could not be contacted.

Thirty nine junked vehicles were removed along with 240 tons of trash and 2.6 tons of hazardous materials, Ortiz said. Labor was almost all-volunteer and local businesses and organizations made contributions to help defray cash costs. The borough’s direct expense was 68,000, he told the assembly.

“This couldn’t have been done without volunteers, particularly from the Church of Latter Day Saints.”

About 200 people from the church showed up to help, Ortiz said. Two youth groups, one from Wasilla and another from Palmer, pitched to help in weather that was often rainy and cold.

Two borough assembly members, Maxwell Sumner and Dimitri Fonov, both who work in construction, showed up with heavy equipment.

“Assembly member Fonov was operating one giant piece of equipment. Assembly member Sumner was knocking down derelict buildings,” Ortiz said. “We were able to establish a high level of cleanup for blighted property. It was clean down to the dirt.”

The borough will now focus on the root causes of the blight.

“We don’t want to just clean and leave,” he said.

Drug issues have played a part in contributing conditions, so law enforcement will be involved. Local groups in the area, such as the Families for the Improvement of Safety & Health, or FISH, will also be reaching out to the Mat-Su Health Foundation, for support.

Families for the Improvement of Safety & Health is a nonprofit with residents who all reside in Williwaw.

“For the past seven years, they have been working to clean up Williwaw through local efforts. They got the park built and have continued to champion efforts in their area. I worked closely with them to put this all together; they were instrumental in our outreach efforts with residents,” Ortiz said.

Local organizations that assisted and contributed to the cleanup include: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints; Hottie Hut Expresso; Alaska Waste; Matsu Water; Chepo’s; Select Physical Therapy; North Lakes Community Council; AK Muse House; DC 907 Diesels; Alaskan Sweet Vapes; Red Valley Services; Brilliant Alaska; Fonov Construction; The Sumner Company; RedHanded Productions; Debach Salvage & Towing; Darrin Mattingley, LLC; Mat-Su Borough – Planning Department, Operations & Maintenance, GIS, Law, and Land Management

On the hot topic at the assembly meeting, the Charlie Kirk commemoration, one member of the public asked the assembly why Kirk, a conservative activist, was picked for notice and not other public officials who have been targeted for assassination in recent years.

There could be no response from the assembly because remarks were made during audience participation, when only the public comments are allowed and not back-and-forth with the assembly.

Don Musgrave, a Mat-Su resident, was highly critical of the assembly approval of the message.

“This was done without notice or public input and was not part of the assembly’s agenda. This is not governance. It’s propaganda,” he said.

Ginger Baim, also a resident, said Kirk’s messaging, while alive, was deeply divisive and troubling to families with mixed racial heritage. She drew a comparison of Mat-Su with Fairbanks, where she has also lived.

“Fairbanks politics can really go to the dark side the moon, but in the end people there find ways to come together,” Baim said.

When the assembly agreed to allow a message in the voter booklet in a prior meeting there was considerable discussion among the members. The original language, by Fonov, named Charlie Kirk.

Some assembly members felt it was inappropriate to include a name and proposed alternative language that dealt with political violence in general. After that was agreed Fonov came back with a motion to add Kirk’s name again. It passed but by a split vote.