City of Wasilla shouldn't pay for box stores' traffic lights

Spectrum/Mark Ewing

Serving the last six weeks as a newly elected Wasilla city council member has truly been a rewarding challenge.

Speaking with the community and learning about the problems facing the residents and hearing their concerns has shed some light on what they expect from their city government.

I attended the newly elected officials training in Fairbanks, where I spoke with Wendy Lindskoog -- director of external affairs for the Alaska Railroad -- about a new plan to coexist with the railroad in Wasilla.

She likes my plan to elevate the railroad with a monorail look-alike overpass system that would use a sound-absorbing concrete in a dish-shaped bridge to send the noise up and not out, eliminating any crossing in the city, or blasts from the whistles. She mentioned using seamless tracks so no noise would be generated by the wheels when they crossed the joints of the tracks. She did say the railroad could not afford to relocate to bypass the city, and that this may be a way to develop the property on both sides on Wasilla.

I promised I'd work to balance the stable economic growth and, while holding the city fiscally accountable, also strive to relieve the traffic congestion by installing traffic lights at key city intersections and find ways to first pave existing local city-owned roads.

These things are all within our grasp; however, I need you to help by attending the council meetings and informing the mayor and the city council at these public hearings that we are no longer going to spend taxpayer money on projects that are the responsibility of private enterprise or the Alaska Department of Transportation.

At the last meeting of the Wasilla City Council, I was appalled that the consent agenda -- an agenda category that normally includes a list of routine, uncontroversial items that are approved with one motion, no discussion and one vote -- included a resolution authorizing the execution of an intersection cost agreement with Lowe's for $350,000.

This agreement allows the city to share the cost of the traffic signal, which the state DOT required Lowe's to install over the state-owned Parks Highway -- Lowe's agreed to do this without the help of the city.

However, the mayor felt we should pitch in half of the $675,000 cost. The city of Wasilla operates on a $10-million-a-year budget, whereas Lowe's did more than $30 billion in sales last year alone.

Half of Wasilla's income is spent on wages and benefits for the 90 employees that serve our city. The purpose of the city is to provide services like snow removal, parks, road maintenance and improvements. We also use the tax base to support police protection and water and sewer services. This money should not be used to help billion-dollar corporations fund private ventures that add congestion to the state's highway system.

The mayor will argue that we will stop the mega-box stores from coming to Wasilla, but believe me, they are going to keep building here because they all want some of the great American greenbacks this area has to offer.

If we allow this city to fund this project we have set a standard that will be passed on to every other corporation that follows and to our grandchildren; the city will need to share in the expense whenever [box stores] create more traffic volume in their locations.

What will stop the large box stores from coming is a lack of basic services we are required to support, like sufficient water pressure to operate sprinkler systems -- this is the case with Home Depot right now. I just received a letter from the law firm of Lane, Powell, Spears and Lubersky, the law firm that represents Home Depot Inc., that the flow test for the water system that was conducted in March 2004 by the city "confirmed adequate pressure in the water system to support the fire prevention system, which requires 35 lbs of water pressure."

Home Depot was informed just before its grand opening that "only 20 lbs. psi" was at their location, so they are currently operating on a 90-day temporary permit by the state fire marshal, pending resolution of this matter by the city of Wasilla.

If this permit is not renewed, Home Depot will have to close its doors, which will "result in sudden unemployment of numerous Wasilla residents," possible legal action by Home Depot against the city of Wasilla, substantial legal costs and likely an adverse judgment.

And the mayor mentioned that Home Depot will indeed need a $1.2-million traffic light to conform with the state's requirements -- will the city of Wasilla be spending $600,000 to help fund that also?

Not if I can help it. But I need your help.

Please attend the next council meeting at 7 p.m., Monday, Dec. 13. Spend three minutes letting the mayor and council know we are not going to start funding mega-box stores, but we need to provide the essentials to attract new development.

Mark Ewing occupies Seat F on the Wasilla City Council.