Council mulls Palin ball donation

Jan. 9, 2007

By MARY AMES

Frontiersman

WASILLA - The upcoming inaugural ball for Gov. Sarah Palin was the big topic of conversation at Monday's Wasilla City Council meeting.

The mayor and one councilman were absent from the meeting, which adjourned in less than an hour and a half.

Mayor Dianne M. Keller missed the meeting due to a family emergency, and council member Marty Metiva had an excused absence.

Two ordinances passed unanimously, one appropriating $3,580 to train Wasilla police officers in drug recognition, the other appropriating $136,000 to purchase three lots adjacent to Nunley Park.

Discussion cropped up only at the end of the meeting, during council comments. Councilman Steve Menard proposed that the city contribute $1,000 to Palin's upcoming inaugural ball.

&#8220I feel it's money well spent for the governor-elect,” Menard said.

&#8220This is where she got her start. It's at Nye Ford. Both my junior and senior proms were at Nye Ford.”

Menard then was informed by John Glass, Wasilla police chief, that Gov. Palin's inaugural ball will be held at Raven Hall, at the Palmer fairgrounds.

&#8220I was blindsided it's going to be at Raven Hall,” Menard said. &#8220But I ask for council support.”

Menard had Kristie Smithers, city clerk, explain that the money could come from funds left over from the city's Alaska Municipal League budget.

Councilman Doug Holler asked what the city's $1,000 would fund.

&#8220Hobo Jim will fly in on a jet,” Menard said. &#8220Jewel will come. There will be an open bar.”

All donations go to the Alaska Inaugural Committee, Mat-Su Ball, and anyone who donates $1,000, receives two tickets to the ball, according to an announcement in the clerk's report.

Holler said it might look bad, and wondered what the city would do with the two tickets. But it was councilman Mark Ewing who laid out the strongest objections.

&#8220I agree she got her start here,” Ewing said. &#8220But the business community should support this.”

The council had been chastised in the past for wanting to donate money to organizations such as the Boys & Girls Club, he said.

&#8220The money isn't going to make or break the council,” he said. &#8220But this isn't the message we want to send now.”

He'd be happy to attend the ball, and glad to see the governor there, Ewing said, but it wasn't the council's responsibility, nor was it time to give away money.

&#8220They need nothing more than moral support,” he said.

One question no one could answer was what the inaugural committee would do with any left over funds.

Menard suggested the council could vote to donate, but not hand over any money until they had found out how it would be used.

&#8220If we are going to do it, we have to do it tonight,” Menard said.

Councilman Greg Koskela pointed out the council would meet again before the ball, which is scheduled for Jan. 27, and he noted the governor nixed holding the ball at the Ford dealership because it would have meant using taxpayer funds to provide fire engines on standby.

Menard withdrew his motion until the Jan. 22 council meeting.

Contact Mary Ames at

352-2284 or mary.ames@

frontiersman.com.