Farmland trust introduced

May 3, 2005

KATE GOLDEN/Frontiersman reporter

PALMER - At Tuesday's meeting, Steve Gallagher from the Alaska Rural Rehabilitation Corp. introduced a new nonprofit designed to preserve Valley farms.

The Alaska Farmland Trust will facilitate U.S. Department of Agriculture purchases of development rights to local farmland, and manage the rights once they're transferred. Property owners must continue to maintain their land as farmland and will not be able to develop it, lest the trust foreclose on the property.

USDA provides 50-percent matching funds for farmland protection. This year, Gallagher said, $1.2 million for both grassland and farmland protection programs in the area went back to the feds unused.

In addition to hearing Gallagher's presentation, the council:

€ Postponed action on the Palmer Museum of History and Art. The newly formed group, which intends to organize the protection and display of local historical artifacts, requested $2,000 for startup funds. Mayor John Combs requested clarification of the group's relationship with the city before a vote comes to the council.

€ Said no to a charity.

The council decided on principle not to give any money to the local branch of the American Red Cross this year.

Council member Jim Wood said he didn't think it was appropriate for a public entity to endorse "private enterprises."

Council member Tony Pippel called the Red Cross "a bunch of do-gooders that are doing good," but he concurred with Wood.

Council member Steve Carrington said, "There has to be a connection to the city of Palmer."

Only Brad Hanson voted to give the nonprofit the $2,000 it requested.

The council budgets $20,000 for good causes that may come up throughout the year. In the past, it has given money to the Red Cross and to Little League, among other nonprofits.

€ Unanimously sup-ported an all-Alaska gas pipeline.

Two weeks ago, Valdez Mayor Bert Cottle made Palmer a stop on a statewide campaign for support. While many Alaskans prefer the route over a Canadian one, the decision is in the hands of the oil producers, who stand to make more money from the latter.

All councilors seemed to agree with Brad Hanson, who said, "I think this resolution has little or no impact on decisions that will be made, but I support this resolution."

Contact Kate Golden at

352-2284 or kate.golden@

frontiersman.com.