Federal solid waste grants, community composting approved by Mat-Su Assembly

The Matanuska Susitna Borough Assembly ticked through a number of business items at its regular assembly meeting Tuesday night, Oct. 1.

Actions included approval of a new labor contract with borough public employees as well as acceptance of $1.44 million from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for Mat-Su community solid waste community grants and a scope of work and budget for an organic materials composting program to be organized by the borough’s Solid Waste Division.

The assembly also approved a change to add $53,725 to a contract with Lounsbury & Associates for design work on the Hemmer Road extension, along with an extension of the contract to Oct. 31, 2026.

A $225,336 contract was approved for Raven Electric to install security cameras in emergency services buildings. The Boutet Company was also awarded a $114,365 contract to design fish passage improvements on Sushana Drive at Coal Creek.

In other actions, a resolution opposing the release of borough lands along the proposed Alaska Long Trail was approved, which is related to a National Scenic Trail Feasibility Study for the long trail. The major concern is loss of local control over the trail, and adjacent land, to federal agencies.

The assembly also approved public hearings at its upcoming Oct. 15 meeting on a resolution appropriating $2.25 million from the Greater Palmer Consolidated Fire Service Area Fund Balance to construct a new public safety building along with a resolution setting state legislative priorities for the upcoming 2025 legislative session.

The draft resolution includes a number of road and transportation projects that need funding in the list of legislative priorities as well as support for maintaining state trooper and other public safety staffing levels in Mat-Su along with a state forestry program to remove beetle-damaged timber.

Another proposed legislative priority is a change in the state corporate income tax statute to allow a new tax incentive for private investment in Port MacKenzie, the borough-owned port on Knik Arm in upper Cook Inlet.