Guard program ends, security concerns remain

PALMER — A temporary arrangement that required visitors to the Mat-Su Borough building to be escorted through the building by a security guard ended Friday, borough officials said.

Officials started a 30-day trial run with an unarmed Securitas security guard escort about three weeks ago, according to borough manager John Moosey. The program cost the borough about $4,200, Moosey said.

The guard — along with securing building entrances and requiring magnetic strip badges to enter various portions of the building housing borough staff — was an attempt to address a concern that has repeatedly showed up on borough staff employment satisfaction surveys, Moosey said.

However, at Tuesday night’s assembly meeting, the program drew criticism from one member of the public and almost all assembly members. The sentiment was enough for Moosey to shut down the program.

“My assembly has a big problem with that, so I am going to be ending the trial period, and we’re going to be looking at different ways where we can meet the concerns of my staff,” he said.

Moosey apologized for the program, which at least one member of the public said inconvenienced them.

“I’m sorry this changed, and I’m sorry people feel inconvenienced by it,” he said.

The borough’s main offices on Dahlia Street are a former school. The building’s construction predates modern concerns about mass shootings and volatile interactions with the public. In the past, borough employees have faced issues involving threats, and angry constituents, Moosey said. Tax payments are made at a counter separated from visitors by thick glass, but an information desk, some stairs and usually unlocked doors are the only things separating the borough’s hired officials from the street. While no guard will greet visitors come Monday morning, non-public access portions of the building will still require magnetic cards for access.

Moosey didn’t point to a single specific episode or encounter that triggered the change, but said large public buildings can’t pretend they’re not potential targets.

“I personally would love an open campus feeling,” he said. “I would love that. I just don’t think in our time we can afford to act like nothing’s going to happen or would happen.”

John Vanduska, the lone person to comment in person before the assembly at Tuesday’s meeting, said he was glad to hear the program is ending. He’s not opposed to security measures, but thinks the guard was unnecessary.

“I always understand the concerns,” he said. “The concern was that some employees felt threatened, but the bottom line is we are in a world that, whether it’s a store or a bank or anything, there’s the possibility of some nut case. But to have the borough do this knee-jerk reaction is just crazy.”

Security guard Michael Palmer said the vast majority of the people he shepherded from the front desk to the upstairs were generally understanding.

“There’s just been a few that don’t like it,” he said.

Vanduska said he visited the borough building multiple times while the guard was on duty. The first time, the security guard was at the front and immediately available. However, on another visit, Vanduska said he was in a hurry and the security guard was escorting another visitor — which caused him unnecessary delay.

“You’re waiting for this guy to come back,” he said. “It’s just a ridiculous thing.”

Contact reporter Brian O’Connor at 352-2270, brian.oconnor@frontiersman.com, or on Twitter @reporterbriano.