LETTER: Timber sale was rushed through

To the editor:

The Great Mat-Su Railroad could be seen and heard gloriously chugging through the Assembly chambers on Tuesday evening leaving clandestine dealings and suspicious alliances smoldering in its wake. With a few courageous exceptions it appeared that the outcome of the Chugiak Creek Timber Sale was preordained and predetermined long before the issue was brought to an excruciating final vote. Such convoluted and tortuous contortions of a governing body were a wonder to behold in the desperate rush to ram through a highly questionable project involving a proven incompetent operator with a sordid past history on a previous logging venture that ended up in court and a financial loss for the borough. Well, the smooth talking hucksters scored their victory. It didn't work out so well the last time around however and I'd say there's a strong probability it will work out even less well this time around.

By not adhering to proper process and conducting secret negotiations meant to bypass competitive bidding among other provisions of the borough's own statutes and codes I fear this will end up in costly litigation just as it did last time around.

So is somebody in somebody's pocket here? Is there any chance that could account for what transpired last night in chambers? Kinda makes you wonder.....

— George Menard

Wasilla