Letters to the editor

Mat-Su Borough Planning Department has been compromised

To the editor:

The Mat-Su Borough Planning Department, led by Alex Strawn has been compromised by yielding to undo pressure from the Borough Assembly. In particular two resolutions: one pertaining to the Shoreline Setback Ordinance and the other to Gravel Extraction Ordinance have been pushed continuously by Assemblyman Robert Yundt and Assemblyman Mokie Tew. These individuals will personally benefit from these changes and the Borough Mayor is too weak and inept in failing to have these individuals recuse themselves from voting on these resolutions.

Here is the composition of the Mat-Su Assembly: Borough Mayor : Edna DeVries; Tim Hale - District 1, construction projects; Stephanie Nowers - District 2, Business Owner; Dee McKee- District 3, educator; Robert Yundt- District 4; Construction Home Builder - Robert Yundt Homes Inc.; Mokie Tew- District 5, Construction - Tews Excavation Inc.; Dmitri Fanov- District 6, Construction Contractor; Ron Bernier- District 7, Construction J.P. Construction.

The Mat-Su Planning Commission just postponed the Gravel Ordinance vote for a third time. This Resolution was put forth by MSB Assembly member Mokie Tew and has now been postponed indefinitely - so far.

The Mat-Su Planning Commission will also vote again on Shoreline Setbacks for the third time on 05 June 2023 on another amended Resolution put forth by MSB Assemblyman Robert Yundt. If this amendment is approved it will head to the “Assembly” for a hearing and final vote. Resolution No. 23-22 -Shoreline Setbacks, attempts to amend the ordinance 17.55 to allow construction from 75 feet to within 25 feet of the shoreline which poses a dire threat to the water quality of our Borough. The Alaska Fish and Wildlife Commission also opposes this amendment.

MSB Assemblyman Robert Yundt was fined $29,500 in June 2022 by the EPA for violating the Clean Water Act by dumping construction debris into Cottonwood Lake and Wasilla Lake. Nice.

MSB Assemblyman Mokie Tew, a co-sponsor of the Resolution 23-22, allegedly faces numerous ethics violations and most recently was exposed for trying to amend the way that road service contracting worked in Big Lake. The petition alleged that this change would have "directly [benefitted] Tew and his family members despite the additional costs to Borough taxpayers. Nice.

Despite widespread opposition to the Amendment to reduce Shoreline Setbacks, where is the voice of our Borough Mayor? Assemblymen Yundt and Tew are continually confronting the MSB Planning Department with amendments until they get their way. They must be recused from voting.

Please contact the MSB Planning commission and the MSB Mayor and ask them to shut down these self serving politicians. Enough is Enough.

An excellent summary of this malfeasance has been provided by Amy Bushatz for the Frontiersman 23 May 2023. - Great Reading about our Assembly members.

Terry Cosgrove

Letter to the Editor and community

To the editor:

I come to you as an educator with 15 years in the classroom, two bachelor degrees and a Masters in Education and Leadership. I would hope you hear what I have to say as you would an expert testimony in any other field of expertise.

MSBSD is not too different from any other, in that every parent and community member wants the best education for their children. In order to achieve this sort of success, one needs competent, highly qualified instructors. MSBSD is failing. MSBSD stripped me of 10 years of experience, only giving me three of my 13 years of experience when being hired on. This significantly affected my salary and earning capabilities. They further crippled me by not paying me a liveable wage, and certainly not a salary in keeping with my level of education. District and the school board have voted against a fair contract, denying decent coverage under our current Public Education Health Trust. To add further insult, to only offer a dismal 2% raise that doesn't even come close to matching rising inflation rates is truly beyond comprehension.

I have no doubt that other professionals will now see what I see and look for other employment opportunities where skills are valued, humanity taken into account, and the education of students truly valued.The overall morale of the staff and educators is at an all time low. We are underpaid, and now being forced into a high deductible, substandard healthcare plan that is overwhelmingly unpopular and unwanted. We are at a breaking point as educators, school nurses, secretaries…. as your neighbors, your child’s mentors, coaches, choir and drama directors, the ones who can teach a difficult child, the one who reaches the unreachable, the ones who make math fun or teaches our future to read. We are broken. You, MSBSD have broken us.

Those living in this great valley know that those “smiling” faces who greet your child in the fall, will be fake. We will be working two jobs. We will be forgoing visiting the doctor for a common cold, only to let it grow worse, as we will not be able to afford our doctor visits. That we will no longer be able to sacrifice our personal time and monies like we have always done because there will be no more to give. Please help us.

Nicole Kirkpatrick,

Wasilla

Alzheimer’s disease awareness

To the editor:

Early access to FDA-approved Alzheimer’s disease-modifying therapies is crucial for those living with early stage Alzheimer’s disease and their families.CMS is blocking access to (FDA) approved Alzheimer treatments. Every day without access to these treatments in the early stage, more than 2,000 people transition to a more advanced stage of Alzheimer’s where they are no longer eligible for treatment. These treatments could allow people more time to participate in daily life, remain independent, and make future health care decisions. Each day matters when it comes to slowing the progression of this fatal disease.This is the first time in history of Medicare and Medicaid that they have not covered an FDA-approved treatment. CMS needs to fix this mess and stop blocking access.Thank you Senator Lisa Murkowski for signing a letter with a bipartisan group of Senators calling for CMS to reconsider their disappointing and harmful decision not to cover Alzheimer’s treatments.This is why I am traveling from my home in Soldotna to the Rally for Access in Anchorage with my fellow Alaskans. The Alzheimer’s Association advocates for my family, friends and those who cannot speak for themselves. Please join me on June 15 on the corner of F Street and 7th Avenue to call on CMS to reverse its decision. At last count in 2020 we have 8500 Alaskans diagnosed with Alzheimer’s alone - this number does not include Alaskans with a formal diagnosis, and does not include those Alaskans suffering from the other 70 types of dementia. Indigenous peoples have one of the highest relates of dementia of any race - one in three Alaska Native elders can expect to develop Dementia.

Cindy Harris,

Alzhiemer's AssociationAlaska Board Member