Mat-Su Borough still in gravel business

DARRELL L. BREESE

Frontiersman reporter

PALMER - Despite a veto by Mayor Tim Anderson, the Mat-Su Borough is still in the business of selling gravel.

On June 13, Anderson vetoed a contract between the borough and Port MacKenzie conveyor operator NPI LLC to purchase and transport gravel, following a 4-3 vote by the assembly approving the contract. Assembly members Betty Vehrs, Mary Kvalheim and Jim Colver opposed the contract.

The contract would have allowed NPI to extract gravel and ship it through their conveyor system at the Port MacKenzie dock.

Colver said June 21 that despite media reports and the veto, that the borough is still selling gravel and Anchorage is still interested in purchasing it.

"There was no real need for the contract," Colver said. "We are selling the gravel now like any other gravel pit in the Valley. We are negotiating sales either by the individual load or for certain quantities."

The deal with NPI originally was a long-term contract, five years, but shifted to a two-year deal during the assembly debate. This all took place while the borough and the wood chip dealer were settling a dispute over existing contracts.

"We were rushing into a contract again with NPI," Colver said. "This was all taking place while our business office was attempting to settle a contract dispute with them. There was no reason

The borough is currently offering sand and gravel for sale from the Point MacKenzie Port District. The material will be sold in minimum quantities of 500,000 tons with a fixed royalty rate of $0.54 for Class "A" and $0.27 for Class "C" material.

A wharfage rate of $1.10 per to n has also been established for shipping of the material from Port MacKenzie. Dockage rates are based on length of the vessel and length of stay.

The bidding period for the sale closes Sept. 30.

Contact Darrell Breese at 352-2267 or darrell.breese@frontiersman.com.