Mayor vetoes ordinance for charter school bond

By ANDREW WELLNER

Frontiersman.com

PALMER — In an unprecedented move, Mat-Su Borough Mayor Larry DeVilbiss vetoed an ordinance at its introduction — even before the assembly had a chance to vote it up or down.

What ordinance drew that kind of reaction? It was a measure proposed at the Aug. 1 meeting to ask voters to approve $15 million in bonds to build a permanent home for Fronteras Charter School.

“I was in a tough place. There was no way I could support after so openly and clearly committing to having no more school bonds,” DeVilbiss said. “I too believe that charter schools should be owning their school buildings and we will find a way to do that eventually.”

The promise the mayor referred to was made during the run-up to the most recent round of school bonds. The bonds voters approved amounted to a five-year spending plan of $215 million. DeVilbiss and others who supported the bond promised they would do everything possible to keep more school debt off the ballot for five years.

“And I was asked, ‘well, how are you going to ensure that?’ and I said, ‘well, with my veto if necessary.’ And I’m sorry I have to do that but that’s where we are,” DeVilbiss said.

As for the charter schools issue; nearly all of the borough’s charters are in rented space. Academy Charter School in Palmer is the only one housed in a borough-owned building.

Fronteras, a Spanish-immersion school off of Bogard Road, pays more than $300,000 per year in rent. And that’s for a campus in multiple buildings but without a gym or a playground other than a nearby gravel pit.

“The success of the school is stymied by the facility and it’s got so much promise,” Fronteras parent Amber Rinella testified at the Aug. 1 meeting.

Chris Whittington-Evans, chairman of the school’s Academic Policy Committee, pointed out that there are also safety issues. Private facilities aren’t required to put up signs and work on other traffic issues like public schools are. He said that the school has tried other financing methods including loans and grants.

“This bond is another avenue for us,” he said. “We are losing families due to our facility which I have taken to referring to jokingly as the barrio.”

Assemblyman Jim Colver, often an advocate for charters who has been seeking a solution to Fronteras’ facility problems, urged his colleagues to move the ordinance forward. A yes vote would just have forwarded it on to the next assembly meeting where it could have been voted on for inclusion on the October ballot.

He said that he knew some assembly members were worried about the promises made during the run up to the $215 million bonds.

“I think my concern at that time with that bond and why I didn’t support it was that it didn’t have anything for charter schools,” he said.

Assemblyman Ron Arvin also spoke in favor, saying that when asked to lecture about international business he often says that aspiring professionals should learn Spanish as a second language. He acknowledged that the bond promise was an issue.

“That’s something to consider but things do change. Circumstances do change,” he said. “I’ve had my strong, heartfelt position change on numerous issues that have come before this body.”

The eventual vote had Arvin, Colver and their colleagues Darcie Salmon and Steve Colligan vote to send the ordinance on for a vote. That was the four votes out of seven needed. But then DeVilbiss stepped in and vetoed it.

The assembly voted to override DeVilbiss’ veto but Colligan switched sides.

“I was looking forward to having a public debate but I will not be overriding your veto,” he said, citing that promise to the public. He said he was fully committed to helping Fronteras find a grant or other means of securing a permanent home.

The vote to override failed 4-3 with Arvin, Salmon and Colver voting in favor.

Contact Andrew Wellner at 352-2270 or

andrew.wellner@frontiersman.com.