Palmer council recognizes longtime election official

PALMER — The Palmer City Council discussed the Glenn Highway construction and honored an election official who has served in the Borough for more than four decades at its regularly scheduled meeting at City Hall on Tuesday night.

Elections for the Palmer City Council are to be held on Tuesday, Oct. 3. Incumbents Brad Hanson and Linda Combs are up for re-election against challengers Kenni Linden and Sabrena Combs.

Gerry Keeling was given the key to the city for her dedication to ensure fair and accurate elections. Wasilla Mayor Bert Cottle also was in attendance to share his gratitude for Keeling’s efforts. Representatives from the City of Houston and the Borough were also there to applaud her work.

“Palmer is made up of so many volunteers, so many people that love Palmer. Her responsibility to be sure it was done properly was done time after time, year after year. She exemplifies what makes Palmer so great,” said Palmer Mayor Edna DeVries.

Keeling served 42 years as an election official in the Borough, 37 of those in Palmer. Keeling's family were among the original colonists, and she was among the first born in the new colony.

The council discussed the Glenn Highway upgrades that will soon see implementation, adding two extra lanes, an extended bike path, and three stoplights.

“Palmer is more than just the physical location; it’s the sense of community,” said Deputy Mayor Linda Combs. “It will make the traffic flow better and be safer.”

One such traffic change will be on the south corner of downtown on Colony Way. Councilman Richard Best voiced his displeasure with the necessity of a stoplight at the entrance to the city. The project is set to begin in the spring of 2018.

"We do not want to become a little Anchorage," said DeVries.

Mayor DeVries and council members Hanson and Best were recently in attendance at a neighborhood watch meeting.

“It’s another venue for the public to participate and to discuss what’s going on in their local neighborhood,” Best said of the gathering. “There was a packed room of people who were seeing impacts from drug users. It’s about communication with your neighbors, being vigilant and observant. Great to see the chief there and help the police department make the public feel more comfortable.”