Still no solution for a cramped borough

PALMER — The Mat-Su Borough realized long ago that it has outgrown its headquarters in the Dorothy Swanda Jones building, but the latest attempt to do something about it failed Monday.

Assemblyman Jim Colver had submitted an ordinance calling for a renovation of the borough gym or an addition to the existing building, squeezing more office space out of the same structure or tacking on an annex.

The ordinance came with $589,724 pulled from various accounts that had dealt with renovations of borough buildings to get the ball rolling. The total project costs would be more on the order of $30 million.

Colver said the situation is dire.

“We’re lucky we haven’t been sued by our own employees,” he said. “I think we’re down to these options, we add on in the back of the courtyard or we replace the gym with a building.”

The situation has been an issue since at least January 2009 when the assembly held a special meeting on the topic. More special meetings have followed. Proposed solutions have included building satellite offices, getting a bigger building — either new or converted from an existing building. Candidates for existing buildings have included the now-vacant Palmer Carrs and a vacant building on the Palmer-Wasilla Highway that once housed an inspections business.

Assemblyman Mark Ewing said he opposed voting on Colver’s ordinance, without more time and public debate.

“I will walk out of the room. I will not vote on this,” he said.

Colver’s intent, as stated in the ordinance, was to begin work before the ground froze this coming winter. He said there was no guarantee the borough could get started that soon, but urged his colleagues to act while it was still a possibility.

Assemblyman Ron Arvin said he didn’t think it was a possibility even now.

“It is virtually impossible to get into the ground this year,” he said. “This is my business. I know we cannot get in the ground this year.”

He also agreed with Ewing about not acting in haste.

“I think it would be foolhardy and irresponsible for us to move down a path today that encumbers the taxpayer to the tune of $30 million,” Arvin said.

Mayor Larry DeVilbiss, who generally plays the role of debate moderator, said he didn’t think it was a good idea either to make a decision like this when the new borough manager, John Moosey, had only been on the job for a matter of weeks.

“I would be a lot more comfortable having this discussion a year from now,” DeVilbiss said. “The re-invented John Moosey government might leave this building half empty.”

He said he was joking about that last part, but you never know.

The assembly unanimously chose to push the matter off to its June 7 meeting.

Contact Andrew Wellner at andrew.wellner@frontiersman.com or 352-2270.