Sworn in: Borough assembly officially features two new members

PALMER — After results from the Mat-Su Borough Canvas Board determined that all of the results from the Oct. 2 election remained unchanged, Tamara Boeve and Jesse Sumner were sworn in as members of the Mat-Su Borough Assembly for the first time on Tuesday night.

Vern Halter also won a second term as Mat-Su Borough Mayor.

“Everyone’s happy with me right now,” Sumner said. “I’m sure I’ll have not have everybody happy with me eventually… I’m certainly ready to get to work.”

The canvas board counted 2,349 ballots that were not counted on Election Day. Of those ballots, 1,910 were absentee ballots and 439 were questioned. Two weeks of work from the canvas board verifying the eligibility of the outstanding ballots was put in prior to the certification of the election by the assembly on Tuesday. Sumner replaces Barbara Doty as the assemblymember for District 6. Tam Boeve replaces Randall Kowalke, who did not seek re-election, for District 7.

“I don’t have anything on my agenda. We’ll see what comes forward,” Boeve said.

Boeve described the moment of being sworn in as bittersweet. Kowalke said he has no plans for the immediate future. Kowalke was speckled with white flecks after painting a room in his home for the last two days, a project he has not had time for since winning the seat on the assembly three years ago. Kowalke said that his phone has been unreasonably silent, and after a year of preparing to run for the assembly and three years serving on it, including his bid for Senate Seat E, he is ready for some rest.

“We’ve gotten a lot of fun stuff done. That (recreation) bond was a baby of mine that particularly benefited more rural parts of the borough,” Kowalke said.

Kowalke mentioned that several open seats on borough boards have been suggested to him, but that he is waiting on the call to serve.

“Probably my biggest disappointment is I’ve accumulated so much knowledge to do particularly with the gas line,” Kowalke said. “I’d just hate to have that evaporate into superfluousness.”

Kowalke has no defined plans for the future, but believes that the new members on the assembly will fit into a balanced board. Kowalke also believes Halter is the right man for the mayor’s job.

“Vern ran the borough, I think, with a steady hand on the tiller. Although we’re a non-strong mayor, I think his influence is certainly felt. I’m really pleased that he’ll be continuing to do that job,” Kowalke said.

Kowalke leaves behind a legacy of ensuring the way of life in rural parts of the Mat-Su Borough.

“Probably my proudest moment is, and it cost me in the senatorial election, but I believe I saved the townsite of Talkeetna. The borough didn’t have $5 million, $6 million, $7 million, whatever the final answers going to be to lend to the Talkeetna sewer and water board. Against a great deal of pushback I got a sewer and water tax passed.”