Taking Action

Mat-Su Borough Assembly

Next meeting: Dec. 7

What it is: An ordinance amending Mat-Su Borough code, amending Title 24, pertaining to animal care and regulation, and adding a provision on euthanasia.

What it does: The ordinance raises animal registration fees from $5 per animal to $15 per animal, if the animal is spayed or neutered. Mat-Su Borough registration fees for animals that are not spayed or neutered would be raised to $30 per animal. Tagged registration will last for three years. The ordinance also sets out in code procedures for euthanasia, including that the procedure be done by a licensed veterinarian, and that the shelter maintain a list, with photographs, of all the animals euthanized within the past 30 days.

The decision: The ordinance passed at the Mat-Su Borough's Nov. 16 meeting in Talkeetna.

What it is: An ordinance appropriating $16,500 to fund a plan with guidelines for protecting the Palmer Historic District.

What it does: The measure accepts the funding from the state's historic preservation office and approves the scope of work and budget for research, coordination and production of guidelines to preserve and protect buildings in the Palmer Historic District.

The decision: The assembly passed the measure unanimously.

What it is: An ordinance accepting $9,513 from the state's Division of Libraries, Archives and Museums to fund phase two of a Russian language reading program at the Willow Public Library.

What it does: The goal of the grant is to increase literacy among children who have Russian as a first language, to establish a Russian language collection at the library consisting of children's and adults' books and to promote reading at home as a means of parental involvement in student learning. The program is a cooperative effort between the Willow Public Library, the borough's all-Russian language school, Beryozava, and Iditarod Elementary School.

The decision: The measure passed unanimously.

What it is: An ordinance appropriating $35,000 from the Meadow Lakes Fire Service Area fund balance to supplement the purchase of a pumper/tanker vehicle and related equipment.

What it does: During the past fiscal year, Meadow Lakes Fire Service Area set aside $200,000 toward the purchase of a pumper/tanker vehicle for the fire service area. An additional $150,000 was appropriated recently, but, according to information from William Browne, chair of the Meadow Lakes board of supervisors, changes in specifications and added equipment led to an additional cost of $35,000, for a total cost of $385,000.

The decision: The measure passed unanimously.

What it is: A resolution approving a $100,000 loan from the borough's revolving loan fund to pay for the Circle View and Stampede Estates flood and water erosion control area.

What it does: The resolution would have approved the scope of work and budget to mitigate erosion along Matanuska River in the Butte area.

The decision: The assembly agreed to postpone the ordinance to its Jan. 18 meeting, as results from several studies that may help determine the best way to mitigate further erosion have not yet been released.

What it is: A resolution recommending a master planning effort be undertaken with cooperation from the Mat-Su Borough, the state and the University of Alaska.

What it does: The resolution suggests a planning process begin between the three groups to study future uses of land, including the Kepler-Bradley State Recreation Area, Crevasse-Moraine Trail System, Mat-Su College and the University's Agricultural Experimental Station.

The decision: The resolution was postponed to be discussed at the assembly's Jan. 4 meeting.

What it is: A resolution requesting the governor address and adequately fund various departments and agencies responsible for eliminating methamphetamine laboratories, and to further coordinate multidisciplinary response teams to support the Drug-Endangered Children task force.

What it does: The ordinance requests that additional state resources be used to combat methamphetamine laboratories within the borough, and encourages the state to follow U.S. Attorney General recommendations that local communities create response teams to address meth-lab problems as well as to assist children who are found at meth-lab sites.

The decision: The ordinance passed unanimously as part of the borough's consent agenda.