Town hall meeting covers variety of topics

PALMER — The gas pipeline’s future, construction of a new Palmer senior center, the Knik Arm bridge, and federal stimulus money highlighted a town hall meeting Tuesday with state Sen. Linda Menard and state Rep. Carl Gatto.

Gatto started the night speaking about the Alaskan pipeline and its possible routes. He suggested that line could go in three potential directions.

The first being a 1,600 mile stretch running into Canada. The second would extend down the Parks Highway and the third down the Glenn Highway.

But before anything will happen with the pipeline, Gatto said, customers are needed to provide funding. In what is estimated as a $48 billion dollar project, he said this open season for the pipeline will be crucial in its completion.

An “open season” refers to the bidding that occurs during a pipeline’s construction by businesses, gas producers and shippers, that determines pricing and other costs. In order to attract customers to bid, it was important to show that the pipeline would be able to make money, Gatto said.

Sen. Menard later added, that if the open season fails to produce enough funds necessary for the pipelines construction, there could be another open season.

Gatto’s next point of discussion was an endorsement for the construction of the new Palmer Senior Citizen Center. In his beliefs, “the Palmer Senior Citizen Center is really important … and the addition of the retirement center would add value (to Palmer).”

He said more than $5 million , of the $11 million needed, has already been raised and that he is seeking an additional $1 million from the state to help reach that goal.

Sen. Menard echoed Gatto’s sentiments, calling the construction of the Palmer Senior Citizen Center a “top priority.”

She also encouraged the residents of Palmer to support the completion of the Knik Arm crossing.

“It is a good plan and we need to get behind the plan,” she said. “I really, desperately need the people of Palmer to get behind the bridge. It is not a bridge to nowhere, it is a bridge to somewhere.”

In a memo, available at the town hall meeting, sent from Menard to Governor Parnell, she reiterated her stance, “It goes without saying; I stand committed to promote the Knik Arm Crossing’s completion. Please help.”

After both Menard and Gatto spoke, they answered questions from the audience. Out of the many questions raised, it seemed that the use of federal stimulus money produced the most discourse from the audience.

The questions from the audience included: Where the money had gone? What the money was used for? And why the government had not created more jobs in the public sector with the money?

Gatto said some had been earmarked for specific uses and that jobs had been created, but specifics were limited.

Both received applause at the end of the forum and were thanked for their accessibility and willingness to hold a town hall meeting where they could be reached.