Wasilla City Council passes ordinance transferring limited health power to Borough

During the March 10 meeting of the Wasilla City Council, members voted to move forward several ordinances, including an ordinance to amend the Fiscal Year 2025 budget, appropriating $75,000 from the General Fund to the Roads Repair & Maintenance Fund to restore funds used for unanticipated equipment repairs, and a second also amending FY 2025 budget, appropriating $15,870 from the General Fund to help Roads And Parks to restore funds used for emergency radio installation.

Finally, Ordinance Serial No. 25-06, which would amend Chapter 1.08 "Form of Government and General Powers" to add section 1.08.025 "Limited Health Powers To Borough," transferring limited Health Powers To The Matanuska-Susitna Borough for use of funds paid under The National Opioid Settlement Agreements.

This ordinance transfers limited power from the City of Wasilla to the Matanuska-Susitna Borough (MSB) to allow the MSB to disburse funds received from the National Opioid Settlement Agreement consistent with the settlement's allowed uses. By transferring this authority, the MSB can utilize the funds to address opioid abuse more effectively while ensuring compliance with the restrictions imposed by the settlement agreements.

As part of the National Opioid Settlement Agreement, the MSB has received approximately $780,000, with additional funds expected over the coming years.

“The Borough was granted $2.3 million dollars for opioid remediation in the area of prevention, treatment, harm reduction, and recovery. However, due to the limited health powers of the Borough, that money was only being allocated into two areas-training and education. By moving this through…that money can be allocated for direct services,” Michael Carson, Chair of the Mat-Su Youth and Mental Behavioral Health Task Force, told council members, adding that funds could be used for case management, action plans, and clinician work.

MSB Attorney Nicholas Spiropoulos told council that while the Borough is a second-class Borough and therefore has a limited list of powers, and that there are items outside of the MSB’s lists of powers.

“The Borough’s goal in this is not to start taking over Health Powers. Our goal is to get grant money out into the community so that our community providers who already exist can come get this money and put it out in the community.”

The National Opioid Settlements are several agreements with manufacturers and distributors that have specific instructions on how the funds are spent, and how the funds cannot be used.

Spiropoulos said the City of Houston passed a similar ordinance last month and that they will be discussing similar actions with Palmer next month, as both cities are too small to have gotten an allocation of the funds from the settlement.

Spiropoulos explained that no money is actually changing hands, allaying fears to the council, saying, “The city’s not giving the Borough any money, and the Borough’s not giving the city any money. What we’re getting is the power to spend the money in the greater community of the entire Mat-Su Borough through this limited transfer.”

Spiropoulos said that MSB Deputy Manager George Hayes will be heading up a Grant Review Committee of which all three cities will be a part of as people apply for grants, and that once the funds were fully utilized, the ordinances would be repealed.

“It’s our intent to communicate with the Mayor, and the city council to give regular updates on what we’re doing with the money.”

David Wilson, representing the Mat-Su Health Foundation (MSHF) also spoke, reading a portion of a letter from MSHF President and CEO Elizabeth Ripley.

“We believe that the ordinance before you aligns with our goals by enabling the effective use of the funds…to help address opioid crisis in our community. The implementation of this ordinance will allow the Mat-Su Borough to utilize these funds to enhance public health initiatives, reduce health risks associated with opioid misuse, and support recovery programs,” Wilson read into record. “We commend the City of Wasilla for taking this ordinance up and this important step, and urge city council to adopt this ordinance.” He said that the MSHF stands ready to help Wasilla and the MSB in any way in order to ensure successful implementation of the ordinance.

The motion passed unanimously.