[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6425905,"mediaKeyId","5905484-7479d56f7aba6fae8fb2d26f98bf7507","parentId",5905484,"title","Assembly approves ordinances, grants and procurement items; summary of decisions from Oct. 7 meeting","audioSeconds",2782,"startMs",7451000,"endMs",10233000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5905484-7479d56f7aba6fae8fb2d26f98bf7507&start=7451&end=10233","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5905484-7479d56f7aba6fae8fb2d26f98bf7507/thumbnail_7451000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6425905/Matanuska-Susitna-Borough/Alaska/Assembly-approves-ordinances-grants-and-procurement-items-summary-of-decisions-from-Oct-7-meeting","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6425905-af0fdd406d147a4f2b0fe993bf6be910/orig.mp4?Expires=1770314961&Signature=na1NeAUr4JnEy4WxwcwqlPXukZI7qSHh5feQ6fQVyMpGyUfpXuumM-KXVGbm5X-Q3IHghrfwmw2qMq-K-PKbF09tqp9TmnVGPvCX1ILFJT-Od2O2LI7vmPMouERqGl1JyNxB7yXFW-C5AK0QAYZt3GjhgZDxK3TSUu6hOAXHP6Jly9gcqH0ALcE~YAgG3lNEADSTHVTlhqyfZ0BDCnIlsXe7hLBP42~bVMBqU34fxPucbZYTrO-hVkaca4izNpJiMPML9wxPGoWXZfO5NY0fm7SyZyGVy7K2iQMuOToVAZ7vCClwzv1WAwava8ZSh~ZI9qHn15oMpOoKlnqT0Itndw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Matanuska-Susitna Borough","date","2025-10-08T02:00:45Z","article","The Matanuska‑Susitna Borough Assembly on Oct. 7 adopted a series of ordinances, resolutions and contract awards. Most items passed by voice vote or unanimous consent; where recorded, votes or objections are noted below.

Votes at a glance

- Ordinance 25‑104 (naming a portion of the Crevasse Marine Trail system in memory of Dot Helm): Adopted by motion and voice consent. Assembly members discussed route and signage; staff said existing bench and a small plaque and planter will be used to memorialize Dot Helm.

- Ordinance 25‑105 and Resolution 25‑087 (annexation of parcels into Talkeetna Fire Service Area): Public hearing opened and closed; ordinance and accompanying resolution adopted by motion and voice consent.

- Ordinance 25‑106 and Resolution 25‑088 (annexation of parcels into West Lakes Fire Service Area): Adopted by motion and voice consent.

- Ordinance 25‑107 and Resolution 25‑089 (accepting and appropriating a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service grant and matching funds for the Cottonwood Creek at Fern Street fish‑passage project): Adopted by motion and voice consent.

- Ordinance 25‑108 and Resolution 25‑090 (accepting $10,712 from the Mat‑Su Disc Golf Association for the Alcatrazaw Creek project): Adopted by motion and voice consent.

- Ordinance 25‑109 and Resolution 25‑091 (accepting and appropriating $319,837 from the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services for the Human Services Community Matching Grant program): Adopted after a public comment from a community representative; motion carried by voice consent.

- Ordinance 25‑110 and Resolution 25‑093 (appropriating $800,000 from Central Mat‑Su Fire Service Area fund balance to purchase a wildland apparatus): Adopted after discussion of apparatus capabilities; staff said this is a type‑3 apparatus used for off‑road firefighting and pump‑and‑roll operations.

Procurement and award items

- AM25117 (award of bid number 2557C to Kendall Ford of Anchorage, $337,920 to replace six fleet vehicles): The Assembly considered an on‑floor amendment to remove six Ford Rangers from the award and asked staff to rebid or seek alternate vehicle procurement for those trucks; the amended motion passed and the remainder of the award was approved by voice consent.

- AM25124 (award of bid number 2645B to Separate Cons Construction, $264,975 for design/build of a covered storage building at the operations and maintenance facility): Adopted; the clerk recorded two members in opposition (Assembly members Fonoff and McKee) and the motion carried.

Consent agenda and other items

- A consent agenda with multiple staff reports, contract conclusions and grant notifications (including construction contracts and grant applications) was approved by voice consent; several items were pulled for separate consideration and subsequently acted on.

How the Assembly voted

Most measures were adopted by unanimous voice consent or \"no objection.\" The only recorded opposition reported in the official vote calls shown in the meeting transcript was the AM25124 storage building award, which passed with Assembly members Fonoff and McKee opposed. Individual roll‑call vote tallies were not recorded in the publicly read transcript for every action; several items passed after the clerk asked whether there were objections and none were voiced.

Next steps

Staff will execute grant agreements, vendor contracts and project scopes authorized by the resolutions and ordinances and return required reporting to the Assembly. Several introduced ordinances and resolutions were set for public hearing on Oct. 21.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Assembly Regular Meeting - October 7th, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The Matanuska‑Susitna Borough Assembly on Oct. 7 adopted a series of ordinances, resolutions and contract awards. Most items passed by voice vote or unanimous consent; where recorded, votes or objections are noted below.","taxTitle","Matanuska-Susitna Borough, Alaska","taxId",14460,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6425920,"Matanuska-Susitna Borough credits volunteers, partners for large Willow Wall neighborhood cleanup",1428,208000,1636000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5905484-7479d56f7aba6fae8fb2d26f98bf7507&start=208&end=1636","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5905484-7479d56f7aba6fae8fb2d26f98bf7507/thumbnail_208000.jpg","/articles/6425920/Matanuska-Susitna-Borough/Alaska/Matanuska-Susitna-Borough-credits-volunteers-partners-for-large-Willow-Wall-neighborhood-cleanup","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6425920-a8af5298ecfe3670b07fa39b12acaba4/orig.mp4?Expires=1770314961&Signature=gE2EWwi-O1gvt-fcY~v64EthK435dx82IgkI6ikaX3NyGreiL3~xjESj0nY1HiFbc7qRPf-4PLDNVYuCgyh7bvFVzE7Ij1747H6x6tR8b8~Xz9~M04kSy1rOo4YOaYvGr19lFXGTKLUu~0e7rUCkCOBksTlNa2Wh2dgus~Bj8esUXZk~iH40mieK9mWEJr9uomJ6Fgy3H1EVsd0-E4N2p~kwLtx9sX7dAgUp1lyXXvSWeLNa40EJUoSt-Wz0ATvnLQeJXAeET9oXblrLlH1~8nqEK9HECRvBBgjXu-rfblvdJ49Xv7rGCeD2YGzSd25AYOnuCYUsyRbX~Q7JvlccuA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Matanuska‑Susitna Borough on Oct. 7 reported the results of a large volunteer cleanup in the Willow Wall neighborhood, saying borough staff, more than 200 volunteers and several local businesses removed hundreds of tons of trash and dozens of derelict vehicles over a multiday effort.

“We wanted to provide you an update and kind of an after‑bridal on what happened, what was accomplished,” Manager Mike Brown told the Assembly before turning the presentation over to borough planning staff. Brown said the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter‑day Saints provided “well over 200 volunteers” and that without that volunteer force the scale of the work would not have been possible.

Deputy Director Jason Ortiz and Development Services Manager Wade Long described the operation’s logistics and numbers. Long said borough teams and volunteers visited 427 of about 452 parcels in the project area, and that 67 property owners declined help while borough staff were unable to make contact with about 175 parcels. Long reported the effort removed about “242 tons in 3 days,” and said volunteers and contractor support produced 62 40‑yard dumpsters and removed dozens of vehicles. He also reported hazardous materials and battery collections and noted the borough’s bill for the cleanup was about $65,000–$66,000.

Ortiz credited borough legal staff and an internal GIS workflow for speeding property releases and volunteer sign‑ups. “We pulled off logistics like no other,” Ortiz said, describing a quick turn from concept to fieldwork and an app the borough used to track property permissions and work progress.

Staff said a wide mix of partners kept costs down and handled specialized tasks: Alaska Waste donated service at cost, Mat‑Su Water provided drinking water for volunteers, Debach Salvage and Towing discounted vehicle removals (decreasing borough charges for vehicle disposal), and local businesses provided staging areas, food discounts or cash donations. The borough highlighted the FISH neighborhood group for organizing community outreach and a barbecue that helped rally residents.

Several Assembly members who visited the cleanup praised the volunteers and said the event could serve as a model. Ortiz and Long told the Assembly the work was not intended to be a one‑time sweep. Long said staff will pursue follow‑up steps with partner nonprofits and law enforcement to address substance‑use and crime concerns identified in parts of the neighborhood, and legal staff will review longer‑term options for problem properties.

Mayor and assembly members presented a token of appreciation to church volunteers at the meeting.

Staff said they intend to evaluate lasting change and return to the neighborhood in a year or two to measure whether blight and criminal activity have declined following the cleanup.","Borough staff told the Assembly that a multi‑agency, volunteer-led effort cleared hundreds of tons of debris from the Willow Wall neighborhood in early September; volunteers, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and local businesses provided most labor and in-kind support. Borough staff outlined follow-up steps to address underlying bl ",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6425911,"Residents criticize Matanuska‑Susitna Borough for adding partisan memorial to election pamphlet; some defend inclusion",8336,2162000,10498000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5905484-7479d56f7aba6fae8fb2d26f98bf7507&start=2162&end=10498","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5905484-7479d56f7aba6fae8fb2d26f98bf7507/thumbnail_2162000.jpg","/articles/6425911/Matanuska-Susitna-Borough/Alaska/Residents-criticize-MatanuskaSusitna-Borough-for-adding-partisan-memorial-to-election-pamphlet-some-defend-inclusion","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6425911-5489046fcdcde580451e3b4cd8421264/orig.mp4?Expires=1770314961&Signature=Z30Z-mLJR3TsFd4wVoy62u0J9-J52TCFAFThvSf74J-m0DR6b4-VR67ASyegYvLVmOYB8WguGX-dWxnV7nuHUGd8eknBRNYKy~s4a-Yu-HfdILMXzPsaPcmg~z01B92N7wrUJVb-KjcL1aMFIHOb~fogTskfAqxPKs0Lp-hTnanmTeAb1tUN5Qd1t-rhiGR9v3FYNJIxbupBTin07-ASLDg2BgEVC52c1FBaIYWrMANlfGx-XUgjKIDmCkBFW3CcGwkPCo88gHuLIFzFE36mxeNMzOEFa7pwPmIMjenLLpB7IWHSUzhfRwRiOfaYt-OW0BR2MNCRZNLICbe8VCsqRA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Dozens of residents used the Assembly’s public comment period Oct. 7 to criticize the Matanuska‑Susitna Borough for adding a memorial referencing national political commentator Charlie Kirk — and the phrase “In God We Trust” — to the borough’s official election information pamphlet without prior public notice, several speakers said.

“I'm asking you to do three things: 1, publicly acknowledge that this was a mistake; 2, commit that no political or religious statements will ever appear in official borough booklets again; and 3, retract and repudiate this misuse of public trust,” speaker Dave Musgrave told the Assembly during audience participation.

Multiple commenters said the pamphlet should remain neutral because it is intended to inform voters, not promote political opinion. “The election pamphlet is supposed to inform voters, not influence them,” said another speaker, and several asked the Assembly to remove the memorial and clarify the borough’s editorial policy for election materials.

Several speakers described safety concerns and harms they attributed to the named figure’s rhetoric; others said the insertion was procedurally improper because it was added without notice and without public comment. “Introducing political or ideological messaging into [an] official election guide undermines its integrity,” Dr. Irene Wagner said.

At the same time, a number of residents defended the Assembly’s decision or defended honoring someone who was killed. “Charlie Kirk was exceptionally intelligent,” said Linda Spohn, a commenter who praised Kirk’s positions; other supporters said the memorial was an expression of sorrow for a national assassination and not an endorsement of partisan politics.

Several Assembly members responded during the meeting’s closing remarks. Assemblyperson Hale said placing the name in the pamphlet was “inappropriate both in its partisanship and in its lack of publicity and public notice” and apologized for not opposing the underlying motion more forcefully. Assemblyperson Fonoff, who had supported the memorial during the meeting, said he would not apologize and stood by the Assembly’s action: “I will not apologize, but I will stay firm on that.”

No formal motion to remove the memorial or amend the pamphlet was recorded during the Oct. 7 meeting; speakers urged the Assembly to consider policies to prevent partisan or religious language in official election materials going forward.","Dozens of speakers addressed the Assembly during audience participation to object to the insertion of a memorial to national figure Charlie Kirk and the phrase “In God We Trust” into the borough’s election pamphlet. Speakers called for a public acknowledgement, policy changes and removal; others in the audience defended the memorial.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Assembly approves ordinances, grants and procurement items; summary of decisions from Oct. 7 meeting

Matanuska-Susitna Borough credits volunteers, partners for large Willow Wall neighborhood cleanup

Residents criticize Matanuska‑Susitna Borough for adding partisan memorial to election pamphlet; some defend inclusion