CHANGIN THE RULES TO FIT THE CASE....

It doesn't get any better when the opinion of a attorney rolls out about the conduct of assembly members and it is released to the public.  So grab a beverage. We have tamed the legalese to a manageable level for you.

A LITTLE HISTORY..

First let’s travel back in time since that is where we seem to be headed on a regular basis and recall the November 2012 meeting after the election when assembly member Arvin was re-elected.  The ceremonial mayor also re-elected needed to choose his deputy ceremonial mayor. His choice was Arvin who had by then returned to his place of employment in China. The defense the mayor has offered up about voters knowing this is just weak. Mr. Arvin's campaign webpage is still available and says nothing about him taking a six month junket if elected.  

The mayor was questioned then if assembly member Arvin planned to “be present more often than in the past”. The mayor replied that he “ didn't anticipate Mr. Arvin attending telephonic-ally much longer”. And that was that. Arvin was appointed deputy mayor and still receives the small difference in pay to hold that position which he continues to collect along with his full borough tax payer paid benefit package to date.

Fast forward to this year’s February 26^th assembly meeting when Assembly member Keogh requested a third party opinion to determine if  borough code had been violated by Arvin’s physical absence for well over the 90 days code states is the time period allowed. Code states that an assembly seat be declared vacant if the member is "physically absent from the Borough for 90 consecutive calendar days and the absence is not excused by the Assembly."

We assume “physical absence" is limited to 90 days, because physical presence entails visual elements that are lost in physical absence regardless of ability to communicate otherwise. Elected assembly members are expected to meet with constituents, attend community council and other meetings, and personally witness neighborhood high drama like unanticipated tall tower erections and houses floating away from eroded river banks. It makes sense that a public servant be physically present to provide that service, apparently sufficiently important to be stated in borough code.

PLAIN TALK OPINION

The Borough requested the outside opinion for guidance as to whether assembly member Arvin was eligible to remain on the Assembly even though  this "extended trip” or perhaps a slow boat back from China he has reportedly been on from October 2012 to February 2013. 

Interestingly, the opinion assumes (and no one on the Assembly seems to argue otherwise) that Arvin has, in fact, been physically absent from the district for 90 consecutive days and that nothing the Assembly has done has excused that absence.  The conclusion to be drawn from those facts might seem to be simple.  He must be removed. A vindication of that those watching this drama unfold at the borough knew all along.

But the opinion goes on to consider whether an absence can be retroactively excused.  And it concludes it can.  Not only that, it concludes that--though the law is unclear--the existing law and the Assembly's own conduct (not to date declaring a vacancy and letting him appear by phone) "weigh in favor of permitting the Assembly to excuse the absence so long as it has not yet issued a declaration of vacancy."  You know we will let you go down that street again and this time don't go through the stop sign. 

Such a leap of this kind of makes us wonder what instructions the law firm was given when the opinion was requested. It also makes us wonder how many public employees at the borough or anywhere else would get to turn in a leave slip AFTER they took the leave. Excused is something that happens BEFORE the absence.  A person does not miss work, for instance, for 90 days and then, when someone notices, request a leave of absence.

Permission to be physically absent is granted BEFORE the fact. Pure and simple. Of course unless your part and parcel of the GOB (good ol' boy) club then you ask for a life line from the ceremonial mayor to announce at the next meeting that he will sponsor a resolution to excuse your absence. Good deal for Mr. Arvin. Not so good for the people he represents or anyone else that wants to try that hat trick and doesn't have a ceremonial mayor in their corner.

If the assembly goes ahead and votes to excuse the absence after the fact, it must decide whether the circumstances warrant excusing the absence.  It must consider the reasonable necessity of the absence from and must determine that the absence is not unduly prejudicial to the public.  One has to wonder whether it would be embarrassing to elected officials to decide that a fellow assemblyman's absence from his job--a job which they also hold—can be fully done with having to physically attend a meeting. Can they all just not be seated at the table but on giant screens with umbrella drinks and hula girls nearby?  How unimportant can you be?

CHASING BOOGY MEN THAT AREN'T THERE...

The little retaliatory tactic assemblyman Colligan in questioning Mr. Keogh’s residency is hardly worth the ink to talk about it and certainly wasn't worth taxpayer money for the hired attorney to earn his fee by filling seven pages.

Although a person can have only one voting address, there is nothing disqualifying in having more than one home or in this case, a home and an office in a condo to avoid the long commute from Chickaloon. And even though we recall the ceremonial mayor has no trouble with allowing people who own more than one piece of property to vote in more than one community council area we are still a one vote, one person borough.

Residency for holding office is the same as for voting. A person can only have one residence for voting purposes.   And the address on one's voter registration record is "presumptive evidence of the person's voting residence."  A person loses residency if he votes in another district or another state. Mr. Keogh hasn't done that. He resides in Chickaloon and has for many years. Simply owning two residential dwellings is not a disqualifying factor. See we told you …not worth the clean up.

Really. You can’t make this stuff up. Reportedly the mayor will present his resolution to excuse Arvin at the March 19^th assembly meeting. It will be interesting to see if Mr. Arvin slaps some more horsepower on that boat from China and makes an appearance. You know the ceremonial mayor will be there ready to save "his man" . 

THE CEREMONIAL MAYOR GETS HIS MAN...

Drum Roll please..

The ceremonial mayor of the borough continues to protect his perfect record of selecting MEN to borough boards and commissions no matter how inferior their qualifications. Except now he even admits it. 

There was an avalanche of testimony at the last borough assembly meeting along with emails from District 1 residents not to confirm the mayors selection. The districts own assemblyman insisted he select one of the two overly qualified women that had applied and had prior experience on the board from the area.  Not too unexpectedly it fell on deaf ears. 

Devilbiss said he was sticking up for his 'man". That his selection had "values that aligned with (him) the mayor". Oh here we go with the "values" thing. What does that mean really? Does the mayor just "value" men over women? Does he "value" people that attend his church more than those that don't? Does he value less qualified people more than the more qualified to serve the borough?  As a farmer does he not "value" people that like potatoes more than the carrots he grows? 

In the end the ceremonial mayor and his brothers voted in lockstep 6-1 to keep the planning commission all male and not threaten it with any female ideas or expertise. This despite even the mayor's own admission that his selection "wasn't as qualified" as the women applicants nor that he had bothered to interview anyone that had applied even though it was his normal practice to do so. In fact he knew them all. But he was still as dug in as one of his carrots left to freeze in the soil. We are beginning to think some other place will freeze over before the mayor acknowledges any well qualified women join any decision making body for the borough.  

BAD TO THE BONE BEHAVIOR...

After one testifier spoke Assemblyman Colligan asked to address HER "slanderous accusations".  Wow. Apparently suggesting that Colligan may think about declaring a possible conflict if it were true that one of the male applicants to the planning commission and the mayor's selection was once an employee of his is something Colligan considers slander. It clearly got way under his thin skin. Colligan, just a delicate flower that can't handle himself in the real world was visibly upset that the public is allowed to say, his words "whatever the hell they want". The mayor was wise to call a break after testimony to see if maybe Colligan could gain control of his blood pressure. But it didn't work. Nor did it stop Colligan from confronting this professional woman in front of at least one witness and tell her she was a "F--cken nut job". Really those were his words. It was so outrageous it merited a letter to the editor in the Frontiersman.  For those keeping track of Mr. Colligan's habit of using very colorful and offensive language in his frustration this just went to the top of the top ten list.  It was brought to the mayor's attention after the meeting ended. While the mayor seemed sympathetic to the inappropriate act we will be curious if the he does anything publicly about it in the next meeting. 

THE VERY,VERY EMPTY CHAIR...

Assemblyman Arvin's long physical absence from the borough assembly table has been publicly challenged. Arvin has a perfect record since taking his oath also by telephone of "phoning it in" from his home away from home in China. The last time anyone set eyes on Mr. Arvin was at the September 26th assembly meeting conveniently held right before the election where he was re-elected for a second term. Reportedly he has not been seen at any public functions of the borough, road service area or community council  meetings in his district in many, many months. He was physically absent from the table at over 50% of the assembly meetings of his first term.  In fact he has been physically absent so long they have even removed his empty chair and name plate from the meeting table. Kinda like that seat held open for crazy Uncle Frank at the dinner table. The one who you could count on to show up to start the family insults that end in a food fight and then he just magically started staying home with his crazy. But he just starts calling while the meal just as everyone is setting down at the table just to be an annoyance. Then you realize how you like that empty chair so much better.

Borough code 2.12.040 is pretty clear on what constitutes an assembly vacancy. It says that the seat is vacant "unless excused by the assembly and  is physically absent for 90 consecutive calendar days". Pretty clear Mr. Arvin has been gone much longer than that and no one has mentioned that he is excused. During this long physical absence he has continued to receive his full salary and benefit package from the borough in fact even a bit more because he serves as deputy mayor as well. All other assembly members that are physically here are in attendance and available for interaction (as well as over-reactions-see above) with the public and community meetings. 


The request is for the clerk to get a third party legal opinion to consider if there is a violation. That opinion should be in front of the assembly Tuesday. We are wondering if they will make it public. Taxpayer money paid for it. They should. Even though this isn't an assembly that takes to heart on anyone else's opinion. They would rather do what they want and what serves their own purpose and worry about expensive challenges down the road. Valley residents deserve to know the rules of the road when they elect someone to serve. They need to know if the code in place protects them from someone putting their interests backseat to theirs. 

If this is acceptable maybe we should think about changing our ballots to indicate just what kind of representative we are getting. The "physically will be there elected official" or the "call it in elected official". All kinds of information is handed out at the assembly table by testifiers, other assembly members and staff that who ever is on the phone if they ever do see it is much delayed from when its delivered. It would sure seem that assembly members rendering decisions from the comfort of where ever they are often don't have all the information to cast votes. Perhaps that is why the state legislature nor our Congress doesn't allow votes to be phoned in.They have to physically be there and in some cases physically is all they are. But it's the rule of the land. To serve is a choice you make knowing the sacrifices it brings and we should agree there  are many. But allowing our representatives to do the business of the people from another country seems a pretty big stretch of the rules wouldn't you agree? 


The people of the borough deserve better and if this wasn't one of the majority members of this assembly the yelling and screaming about the injustice would have started long ago and be deafening. As you might imagine this demand for accountability has ruffled a few feathers of the assembly members that seem pretty sure that demanding accountability is just their own job to demand of others certainly not them. Stay tuned...

HOUSE OF FUN AGENDA

Contained in a tamed down 433 page packet for Tuesday's assembly meeting lays these treats:

• Ceremonial mayor's veto of the Jim Creek Motorized Master Plan-turns out the mayor's values don't include the small concession made to residents in the area that allowed no shooting in the area. Making some drive a couple miles down the road to the state area that is designated for pretty much full out anything you want to do irritates the mayor. He is afraid it will create an enforcement problem which leads us to ask...what rules really do we enforce these days in a borough that is quickly being turned into the land of the lawless?
• Removal of a female member of the animal control board. This whole deal is just ugly with a side of ugly. Better pop an extra bag of popcorn as a whole line of dirty laundry might parade out.  We wonder if chair John Wood who has reportedly been spending his time in Juneau working with the folks that would like to deliver gobs of oil tax money back to the oil companies will be there.  If he is maybe he can offer why he has been cancelling so many board meetings when animal control has been such a hot subject at assembly meetings and in the newspaper lately. 
• A referral to the planning commission amending the ordinance for the board of adjustment and appeals is being brought to the table by assembly member Colver and the mayor. The BOAA job is to hear and decide cases of appeal relating to zoning, platting, waivers, permits. This one is going to full of attorney speak and add that to the characters that are asking for this change (Devilbiss and Colver) you have a right to be suspicious. We are. 

Speaking of the planning commission now that their ALL MALE board has been completed by the mayor and his "values" they are priming to take up more unwinding which might explain the mayors insistence on his "man" being on the board. They will be looking at a pile of new gravel pits, a update to the noise and sound code, a revision to the adult entertainment code, and the inevitable race track code update.  Ah yes a bevy of fun ahead. 


Look the whole state should be reeling over all the evil being played out not only here in the borough but in Juneau and Anchorage. Legislators who are voting to pass legislation that they are admitting before even voting is unconstitutional. The ruling majority are drunk on power and behaving like a long episode of the television series "Seinfield". You know the one with that famous Jerry quote "I am so busy doing nothing...that the idea of doing anything-which as you know, always leads to something-cuts into the nothing and then forces me to have to drop everything".  Right now what is getting dropped is any good legislation to tackle big problems and instead stuff that paints us closer to the crazy corner. There is much work to be done but one ordinance and law change at a time is driving this borough and state backwards and into the ditch so they can hand it all over to the private sector. They are putting lots of miles on the crazy bus right now.  

Attendance at borough assembly meetings has picked up the last few months. Perhaps people just need to see it to believe it. Whatever the reason you should go. Tuesday's (March 5th) assembly meeting will be live streamed on Radio Free Palmer starting at 6pm sharp. Too bad we don't have video to go with it and you could gaze upon that missing name plate and empty assembly "man" Arvin chair.....

SO WHERE IS THE MAYORS BINDER FULL OF WOMEN?

As an exercise to see if we could make our eyes bleed we read through the packet for tomorrow nights borough assembly meeting again today. Missing from the blog post yesterday was the discussion of the vacancy report for boards and commissions. We think the best way to deal with an issue on the report and a new development that transpired both involving the ceremonial mayor was to send him an open letter.  All in the sacred name of transparency and because we know the mayor and his peeps read this blog that they love to hate it so here it is. 

Dear Ceremonial Mayor Devilbiss:

As residents of the borough we wanted to bring to your attention that the assembly will be taking action on the open seat on the Matsu Borough Planning Commission for District 1 at tomorrow (Feb 19th) night meeting.  This seat has been vacant since the end of last year.  

Two very qualified women threw their hat in the ring for the planning commission position as soon as the vacancy was available and have been keeping each other company in the "application received" column for some time.  As evidence of their past experience and resumes it seemed very puzzling that neither of these well qualified women were selected.  Normally having a citizen serve on the planning commission that has a planning degree or prior experience on the commission and wanted to serve at this time would be a stroke of luck for a conservative borough like ours.  

Several weeks ago another candidate applied this time a male with seemingly no planning experience except if you count his efforts to stop public participation in the Buffalo Mine Community Council. His application was quickly followed up by yet another male applicant who owns rentals and brother was appointed by you to the platting board.  

So now we see that you have moved Mr. Endel with his vast no planning experience into the column for the assembly to confirm.  This just begs the question Mr. Mayor, if these two women with much higher qualifications than either of the MEN applicants aren't good enough...well then who is in your binder of women?  

And really Mr. Mayor when will there be enough MEN serving you?  The entire assembly is made  up of MEN.  The entire planning commission is made up of men.  The platting board has six MEN and one woman. The aviation board seven MEN and one woman.  Even your shiny new tower commission has five out of five positions filled by MEN. 

We are hoping by bringing this gender imbalance to light you will reconsider your recommendation.  We would like to think that a carrot farmer like yourself sees the value in having good female insight to help you plow the fields of the future of the borough.

Lastly it came to our attention you are instructing the assembly to make some changes in the newly passed Jim Creek Motorized Master Plan.  While we were hopeful you would suggest a revisit to the plan for more parity for non-motorized users we were dismayed to learn it was because "it does not accommodate firearm discharge for hunting purposes".  Say what? Really Mr. Mayor talk to anyone out in the Butte.  The only thing getting hunted down to discharge into in the area is empty barrels and cars formally set on fire.  The residents in the area trying to raise their families and co-exist with out of towners giving the throttle on their ATV a workout beg for some sanity in the plan.  They deserve it. 

So Mr.Mayor we hope you will take the above in consideration when you raise the gavel on tomorrows assembly meeting.  The valley will be watching and listening while doing their best to keep the snickering level down for what voters have sown.

GET OFF THE COUCH AND FIGHT..

ROLLIN THE CHAIR..

The first shots across the bow of public education rang out in Juneau last week and the bazooka was loaded up by what some are not so fondly referred to as the "Mat Su" mafia. Valley legislators with a little help from other evangelical and retrograde political actors are bypassing the public process. The majority held extremists are using a universally frowned upon process called "rolling the chair" as a way to avoid Senate and House committees designed to evaluate and examine bills.  

This political witches brew of free market ideology, uninformed idealism and political opportunism is for us that have been watching the borough assembly only too painfully familiar.We have been pounding the drum to warn of the sneaky and underhanded ways these local officials have operated trying to force conformity to their world view that they demand and few share. The virus is spreading. 

MEANWHILE THE FUN IN THE BOROUGH CONTINUES...

The packet for the next assembly meeting is out and its 522 pages more of that worldview.  There are no less than 13 resolutions of support for various projects.  Among them are:

• A resolution  in support of the Susitna Forrest which they voted against last year but now that its reworked in their supporters favor the ceremonial mayor is only too happy to carry it forward. 
• A resolution in OPPOSITION to the school district keeping its unreserved funds which are directed by the state and borough for education as a way to build a fund balance.
• A resolution in support of the Kabata because apparently the 6-7 they have already passed isn't enough that they need more support with a side of support.
• A resolution supporting HB 4 for a gas line even though any real conversation at the assembly table about the pro and cons of different projects has been rebuffed.

The rest of the resolutions which we have referred to as memos to themselves you can find in the packet. We are guessing these resolutions in part are because you just can't expect all those paid lobbyists to do their cheer leading to spread influence dust alone.  And we know the majority of this group likes to help their friends. 

Speaking of  lobbyists the list just gets longer and longer every year.  Its worth a few minutes of your time to look through  it to see how well the oiled revolving door is and how hard it must be for our elected officials to say with a straight face that they are making decisions based on facts and on what their constituents want and not "paid influence". It should be noted that the same lobbyist the borough employs  Ex-Speaker of the House John Harris is also the new lobbyist for the Freedom Foundation for Educational Choice. 

Don't be swayed by "Choice" in their name. This is a well known ultra conservative think tank founded on radical free market economics. They have clearly stated that "vouchers are not an end in themselves and they are a means to make a transition to a market system". .

The hugfest in Juneau has now turned into the concentration of ramming through some pretty awful legislation another thing we in the valley are all to familiar with the last couple of years. They are on a roll and the public be dammed!  

SMALL VICTORIES FOR THE PUBLIC

It does turn out that at least during assembly meetings reading parts of the borough ethics code as testimony even if its the watered down revision to the code passed last year is pretty effective.  That's what happened at the last assembly meeting after a well publicized attempt by Assemblyman Woods who stepped well in the bounds of "financial gain" was squashed. His attempt to shove through an ordinance instructing the manager to get busy to force a land acquisition for a future school site which would have resulted in substantial gain for his family trust was about as flagrant a misuse of power that we have seen. It rather shocked us that it was Woods who was so obviously up to this public skulduggery when there are so many other worthy candidates on the assembly.  Credit where credit is due and although it is rare we applaud the ceremonial mayor for jerking the whole thing off the agenda after public testimony made it clear those storm clouds ahead held some pretty good hail stones. 

By the way Assemblyman Salmon can save his ire at the media the next time around. We know facts are pesky but some people still prefer to know them.  We know it's human nature to take advantages of advantages but still most of the public thinks that might just be a little bit shaddy when it involves an elected official.  Pointing this out is the newspaper's job even if it does leave a mark. 

So get busy reading the packet to find out what mischief your assembly is up to this Tuesday. Keep in mind there is no audience participation on resolutions. They barely allow that on ordinances so if you have an opinion you better let it be known via email to the sitting monarchy or bring it up during general audience participation which can depending on who moves what chess piece around on the agenda at the beginning of the meeting be any time. As always you can listen to the live stream at www.radiofreepalmer.org or download that handy KVRF app for your iphone  or andriod if you don't get 89.5FM. 

LET THEM HEAR FROM SOMEONE NOT WEARING FOXGOGGLES..

Next Saturday Senate President Huggins will be holding a second townhall meeting with his friends and accomplices Gattis, Dunleavy and Hughes 10am at the Wasilla LIO.  Get off your easy chair and get there to ask some hard questions like why education bills now no longer belong in education committees or bills on a woman's right to abortion need not stop at Health and Social Services or changes in legal standards in the permitting process did not receive a referral to the Judiciary Committee.  

Senator Wielechowski is spot on when he said " not referring bills to their proper committees erodes the public trust in the process".  We are guessing that doing things in the public interest doesn't apply when you are facing a legislature populated by ALEC zombies, deep pocketed special interest and zealot religious groups with "social agendas" regardless of what is good for Alaska. 

THE FLOGGING OF THE DEAD HORSE CONTINUES...

Looky there's another opportunity to read it and weep. Available for your viewing pleasure and teeth gnashing is the bulging 1172 page borough assembly packet for this Tuesday's meeting. The clerk’s office has taken this huge bloated meal and cut it up in small bites for you. Go ahead and at least read the agenda. After you read it you will know why we suggest if you go to the meeting you carry along at least two boxes of popcorn and a flask full of something strong. Good times ahead for sure..

NEVER ENOUGH PILLOW FLUFFING FOR BIG COAL

Guessing the ceremonial mayor didn't get enough coal in his holiday stocking. He is headed to the first assembly meeting of the year with a resolution tucked under his arm for yet ANOTHER coal lease. After all what is an assembly meeting without one right? This time it is located in Canyon Creek 18 miles from Skwentna.

Most people understand that to make the port at Pt Mackenzie ever return a small portion of the buckets of money poured into it something needs to be to transported some day.  But is all this endless rush to get coal there NOW without refusing to discuss the impacts or ANY alternative energy methods (that whenever mentioned brings more than a few snarls and blank stares) a way to beat the clock on natural gas? We know natural gas produces more kilowatts of power than the equivalent amount of coal and although not clean either it does provide more energy.  We also know with the explosion of the bounty of natural gas from fracking creeping into the export markets that coal is fast losing its glamour. The evidence is building daily that the term "clean coal" is nothing but an oxymoron. But when you elect decision makers straight out of an episode of “Mad Men” you better not count on them to acknowledge there are a few roadblocks to their master plan or a weakening global market for what they want at the end of a shovel or promised there will be. Though most third world countries are waking up to the long term human impacts and costs of burning coal to both their air and people the decision makers for the valley cling to their fossil fuels.

Coal and the mining industry is spending a lot of money in our state to get the right people elected who have no appetite for moving beyond fossil fuels and they have been successful. This is not any more evident than the people that are seated at this assembly table. As Upton Sinclair said "It is difficult to get a man to understand something when his salary depends upon his not understanding it".Cough, Cough...Pretty good indication the sloppy kisses to coal will continue this year.

SPEAKING OF ENERGY...

This energy, development hungry assembly would like to be the fathers of a shiny new energy policy for the people of the borough. They would like to do this by repealing or changing.. you guessed it....the current ordinance in place about where power plants can be built in the borough. The one set in place by that other assembly to protect that pesky public and their property values. Assemblyman Colligan is the sponsor of a resolution for a temporary commission to review the current ordinance to "make recommendations" which has become assembly shorthand for hopping on the unwind train to ditch it. 

No word on what the cost will be for this new little exercise and doubtful we will know since the cost of the unwinding process is never discussed by an assembly who seemingly prefers to functions under the “whatever it takes” method of governing. Setting policy for energy that gets the blessing of the majority of this assembly can't be a tall order.  It could be the shortest policy set on record.  Most likely really only  four letters.  C O A L. But shouldn't the taxpayers know the cost of all the erasers or scissors the group will use and staff time and resources the temporary commission will use before returning something to the assembly to fawn over?  Or must valley residents settle for another group of hand puppets to only give agreement to the bloviators on the assembly?  Does turning the clock back on the current policy include allowing for coal bed methane drilling in the Big Lake area?

We are hoping the ceremonial mayor who collects payment to sit not only to hold the gavel at assembly meetings but also his seat on the MEA board will recuse himself.  The question is will Mr. Arvin (who will no doubt be keeping his perfect record of calling it in from China for the meeting) also recuse himself?  His appointed position again for which he receives $$ on the Alaska Energy Authority should be a glaring conflict.  But then neither of these officials cares much for conflicts unless they create them.

STATION BREAK HERE....

So you can thank everyone that didn't educate themselves and vote in the last borough election which would be other than the 17% of the people in the valley here..

OH JUST KEEP YOUR SEAT...

For those of you that have applied for seats on any boards or commissions and been given the bums rush it should interest you that two ordinances on the agenda ask to extend to a time uncertain the present members of the Emergency Planning and Fish and Game Boards.  Is it possible the ceremonial mayor is running out of people willing to serve as marionettes or are sitting members just getting the green flag to stay seated until this band is done?  We also notice in the mayors conformation of two termed out members of the Animal Control Board. Unless we missed something that board hasn't had terms extended and there are members of the public that have applied waiting for appointment. Can this stacking the deck mayoral style be any more obvious?

 ABOUT THAT TOWER ORDINANCE....

The timing to talk again about towers is interesting to say the least.  Poked sleeping bear Wasilla mayor Rupright reportedly had so much smoke coming out of his ears about the threats to the views from all those big box stores that MEA picked up their tower playing cards and left town. But the majority of this assembly doesn't give much stock in the degradation of views, property values or how development can have in profound ways economic and social impacts so they will take another dance with it.

Assembly member Colligan consistently peeved about something and anxious to get off the bench with any type of thoughtless legislation is ready to amend the just adopted tower ordinance now.  You know the one just he voted for in the last assembly meeting. The time to reconsider gone he will apparently force upon the taxpayers this messy amending process in order to revert to the old tall tower ordinance that sat in place until November 2011 when in all their wisdom the assembly decided to ditch and go without any regulation in the borough for a full year.  Cue the parade of new towers you see popping up all over.

SO after over a year of NO TOWER ORDINANCE in the borough and with the ink barely dry on the one the assembly did finally pass he wants a redo. Colligan must have a doctorate in gerrymandering by now. We know he had a  heavy hand in the whole redistricting mess the state courts wrestled with and finally just threw to the curb. His company (based in Anchorage where he has to pay real business inventory tax) assisted Anchorage in the dark of the night to come up with their own assembly district changes. Sans any real public process of course.

Assemblyman Colligan must be frustrated with his first year of non achievements. He was a sponsor of legislation like an assembly resolution supporting HB88. You know the one we have all been reminded of lately. The anti-sharia bill that got a state legislative aid in ethical problems and booted from her cushy state job because apparently hate group leaders taking over legislative offices isn't acceptable even in Alaska.

Undaunted Colligan spent a good deal of assembly time last year bringing forth several pieces of failed legislation. For example a change to when borough residents vote that was so bad even he voted no on it. Having his arms fully locked around anything corporation the Wasilla assemblyman must think he has finally found a winner in the tall towers industry.  We'll see. Valley property owners that have spent oodles of time testifying and writing letters to get the ordinance that is in place passed are none too happy about starting up the battle again.

LET’S HEAR IT FOR THE TIE BALER..

There is one item on the agenda that even the most conservative members of the assembly can earn some redemption on. Assembly member Salmon is the sponsor on a resolution to allow the borough to complete its obligation to the very successful valley recycling center by writing the check for the promised borough matching funds for a windbreak and the tie baler the center so desperately needs to increase recycled material for the valley. Good for Mr. Salmon for bringing it forward. This is long over due and has intense support from valley residents. 

SPEAKING OF PAYING THE BILLS…

Like an acquaintance run into when it’s avoidable no more the ferry makes it back for an appearance on the agenda. Back with a reminder that the monthly dripping of taxpayer dollars continues and this assembly while they are itchin to fix something just can’t find the right tool to fix this.  Cue the taxpayer cash register…

YEAH YOU..GET OFF THE COUCH...

The assembly will warm up early Tuesday @4pm with an executive session (the PPP meeting..no public please) to discuss borough employee union contracts and some ongoing litigation. Knowing the majority of the assembly’s love for public government employees and unions this should put them in a good mood. Hearing about litigation should be something they are used to or better get used to with the way they govern. Quite the warm up which could set the tone for the whole evening.

Regular meeting starts at 6pm once again at the school district building because the new grand assembly palace isn't ready yet.  Maybe they are stalled installing the moat. In any case Radio Free Palmer will be streaming the meeting live. 

These times they aren't normal.  At least we're hoping not. To use a line from "The Birdcage” — "It’s like riding a psychotic horse towards a burning barn".

So start your engines. It's time to throw down the spike strips and invest in popcorn futures. The crazy car is out of the garage again with some really scary drivers at the wheel. 

IT'S A 2012 WRAP...

While the country is tied in the middle of a political knot waiting to find out what its like to go off the fiscal cliff  borough residents already took a little ride off their own cliff in 2012  

Let's just take a little peek at just some of the actions the borough assembly took. 

IT'S ONLY TAXPAYER MONEY

The assembly in order to stick to a majority held ideology that the only good government is a starving one, took out their samurai swords at budget time and set about spending a big chunk of spare change sitting in the taxpayer savings drawer . Reserves went from about $14 million dollars to sit hovering at last check around $4 million left in the ever shrinking piggy bank. That included a big fist full of greenbacks moved out of the emergency fund reserve because we all know there are never any emergencies in the valley and when there is we can always take it out of petty cash or rely on it to be just bad enough so that either the state of feds will pony up for the costs right? Eye roll here, followed by palm slapping forehead.. 

Along with changing the "revenue cap" to a presto chango "tax cap" things could get pretty interesting this next year when the same troop sits down with a much smaller savings and a borough with growing needs that are staring them in the face.  One has to wonder with an assembly that is always vowing not to raise property taxes just which services will get the ax and be 2013 sacrificial lamb? 

FERRY DUST CLOUD....

There was a nearly year long kabuki dance with administration on what to do with now borough owned M/V Susitna Ferry that by all accounts still sits in its expensive berth in Southeast Alaska.  Lots of talk about the ferry and it's $60-$80,000 monthly costs to taxpayers.  That is  right up to after the borough election where it promptly dropped of list of things to point fingers around the table about.  Has it found a home in some tropical paradise or should taxpayers be visualizing the teflon manager searching the borough building for hidden shoe boxes of money to continue to pay the monthly bills?  Have some port insiders been silently working away at their plan to beach it at Pt Mac?  Will some valley folks get that floating casino some have been talking about or will it end up becoming a certain construction companies glorified "work boat" to get the borough off the hook for the monthly gushing of taxpayer money? Can the fed's who will be calling for a refund from the borough on their investment for the ferry if it isn't put into service be tamed?

JUST CAN'T LEAVE IT ALONE...

The ceremonial mayor whose job it is mainly preside at assembly meetings and act as the ceremonial head of the borough continues to take full advantage of the position particularly with the agenda and what goes on it and where and when. That pesky public. Our carrot farmer mayor couldn't find much love for opening up community councils to non residents or eliminating the part on the agenda for "Person's to be heard" but he did manage to issue a handful veto's (however not very successful) and a few tie breaker votes.  That along with some real zinger comments now and again that lifted the scalp on more than a few audience members and the borough attorney a time or two. 

TOWERING PROBLEMS...

Tall Towers spent over a year to the joy of industry having no regulation by the borough.  The persistence of one assembly member (Keogh) resulted finally on a new ordinance being adopted just last month. Meanwhile grandfathered in are the 50 or so that have already sprouted up around the valley in the free for all blocking views, enraging neighbors and costing big taxpayer dollars in an ugly process that may continue if the mayor (who we must give credit to for casting the tie breaker vote for passage of the ordinance) has his self appointed new tower board likely to be weighted heavily by industry and likely to come up with some suggestions for change. 

PUTTING ON THE POUNDS...

And while were at it we continue to wonder how that "board diet" your assembly ordered up when they successfully removed from the list the Real Property Asset Management Board going?  Like most dieters does it goes away when the dessert tray gets passed around? Actually the borough will have to loosen its belt loop after this year as they expanded one board from 5 to 15 members, changed the requirements for expertise and extended the terms of members on a couple of others.  What was that saying about lipstick on a pig? 

BUCKETS OF COLD WATER...

Then there was the great watering down period.  The first bucket hit the borough ethics code striking "personal interest" out of code and making "financial interest" rise from $200.00 to $1,000.  Impossible to go into all the consequences of these and other changes made to the code but it sure made it smoother sailing for some people sitting in positions of power. We'll leave it at that for the moment. 

The next bucket got a hefty lift from the MatSu Buisness Alliance and some developers in a painful revamp of the borough subdivision code. It turns out, for a segment of the assembly open for "business" means setting up a system to amass fortunes for some supporters regardless of consequences on others. Short term gains that could serve up some long term consequences and not unlike the tower mess the borough found themselves in. Unfortunately when the blame game begins on this one many of the ringleaders of this on the assembly will be termed out.  Yes, we're looking at you Assemblyman Colver, Arvin and a couple others.  

SPEAKING OF WATER..

Assembly members got a quick lesson on how important mapping of the flood plain can be as a fall storm gushed through a fairly new subdivision in Wasilla.  Pretty much all corners of the borough were effected as emergency services, public works and other departments at the borough dropped everything to respond. Besides the importance of flood plains, river management took on a whole new significance and not just in Butte area who has had houses sliding in the Matanuska River like hot chocolate hitting ice cream for years.  Turns out "your problem" is "our problem" after all. 

Plenty of water and personnel was needed to stop a what could have been a catastrophic fire in one subdivision a hair away from the downtown area of Palmer. Fast action by borough (much of them volunteers) and city crews responded to fight the flames and curb what could have been life changing for the valley. 

PLENTY OF RESOLUTIONS TO GO AROUND..

There were resolutions a plenty many of them fulfilling what we have described here as memos to themselves. It was easy to loose count on how many in support of KABATA, coal, gas exploration and even one for Sharia law. A resolution presented several times for support for a full health impact statement on the effects of open pit coal mining  never could find anything but the bottom of a recycling bin thanks to this develop at any cost majority at the table. Endless passionate pleas from borough residents time and time again got the mute button. 

Sandwiched in between were ordinances for a long list of gas improvement districts, removal of easements, several new gravel pits (which now allow for drilling in the water table) lowering the decibels for noise which when you think about it for a borough that blesses fireworks for all anywhere any time kinda fits in. It sure seemed much of the time common sense was in short supply much of the time. You could however find plenty of politics and special interest laying around. It was as if not only the train left the station but no one was allowed to ask where it was going or who was driving it. 

THE TEENIEST, TINIEST OF HIGH NOTES

There was some good news for Hatcher Pass Nordic Skiers as the Government Peak Area was able to hold on to its traditional non motorized designation and pass a plan. Assemblyman Colver got to pull out his cape that he keeps tucked away for other projects in his district especially if they are related to a certain charter school and led the successful charge on this one. Although we tire of the messy process Assembly member Colver continues to cling to in doing even credible things at least the ball got over the line on this phase of a very worthwhile project. In addition a knowledgeable contractor writing the plan and diligence of a slew of volunteers who had put the trails in, groomed them for years and other borough wide supporters who testified were the right ingredient for passage. 

For those that recreate in Jim Creek without a throttle although the final verdict is still out, things aren't looking so good. Some members of this assembly seems to be determined to find a home for icky and punish this area of the borough and personal property values no matter what the cost.  

The timing couldn't have been better for the excellent coverage in the Frontiersman about the relocation of Felony Flats and possible threats of a move to some nicer neighborhoods in Willow or Big Lake. That hot mess on the Parks Hwy was just fine with people that were just driving it but the thought of it becoming one of their real neighbors sparked a whole new set of concerns and people with petitions showing up at Assembly meetings.  Assembly member Salmon who had passed off  the multi-family ordinance that currently is on the books off to the planning commission hoping to kicking it all to the curb, felt the heat on his collar and settled for a re-write still making its way through the process offered up by fellow Assembly member Halter.  

Hey people in nice neighborhoods....your not out of the woods yet on this one. We know you haven't had much experience at what goes on at assembly meetings but be forewarned things can go badly very quickly when the boys at the horseshoe get together to pass legislation.  Just ask the people of the Butte who are stuck with "Motorized" master plan in the works when they thought they could preserve at least some part of that area from a cloud of exhaust.  

The other good news is a very ugly longggggggggggg election is over and even though we can see the engines warming up for the next one in the fall there is a small respite. Keeping in mind that if one thing re-elected assembly members (including Mr. Arvin who is setting a whole new standard for "calling it in" and has continued to do so since the election) its not actually what is true that matters, it's what you can convince the right amount of people that vote is what counts. Remember that when you go to the voters booth next time or if you are an assembly member that complains about this blog.  


Were working on warming up own engines for the first assembly meeting on January 15th but meanwhile you can get your fill by wandering over to Radio Free Palmer and listening to the Citizen Lobbyist year end wrap up. A bit more detail there.  

Trust us talking about 2012 was painful enough but writing about it here was like hot pokers to the eyes. And while you are at the Radio Free Palmer site peel off a few green backs for a end of the year donation and don't forget to put them at the top of your "Pick, Click and Give" list when you doing all that hard work filling out your PDF form for that free state money.  We know you will...

Let's hope for a better New Year with more people paying attention and that moderation with triumph over extremism.  And yes we do know that is kinda like teaching a mule to tap dance..  

  

OFF THE ISLAND....

The borough assembly met last week and voted some important stuff off the island again.

One of them was a chance to establish a tall towers ordinance. But it was quickly set adrift. The usual suspects of the assembly gave it a shove remaining steadfast in refusing to let local government be in the business of protecting people that live in the valley. Clearly, the roar of the public about the absence of ANY tall tower ordinance in previous meetings is long forgotten. 

This compromise ordinance wasn't even allowed to be introduced for a vote at the next meeting. 

Was the mute button "on" when resident after resident testified outraged pleading for protection when without notice sky high transmitters started appearing all over the valley next door to them or in some cases robbing homeowner's pristine views which assuredly will devalue their investment? Did all the emails assembly members reportedly received insisting immediate intervention get caught in the assembly spam filter? 

Can't have anything to do with the election being over. Can it?

Unlikely you will actually see District 3 Assemblyman Arvin back from his perch in China to thank him in person but maybe you will see assembly members Colligan,Woods and Salmon who voted with him to send the tall tower ordinance to the killing fields. They tried to gloss it over by pledging their faith in the ceremonials mayors still waiting to be  appointed new committee of five to do the work that other stakeholders and professionals took years to go through. That's the way a dictatorship works right?

To keep the tall towers ordinance company in the discard heap was a resolution that would establish a policy and minimum for an emergency response reserve fund for the borough which is currently sitting on EMPTY after the budget setting raid and fall flood. Turns out there is no appetite for the self professed "Conservative" members of this assembly for saving funds for an emergency. Who could imagine that the borough could have a disaster that might require emergency funding huh? Can you really trust the science that says we live in a earthquake zone? Besides there is never enough wind to blow roofs off public buildings.  No rain that swallows houses and roads right?

Can you blame this assembly for voting down common sense legislation while they are busy, busy draining what's left of reserve coffers of local government or micro-managing staff? After all isn't time better spent instructing the teflon manager to write monthly $60,000 plus denial checks for a borough owned ferry or for even a bigger check for right of way the borough doesn't need but does fatten the checkbook of the largest private land owner in the borough? If you do. Just go tell Alice and her 10 foot tall rabbit.

But you know what there is plenty of time for?  JESUS.

The first 20 minutes of the borough assembly meeting was filled with a invocation from the mayor's own church pastor. That checked off the agenda the ceremonial mayor then read a rambling proclamation of recognition delivered to another fellow church member for his work since he moved to Alaska way back in 2006.  He even allowed the gentleman to deliver his own personal story about salvation that we are guessing was to remind all the heathens in the audience what they were missing.

The ceremonial mayor will also make time to take up an ordinance to do away with "PERSONS TO BE HEARD" at the next regular meeting. We are guessing that won't include people the mayor wants YOU to hear. 

If that wasn't enough fun before any real business of the people was taken up the ceremonial mayor announced his appointment of Assembly member Arvin as deputy mayor. With a perfect attendance record of only teleconferencing
his participation so far this term from his home away from home in China, Arvin was glad to accept the title and extra taxpayer paid salary that comes with it. A question asking if it was even legal to appoint a consistently physically absent deputy mayor or and if it was Mr. Arvin's intent to spend his entire term of 3 years participating via teleconferencing were scoffed at. After all didn't voters of District  3 know what they were getting when they re-elected him last month? Clearly back up deputy Salmon manages to get to nearly all meetings and will handle the gavel since there hasn't been a way found to do that over the phone. Yet. Silly public. Look at all the money that is being saved. Why it doesn't appear that the borough has even had to spend the money to print a  name plate to place in front of Arvin's empty chair at the assembly table.

Next up for your assembly a planning session November 17th. We are guessing the ego's of some of the members of this group have gotten so big they have found the need to have the meeting at the Menard Center in Wasilla. It starts at noon and although the public is allowed to watch they aren't invited for lunch.  

Oh and the ceremonial mayor won't be there.  He let everyone know he is butchering a cow that day.  

After we're sure he has baptized and blessed it of course. Can a resolution of recognition be far behind?

VOTE OR FOREVER HOLD YOUR PEACE...

You better check your pulse if you don't know there is an election TOMORROW! 

Seems people can't agree on much these days but we should agree life can be uncertain. If you don't believe us ask 20 million people on the east coast about an unwelcome visitor by the name of "Sandy" that came calling and has put voting probably pretty near the bottom of their list.  You can find out the details where and how here. There is also information at the link on where your polling place is which after the hairball of redistricting can be confusing. You should always be able to cast a question ballot at any polling place if things get desperate! 

VOTERS SHOULD HEED THIS OCTOBER SURPRISE

Turns out the valley is no stranger to a little October election season surprise. A well written article and editorial in the Friday's edition of the Frontiersman concerning a candidate running for office in a new Wasilla house district has raised more than a few eyebrows and again should make us ask about the ethics and character of candidates that are bidding to represent us. This one concerns a big bunch of public money from the borough taxpayer that ended up in private hands one of which is a candidate Gattis. Her challenger Merrifield asked during a candidate forum about this and was told more details would be released AFTER the election.  Say what? Actions should speak to us about just whose interest elected officials would be acting for once they are in office. Because remember once they are elected it takes more than a crowbar and sometimes a new wardrobe of vertical stripes to get them out. Worth a read for sure before you vote especially if you are from the greater Wasilla area. 


WE CAN'T HEAR YOU!!!

Another reminder that Tuesday is also the night for the borough assembly to meet. Our email has been busy with folks weighing in on the ceremonial mayor's introduction of legislation to eliminate the part of the agenda for PERSONS TO BE HEARD.  The reaction has been what you might expect by civilized informed people.  But here is one we can print from a reader that pretty much hit the nail on the head:

"How is it that the Assembly can justify new Assembly chambers when they are taking the “public” out of public view, public testimony and public opportunity? Shouldn't they need less room for Assembly meetings since that pesky public is being be shut out? Without the public there to comment or oversee,  Assembly meetings could be held in a large walk-in closet thereby saving taxpayers lots of money. Oh wait…they already operate in a closet. Quick…somebody turn on the lights and watch them scamper like cockroaches"

There is still time to speak out on this and other subjects in the packet by showing up or emailing members of the assembly.  Saying nothing about this and other issues seems to give some members of the assembly the false impression that we all just agree with their actions. And you thought Halloween was over. Scary but true...   

FINALLY OUR OWN VALLEY EDITION!

Another source (besides the blog of course) of good current local information launched Friday on Radio Free Palmer.  The "Valley Edition" is a panel discussion of Valley news and events much like "Alaska Edition" on KSKA. The program will be broadcast on 89.5FM Friday's at 5pm and repeats every Monday at 8:30am. The panel this week was Frontiersman publisher Mark Kelsey, independent journalist Zaz Hollander, and the Citizen Lobbyist. Mike Chmielewski  moderated. There will be other guest journalists from time to time. The recording of Friday's show can be found on the RF website. While you are there check out "Another vote done gone" by a couple of local Palmerites that is true fun. 

There are your walking orders for the next couple of days. Important stuff.  Not paying attention will only get you more of the same frustration.  

This time we wont be telling you how we're voting.  After all that is what that cute little curtain in the voting booth is for right?