MATANUSKA-SUSITNA BOROUGH  
350 East Dahlia Avenue, Palmer, Alaska 99645 - 907-861-8683  
BOROUGH MAYOR  
Edna DeVries  
BOROUGH ASSEMBLY  
Michael Bowles, District 1  
Stephanie Nowers, District 2  
Dee McKee, District 3  
BOROUGH CLERK  
Lonnie R. McKechnie, CMC  
Maxwell Sumner, District 4  
Bill Gamble, District 5  
BOROUGH MANAGER  
Michael Brown  
Dmitri Fonov, District 6  
Ron Bernier, District 7  
BOROUGH ATTORNEY  
Nicholas Spiropoulos  
ASSEMBLY AGENDA  
ASSEMBLY CHAMBERS  
350 EAST DAHLIA AVENUE, PALMER  
ASSEMBLY REGULAR MEETING  
6:00 PM  
TUESDAY, JUNE 16, 2026  
WAYS TO PARTICIPATE IN THE ASSEMBLY MEETING IF YOU CANNOT ATTEND IN  
PERSON:  
IN WRITING:  
* You can submit written comments to leg.com@matsugov.us  
TELEPHONIC TESTIMONY:  
* Dial 1-855-225-2326  
* You will hear “Joining conference” when you are admitted to the meeting.  
* You will be automatically muted and able to listen to the meeting.  
* When the Mayor announces audience participation or a public hearing you would like to speak  
to, press *3; you will hear “Your hand has been raised.”  
* When it is your turn to testify you will hear “Your line has been unmuted.”  
* State your name for the record, spell your last name, and provide your testimony.  
OBSERVE: observe the meeting via the live stream video at:  
* https://matanuska.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx  
* https://www.facebook.com/MatSuBorough  
* Matanuska-Susitna Borough - YouTube  
I. CALL TO ORDER  
II. ROLL CALL  
III. APPROVAL OF AGENDA  
IV. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE  
V. SPECIAL ORDERS OF THE DAY  
26-088  
Mayoral Proclamation in Recognition of the Alaska Down Syndrome  
Network  
Attachments: 06/16/26 - Proclamation  
26-101  
Mayoral Proclamation in Recognition of Juneteenth  
Attachments: 06/16/26 - Proclamation  
26-104  
Mayoral Proclamation in Recognition of America 250  
Attachments: 06/16/26 - Proclamation  
VI. MINUTES OF PRECEDING MEETINGS  
26-098  
A. Assembly Special Meeting Minutes: 05/05/26  
B. Assembly Regular Meeting Minutes: 05/05/26  
C. Assembly Budget Deliberations Minutes: 05/07/26  
Attachments: 06/16/26 - Minutes for Packet  
VII. REPORTS/CORRESPONDENCE  
A. AGENCY REPORTS (MSB 2.12.082; Seven minutes per person)  
1. Reports From Cities  
2. Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District  
3. State of Alaska  
B. COMMITTEE REPORTS  
1. Joint Assembly/School Board Committees  
2. Assembly Public Relations  
C. MANAGER COMMENTS  
1. State/Federal Legislation  
2. Strategic Planning Issues  
D. ATTORNEY COMMENTS  
E. CLERK COMMENTS  
F. CITIZEN AND OTHER CORRESPONDENCE  
26-092  
1. Big Lake Community Council: 02/24/26  
2. Board of Equalization: 05/30/26  
3. Greater Palmer FSA Board of Supervisors: 05/12/26  
4. Local Road Service Area Advisory Board: 04/16/26  
5. MSB Fish and Wildlife Commission: Resolution No. FWC 26-001  
6. Planning Commission: 05/18/26  
7. Platting Board: 05/07/26  
8. Transportation Advisory Board: 04/10/26  
Attachments: 06/16/26 - Citizen and Other Correspondence  
G. INFORMATIONAL MEMORANDUMS  
VIII. SPECIAL ORDERS  
A. AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION (You can speak under one of the audience  
participations on the agenda, but not both; Three Minutes Per Person.)  
B. PUBLIC HEARINGS (Three Minutes Per Person.)  
OR 26-032  
An Ordinance Adopting MSB 1.10.170 And MSB 3.35, 6.5 Percent  
Areawide Sales Tax, Repealing Areawide Property Tax, And  
Submitting The Proposition To The Voters At The November 3,  
2026, Regular Borough Election.  
Sponsors: Bowles  
Attachments: OR 26-032  
IM 26-048  
03/03/26 - Sales Tax Proposal Flyer  
05/19/26 - Bowles Possible Amendment  
06/16/26 - Sales Tax Projections  
06/16/26 - Sales Tax Projections SCIT DVET Exemption Amend  
OR 26-039  
An Ordinance Accepting And Appropriating $100,000 From The  
Mat-Su Trails And Parks Foundation For The Upgrades To The  
West Butte Trailhead.  
RS 26-025: A Resolution Approving The Scope Of Work And  
Budget For The Upgrades To The West Butte Trailhead.  
Attachments: OR 26-039  
RS 26-025  
IM 26-061  
OR 26-058  
An Ordinance Establishing A Tax On Certain Natural Resources  
Whenever The Natural Resource Is Severed And Removed From  
Property Within The Matanuska-Susitna Borough And Providing  
For Penalties For Failure To Pay Taxes Due By Adopting MSB  
3.55, Natural Resource Severance Tax.  
Sponsors: Nowers  
Attachments: OR 26-058  
IM 26-096  
06/16/26 - Severance Tax Proposal  
OR 26-066  
An Ordinance Authorizing The Borough Manager To Convey  
Certain Borough-Owned Excess Land From The Point Mackenzie  
Rail Extension Project To The State Of Alaska For Economic  
Development (Tracts 10A And 13A, Point Mackenzie Terminal  
Reserve, Plat No. 2025-179, Palmer Recording District).  
Attachments: OR 26-066  
IM 26-108  
OR 26-069  
An Ordinance Accepting And Appropriating $3,468 From The  
Alaska State Department Of Natural Resources, Office Of History  
And Archaeology, For The 2026 National Alliance of Preservation  
Commissions (NAPC) Forum Travel Grant Project.  
RS 26-054: A Resolution Approving The Scope Of Work And  
Budget And Authorizing The Manager To Enter Into The State  
Grant Agreement For The 2026 NAPC Travel Grant Project.  
Attachments: OR 26-069  
RS 26-054  
IM 26-112  
OR 26-070  
An Ordinance Accepting And Appropriating $21,595 Of Revenues  
From Fiscal Year 2026 Public Donations To The Animal Care And  
Regulation Capital Projects Budget For Animal Care Division  
Facility Programs.  
RS 26-055: A Resolution Approving The Scope Of Work And  
Budget For Animal Care Division Facility Programs That Support  
Animal Care And Regulation Priorities And Objectives.  
Attachments: OR 26-070  
RS 26-055  
IM 26-113  
OR 26-071  
An Ordinance Approving An Additional Land Classification For 16  
Borough-Owned Properties Along Deshka River As Watershed  
Lands For The Purpose Of Fish Habitat.  
Sponsors: Gamble  
Attachments: OR 26-071  
IM 26-114  
OR 26-072  
An Ordinance Adopting MSB 3.15.036 $75,000, Owner-Occupied  
Residential Real Property Exemption And MSB 1.10.170, 1.5  
Percent Areawide Sales Tax (With Exemptions For Sales Within  
The Cities); And Submitting The Proposition To The Voters At The  
November 3, 2026, Regular Borough Election.  
Sponsors: Nowers  
Attachments: OR 26-072  
IM 26-117  
06/02/26 - Sales Tax Projections  
06/16/26 - Fonov Possible Amendment  
C. AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION (You can speak under one of the audience  
participations on the agenda, but not both; Three Minutes Per Person.)  
D. CONSENT AGENDA  
1. RESOLUTIONS  
RS 26-052  
A Resolution Waiving Mat-Su Borough Landfill Fees For The  
Alaska State Adopt-A-Highway Program For Fiscal Year 2027.  
Attachments: RS 26-052  
IM 26-109  
2. ACTION MEMORANDUMS  
AM 26-066  
Authorizing The Manager To Enter Into A Grant Agreement For  
Fiscal Year 2027 With Valley Community For Recycling  
Solutions In The Amount Of $200,000.  
Attachments: AM 26-066  
AM 26-070  
Approval Of Utility Relocation Costs Of $ 118,533.52 To MTA  
Communications, LLC. For The Jolly Creek Drainage  
Improvements Project Phases I And II Big Lake Road Service  
Area; And To Extend The Completion Date To December 31,  
2026.  
Attachments: AM 26-070  
AM 26-076  
Approval Of Change Order No. Five For Contract No. 23-049B  
With Western Construction And Equipment For The Central  
Landfill Annual Operation And Compaction Contract To Add  
$190,482.48 For Fiscal Year 2027; And To Establish A $35,000  
Contingency Fund.  
Attachments: AM 26-076  
AM 26-077  
Approval Of Change Order No. 3 To Term Contract No.  
23-100P(A) With HDL Engineering Consultants, LLC. To  
Renew Fiscal Year 2027 Annual Contract Authority; And Extend  
The Completion Date To June 30, 2027, For Engineering And  
Surveying Services.  
Attachments: AM 26-077  
AM 26-078  
Approval Of Change Order No. 3 To Term Contract No.  
23-100P(B) With Lounsbury And Associates, Inc. To Renew  
Fiscal Year 2027 Annual Contract Authority; And Extend The  
Completion Date To June 30, 2027, For Engineering And  
Surveying Services.  
Attachments: AM 26-078  
AM 26-079  
Approval Of Change Order No. 4 To Term Contract No.  
23-100P(C) With The Boutet Company, Inc. To Renew Fiscal  
Year 2027 Annual Contract Authority; And Extend The  
Completion Date To June 30, 2027, For Engineering And  
Surveying Services.  
Attachments: AM 26-079  
AM 26-080  
Authorization To Purchase Hardware And Professional Services  
In The Amount Of $155,829.55 With Convergint Technologies  
For The Dorthy Swanda Jones (DSJ) Building Security Upgrades  
And Updates To The DSJ Building Lenel Access Controls (Door  
And Badge Readers).  
Attachments: AM 26-080  
AM 26-081  
Award Of Proposal No. 26-153P To All Points North For The  
Contract Amount Of $225,000 To Provide Survey Services For  
A New Government Peak Recreation Area To Skeetawk Trail.  
Attachments: AM 26-081  
AM 26-082  
Authorization To Amend Contract No. 24-134P With Coffman  
Engineers, Inc. For The Dorthy Swanda Jones Building Seismic  
Evaluation Services To Extend The Contract Completion To  
June 30, 2027.  
Attachments: AM 26-082  
AM 26-083  
Approval Of Contract Amendment Authority For Contract No.  
25-176B With Roger Hickel Contracting, Inc. To Establish  
Additional Change Order Authority In An Amount Up To 6.5  
Percent Of The Contract Amount As Modified; And To  
Authorize An Extension Of The Contract Completion Date By  
Up To 90 Calendar Days For The American Charter Academy  
Project.  
Attachments: AM 26-083  
AM 26-084  
Award Of Bid No. 26-173B To Northern Asphalt Construction,  
Inc. In The Contract Amount Of $330,800 To Construct West  
Herkimer Drive And South Spring Drive Improvements.  
Attachments: AM 26-084  
AM 26-085  
Award Of Bid No. 26-165B To HDL Engineering Consultants,  
LLC. In The Annual Contract Amount Not To Exceed $300,000  
To Provide On-Call Construction Materials Testing And  
Inspection Services.  
Attachments: AM 26-085  
AM 26-086  
Award Of Quote No. 26-152Q To R&M Consultants, Inc. In  
The Contract Amount Of $177,786 To Provide Engineering  
Consulting Services For The Yoder Road Bridge Evaluation,  
Repair Plans, And Erosion Protection Design Under Term  
Contract 26-096P.  
Attachments: AM 26-086  
AM 26-088  
Award Of Bid No. 26-171B To JGH Plumbing And Heating, Inc.  
In The Amount Of $444,021 For The School District  
Administration Boiler Room Improvement And Boiler  
Replacement.  
Attachments: AM 26-088  
AM 26-089  
Award Of Bid No. 26-172B To Ficklin Construction, LLC. In  
The Contract Amount Of $585,000 To Construct Burma Road  
Safety Improvements.  
Attachments: AM 26-089  
AM 26-090  
Authorization To Renew VMware vSphere Software With  
GSCIT Under A Three-Year Agreement Covering July 1, 2026,  
Through June 30, 2029; Total Cost Of The Agreement Is  
$195,360 With Annual Payments Subject To Appropriation.  
Attachments: AM 26-090  
IX. UNFINISHED BUSINESS  
X. VETO  
XI. NEW BUSINESS  
A. INTRODUCTIONS (For Public Hearing 07/21/26, Assembly Chambers)  
OR 26-028  
An Ordinance Amending MSB 17.80, Nonconforming Structures,  
To Repeal The Notification Process And Fee Section.  
Sponsors: Sumner  
Attachments: OR 26-028  
IM 26-041  
OR 26-030  
An Ordinance Repealing MSB 8.25, Water Pollution Control; And  
MSB 17.55.020(E), Under Setbacks For Shorelands, In Their  
Entirety.  
Sponsors: Sumner  
Attachments: OR 26-030  
IM 26-044  
B. MAYORAL NOMINATIONS AND APPOINTMENTS  
1. VACANCY REPORT  
26-094  
Mayoral Request for Confirmation  
Attachments: 06/16/26 - Vacancy Report  
C. OTHER NEW BUSINESS  
D. REFERRALS (For Referral To The Planning Commission For 90 Days Or Other  
Date Specified By The Assembly)  
XII. RECONSIDERATION  
AM 26-075  
Award Of Bid No. 26-157B To Tew’s Inc. In The Contract Amount Of  
$1,116,525.33 For Big Lake Road Service Area Annual Road  
Maintenance - Rebid.  
Attachments: AM 26-075  
06/16/26 - Nowers Possible Reconsideration  
XIII. MAYOR, ASSEMBLY, AND STAFF COMMENTS  
XIV. EXECUTIVE SESSION  
XV. ADJOURNMENT  
Disabled Persons Needing Reasonable Accommodation In Order To Participate At An Assembly Meeting Should Contact The  
Borough ADA Coordinator At (907) 861-8432 At Least One Week In Advance Of The Meeting.