Commissioners clarify Mat‑Su trails grant will cover gravel; discuss park safety, Rangers and maintenance resources
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Summary
Staff told the Parks & Rec Commission that a Mat‑Su Trails grant of roughly $37,050 will cover trail work and gravel — not full paving — and that paving would likely be a later phase; commissioners also discussed vandalism, homelessness and the possible return of Rangers, and they praised parks crews for weekend maintenance work.
City staff and commissioners discussed trail work at a local campground and clarified that a Mat‑Su Trails grant would fund gravel and initial trail construction but is unlikely to cover full paving. Staff cited a figure of approximately $37,050 for the grant and said the city expects to match funds; commissioners said paving and final ADA surfacing would likely be a phased, later step.
“From what I understand… $37.05 grand approved from MatSE trails. So and then I believe we're matching that as well,” a staff member said, while also noting that paving may require an additional phase and funding.
In a separate, substantive portion of the meeting commissioners and staff discussed park safety, vandalism and homelessness. Commissioners and staff described frequent code‑compliance and police responses to incidents in parks, and several speakers suggested increasing on‑the‑ground presence. One participant recommended bringing park Rangers back for more coverage, and commissioners praised police responsiveness when incidents are reported.
Speakers emphasized that community reporting and timely calls to police are crucial to enforcement: “You gotta actually have physical interaction to where they're getting there in time to actually deal with it,” one parks participant said, urging residents to call police when they witness vandalism.
Commissioners also offered public praise for parks maintenance staff and flower crews, noting weekend watering and the continuous work required to keep parks presentable through the summer.
No formal votes were taken. Staff committed to checking grant terms and reporting back on whether paving or ADA surfacing could be phased and on any additional funding needs; staff also noted ongoing discussions with code compliance and police regarding enforcement and patrol coverage.
Ending
Staff will follow up with written clarification on the grant scope and timelines, and the commission will continue to consider safety‑coverage options and maintenance resource needs at future meetings.