The Matanuska‑Susitna Borough Assembly on Oct. 21 approved multiple motions including grant appropriations, a contract award for a new public‑safety building, several small appropriations and a request that the borough research options to provide property or lease terms to the YMCA of Alaska.

Key actions voted or approved by the assembly included: the adoption of federal and state legislative priority resolutions (see separate coverage), appropriation of grant funds for water and emergency‑management projects, acceptance of several foundation and state grants for parks and emergency programs, and a contract award to a general contractor for the borough’s Public Safety Building 39. The assembly approved most items by unanimous consent or as part of the consent agenda; some items had recorded opposition during earlier amendment votes on unrelated agenda items.

Votes and formal actions (selected)
- Resolution 25‑073 (2026 federal legislative priorities): Adopted by the assembly with no objection declared. The clerk announced unanimous approval after the public hearing was opened and closed with no speakers.

- Ordinance 25‑112: Appropriation from the Sewer and Water Fund reserves, $40,353.38, to pay off debt associated with Talkeetna community water upgrades. Adopted with no objection.

- Ordinance 25‑113 and Resolution 25‑095: Acceptance and appropriation of a $9,700 ASPCA grant for dog‑kennel enrichment upgrades; related scope and budget resolution also adopted. Adopted with no objection.

- Ordinance 25‑114 and Resolution 25‑097: Acceptance and appropriation of a $35,000 State Department of Military and Veterans Affairs grant for phase 1 of a tsunami warning siren project; associated scope and budget resolution adopted. Staff described three areas under study for potential siren placement; the emergency manager identified neighborhoods near Reddington, the flats near McIntosh Elementary and a stretch on the Old Glenn Highway in Butte as potential inundation zones. Adopted with no objection.

- Ordinance 25‑115 and Resolution 25‑098: Acceptance and appropriation of $37,220 from the Mat‑Su Trails and Parks Foundation for signage at Government Peak Recreation Area; adopted with no objection.

- Ordinance 25‑116 and Resolution 25‑100: Acceptance and appropriation of additional disaster relief funds ($447,459) related to the November 2018 Cook Inlet earthquake; adopted with no objection. Staff confirmed there remain some pending reimbursements tied to the 2018 quake.

- AM 25‑130 (contract award): Awarded bid number 2649B and a contract in the amount of $14,083,785 to H5 Construction to construct Public Safety Building 39. AM 25‑130 appeared on the meeting’s consent agenda and was approved as part of that consent package.

- AM 25‑128 (utility relocation): Approved payment of $194,560.55 to MTA Communications for required utility relocations tied to the Fern Street upgrade and pathway project in Wasilla; consent agenda item, approved.

- AM 25‑129 (vacation of public access easement — Kimberly’s Lakeside Estates): Authorization to vacate a 50‑foot public access easement on the southwest boundary of Lot 2, Kimberly’s Lakeside Estates was approved on the consent agenda.

- AM 25‑128 (vacation of Centennial Shores section line easement): The assembly approved vacation of a 30‑foot section‑line easement along Centennial Shores, with staff confirming conditions require construction of agreed public‑access improvements before recordation.

- Resolution 25‑107 (research options for YMCA property/lease): The assembly directed the manager to research borough‑owned parcels and options for a less‑than‑fair‑market sale or lease to the YMCA of Alaska, including presentation of costs and lease alternatives; the motion passed with no assembly objection.

Several routine confirmations and introductions also occurred: the assembly confirmed mayoral appointments to boards (vacancy report) and set public‑hearing dates on a package of ordinances for Nov. 18. A planning referral sent ordinance 25‑123 (Lake Management Plan wording) to the planning commission for 90 days.

What happened in public comment
Public commenters addressed several separate items on the agenda: some urged that library trustees respect librarians’ professional selection process and oppose censorship; others spoke against the borough supporting changes to the Common Interest Ownership Act (a separate agenda amendment). A surveyor and residents spoke about a specific easement vacation (Finger Lake area) and confirmed that public‑access improvements are a condition of the vacation. Several speakers also asked questions about the proposed new public‑safety building and ambulance‑station planning.

How the assembly handled votes
Most ordinances and appropriations passed by unanimous consent or as part of the consent agenda. Where recorded roll calls were taken on specific amendments earlier in the meeting, the clerk read votes and opposition for those smaller motions. The assembly used a combination of roll‑call votes for controversial amendments and unanimous consent for routine appropriations and grant acceptances.