Contributed by Edna DeVries
THANK YOU, THANK YOU, if I could speak and/or write “THANK YOU” in every language on earth, it wouldn’t be more heart-felt that what I am saying at this time in English. You all are amazing, loving, and supportive. The results of the election are overwhelming; I thank you for your confidence in me and showing that confidence at your polling place.
My swearing in, and that of the newly elected Assembly members, will be in a public ceremony held in the Mat-Su Borough Assembly Chambers at 5:00 pm on Tuesday, November 16, 2021. Please plan to attend. This is your victory also. You are the ones who posted lawn signs, waved signs on street corners, addressed envelopes, gave financial support, talked to your neighbors, prayed for me, asked questions, did your research, and held me accountable to uphold my message of individual freedoms, conservative values of life, second amendment support, following the US Constitution, State Constitution, and local ordinances and statues, and most importantly of all, continuing to fight for this great country founded by God with liberty and justice for all.
I will take office on November 22, 2021 and will have an office in the Borough building at 350 East Dahlia Avenue in Palmer. Please stop by, it is your building and the staff is paid for by your tax dollars, but I thank you in advance for always being respectful to each other as fellow human beings. I will be out in the community attending Community Council meetings, and other public and private meetings to which I am invited. I am the Mat-Su Borough Mayor for all the residents of this Borough. My personal cell phone number has been very busy during this campaign, and I will continue to use and answer that number. My Borough office phone number, as of November 22nd, will be 907-861-8682, and my email will be edna.devries@matsugov.us. I do not yet have a Borough cell number.
The Borough Assembly has an active agenda for the next few months, and then in April the annual budget meetings will be held in Palmer, Wasilla, and in the northern part of the Borough. Some of your questions during the campaign were regarding the Port, and the Borough Manager will be requesting the Assembly hold a special meeting on January 11th to update the Assembly and the public on Port operations. The International Association of Maritime and Port Executives has been under contract with the Borough to prepare a Strategic Action Plan for Business Development for Port MacKenzie. I would appreciate your thoughts and input; I am not in favor of another study being placed on a shelf (physically or electronically). This plan will need to be a “working document” or will need to be adjusted to our citizens and investors’ concerns to become a working document that benefits the Mat-Su Borough and its citizens.
Now that our voters have passed the 2021 Transportation Infrastructure Package by a large margin, and the $10M for Mat-Su pavement rehabilitation is available from the state, we need your input on the prioritization and calendaring of these projects.
On December 14th, the Assembly and School Board will hold a joint meeting. Tentative agenda items include an update from the Mat-Su Borough School District on their annual budget, an update on COVID-19, an update on the Houston High School construction project, and a joint resolution in support of healthcare pricing transparency and the All-Payer claims database.
I will chairing my first Assembly meeting on December 7th. Please stay in touch, and if you are not already, please become familiar with Borough’s website matsugov.us and the Borough’s Facebook page.
Happy Thanksgiving to you and your loved ones. If you, or someone you know, are in need of food or provisions, many of the non-profit organizations and churches in our area are reaching out to our community with offers of assistance. Let’s not let anyone go without this Holiday Season.
Thank you again.
Edna DeVries, Mat-Su Borough Mayor Elect