There are two items of note on the May 7th Assembly agenda involving the Central MatSu Fire Service Area.
The MSB Manager is asking the Assembly to approve two significant capital projects to be funded by the Central MatSu FSA’s savings account: 1) $4 million to repair and add an addition to Station 6-1 (Is this really going to cost so much money? See more below) and 2) $1.3 million to purchase the 12,000 square foot Tommy Moe building located in downtown Wasilla for Emergency Services (a loan.)
Isn’t the MSB having a budget crisis? Yes and No. The MSB is having a budget crisis but the Central MatSu Fire Service Area is not.
Take a look at this chart from the most recent (2018) CAFR. Central MatSu had almost $12 million in their fund balance. This is significantly more than any other FSA in the Mat-Su Valley.
On March 11th, Manager Moosey attended a Central MatSu FSA Board of Supervisors Meeting to talk about their money and suggest ways they (and the MSB Administration) could spend it.
NOTE: The earthquake damage to Station 6-1 was only $200,000, but somehow this is being parlayed into a $4 million ask in the proposed ordinance. (Heck, let’s throw an addition in the mix. Why not?)
Keep in mind that all these Capital Projects keep other non-fire/ems staffers busy and employed over in Capital Projects, Purchasing and Administration etc at the Kremlin and the Dorothy Swanda Jones buildings in downtown Palmer.
It seems like the ribbon cutting ceremony for Station 6-1 was just a few years ago! Does it really need so many upgrades so soon?
Also – if the MSB is buying the nearby huge TOMMY MOE building – why do we also need an addition to the above fire station? How much space do we really need?
Here are the MSB’s proposals in full:
Proposed Ordinance 19-070:
Proposed Ordinance 19-054:
