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The Game of Clue

clue game

A lot of interesting stuff has been happening in the MSB this Spring.

We should all try to figure out exactly what the MSB is up to because the MSB never, ever discloses an entire plan up front so people have to play a GUESSING GAME.

Here are some clues:

Clue #1:

Today someone noticed a train on the Rail Spur and posted about it on one of the local Facebook groups:

Train on track June 5 2019

Is the AK Railroad (with help from the State and MSB) going to begin working on the completion of the Rail Spur soon?

Clue #2:

The Alaska Railroad Board discussed the A2A proposal at their most recent meeting but in EXECUTIVE SESSION:

AKRR Master Agreement

Clue #3:

The MSB is trying to plat a subdivision (“Iron Horse Run”) by the Rail Spur Corridor. It claims it has no set future plans for these parcels. Right.

Clue #4:

The MSB quickly issued an RFP and approved a big project to pave/fix W. Susitna Parkway, which is the main road leading to the area of the proposed Iron Horse Run subdivision. Also – the project completion date is very fast. It must be done by June 20, 2019.

The fiscal note says that the funds are coming from a “State Grant.” This could be earthquake money…(However, I recall seeing some RSA meeting minutes that W. Susitna was NOT damaged in the earthquake, but I will check)…

So maybe this “State Grant” money is leftover State Grant money from the big Rail Spur grants.  Does the MSB needs to make sure this road is in good shape for some sort of big industrial project being located nearby?

Clue #5:

The MSB is trying to set up a some sort of quarry near Wolverine Lake.  Members of the Lazy Mountain Community came to a recent Assembly meeting to complain that this was an absolutely terrible idea given the topography and the poor road there.  Some of them mentioned that the plan was to transport the gravel from Lazy Mt. all the way to the Rail Spur at Point Mackenzie.

At last night’s meeting, this topic was brought up again by Assembly members George Mckee and Jim Sykes.  Mckee said the idea was not workable because the road would need millions and millions of dollars of repairs first.  Sykes asked why the MSB staff failed to ask the locals with knowledge before going ahead with the RFP.

MSB Manager Moosey, who seemed very defensive about the whole idea, said he was looking into the concerns but that there may be millions of dollars worth of riprap gravel there.

What does the MSB plan to do with the riprap? It is needed to finish the Rail Spur?

Quarry

CLUE #6:

The MSB Planning Director wants to do away with setting up any more Lake Management Plans.

Why would the MSB want to get rid of the public’s ability to set up a lake management plan? Hmmm…

The “Iron Horse Run” subdivision borders some lakes and the proposed Wolverine Quarry borders Wolverine Lake.

MAYBE SO THE PUBLIC HAS NO RECOURSE IF/WHEN THE MSB TRIES TO SET UP INDUSTRIAL OPERATIONS ON THEIR LAKES?

UPDATE – found another clue –

CLUE #7:

Assembly Member Leonard’s proposed Ordinance re: Amending how the Motor Vehicle Tax revenues are distributed. He wants them distributed to all “service areas” – not just road service areas…and he wants these service areas to be allowed to use the funds for more than just road paving…He wants these “service areas” (i.e. Port Mac Service Area – which is our only special service area which fits his ordinance) to be allowed to use the Motor Vehicle Tax Revenues to build railroad crossings for example. Hmmm

Yet another clue –

A2A clue

MY CONCLUSION –

The MSB is going ahead with the A2A plan to ship Bitumen through our Valley with or without the Public’s approval. Everything is in motion.  The public won’t get a chance to weigh in on this until it is far too late.

Here is what I think happens on a regular basis.  The MSB Manager, Asst Mgr, Internal Auditor, Directors and the Attorney and their various consultants hold meetings (or a series of meetings) behind the scenes and plot out how they will make stuff happen (We need to go the Platting Board to do such and such; we need to get Public Works to issue an RFP for blah blah blah; we need the Planning Dept to get the Planning Board to gut the Lakes Management Plan procedure etc)..but they don’t disclose the entire PLAN to the public up front.  They don’t explain that each piece is part and parcel of a much bigger project.

clue characters

 

One Comment

  1. NDS NDS Post author | June 20, 2019

    A comment from “An Alaskan” – Game of Clue… I say that with jest, the current administration “elite” don’t have a clue. If they actually played the game together it would never get solved because no one is held accountable. They would write legislation after the crime to make it ok. They would shuffle money “Tax payer money” shuffling the blame and around and around we go. You do this I’ll write legislation you’ll look like you saved a baby beluga whale the vote will come we bury the “pork” pass all is well let’s have dinner on the tax payer we deserve it.

    When will this cycle break? Six highly over compensated people run the Borough highly incompetent, I would use names but the org chart says it already.

    We have been duped by the current Manager, he has brought zero industry, zero outside investors, zero job growth for non government family’s. What does he do?

    We can see from the credit cards statements he eats very well on our dime, he sees the world on our dime.

    I’m only asking what did we the “people” get in return for those meals, travel etc…wait wait we have debt so much debt.

    How does one person get to rule the iron throne? Greed.

    Life long Alaskan of 56 years who cares.

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