Video Clips

Quoted moments from Alaska public meetings, hearings, and press conferences.

Cindy Ruiz

“my concern basically is just that we should continue, uh, funding these operational grants. More families are going to make difficult choices if we don't have these funds, including leaving children at home who are, you know, too young to be home really, and just relying on less stable and maybe potentially unsafe or unqualified child care centers.”

Anchorage Assembly: ACCEE Fund Board Meeting 2026-07-15 Meeting Recording · Jul 21, 2026

Vicki Longleather

“operational grants are the most flexible funding source available to all providers, allowing us to respond to the greatest challenges that we're facing, whether that's staffing, utilities, rent, or keeping parent fees affordable. They have the broadest impact and gives us the most flexibility. Now, capital funds are valuable, but they don't— they're not the ones that keeps the light on or retains staff or makes things more affordable for people. And as a provider, we might close due to the lack of operational dollars.”

Anchorage Assembly: ACCEE Fund Board Meeting 2026-07-15 Meeting Recording · Jul 21, 2026

Trevor Storrs “$480,000 is basically 20% of what was available. So we're actually decreasing things by 80% in that category.”

Anchorage Assembly: ACCEE Fund Board Meeting 2026-07-15 Meeting Recording · Jul 21, 2026

Trevor Storrs “I'm feeling more comfortable with 75 ASD, just has a well-set-up system. High quality, very functional, and 50% really drops the impact. And it's in Title I schools, the highest rate.”

Anchorage Assembly: ACCEE Fund Board Meeting 2026-07-15 Meeting Recording · Jul 21, 2026

Trevor Storrs “the operational was $2.4 million. Okay. So this is, uh, $765,000 divided by— it is, uh, basically a decrease of just shy of 70% of what people got.”

Anchorage Assembly: ACCEE Fund Board Meeting 2026-07-15 Meeting Recording · Jul 21, 2026

Kevin Berry “if we've got increased uncertainty in the future, if we can buy capital things, which I think of as one-time purchases, right, that make things better, that's maybe more effective if we can't actually do the operational grants in a consistent and reliable way.”

Anchorage Assembly: ACCEE Fund Board Meeting 2026-07-15 Meeting Recording · Jul 21, 2026

Kirk Miller “I think this has some danger of slipping because we only got a couple weeks left in June. So, Gonna hold that June date, but it could very well pop to July by next week. We'll see how the funding process goes.”

Alaska DOT&PF: Tentative Advertise Schedule Monthly Update: June 2026 · Jul 20, 2026

Kirk Miller “The first project's fully design all ready to go. Second project has some permit complications we're struggling with. Long story short, we're going to hold August for now and see what we can do to pin down that date better by next month.”

Alaska DOT&PF: Tentative Advertise Schedule Monthly Update: June 2026 · Jul 20, 2026

Luke Bowland “it'll be a late obligation here for us this year and hoping to hold a bid there in September. But that's a big one, that's one we're definitely pushing on.”

Alaska DOT&PF: Tentative Advertise Schedule Monthly Update: June 2026 · Jul 20, 2026

Kirk Miller “Ketchikan seaplane ramp. We got some issues there with a Corps permit and some FAA juggling, so I gave that kind of a red box there for this month. I don't think it's going to make June, but I'm going to hold June for now and probably change it within a week. I'm hoping we can turn this around real quickly and get it out by July.”

Alaska DOT&PF: Tentative Advertise Schedule Monthly Update: June 2026 · Jul 20, 2026

Kirk Miller “Juneau Egan Drive lighting improvements, all we're doing is waiting on funding approvals. We've submitted that to headquarters, should be on its way to FHWA.”

Alaska DOT&PF: Tentative Advertise Schedule Monthly Update: June 2026 · Jul 20, 2026

Kirk Miller “The design is all done. We're kind of ready to go. But we need a focus meeting over here and figure out what month that one could potentially advertise, considering the FTA funding complications. So for now it shows June, but highly suspect that's going to slip a bit.”

Alaska DOT&PF: Tentative Advertise Schedule Monthly Update: June 2026 · Jul 20, 2026

Luke Bowland “Sterling Highway 157 to 169 reconstruction. This project is pending final utility agreement and we're meeting regularly with that utility, a lot of ongoing coordination there and still tracking to get this one certified and Big, big project to push out here this year. So excited to see that one go into bid, hopefully September timeframe.”

Alaska DOT&PF: Tentative Advertise Schedule Monthly Update: June 2026 · Jul 20, 2026

Kirk Miller “Goon gets a big red square this month. I don't know what to do with this date. We're wrapped up in some very difficult FDA funding issues.”

Alaska DOT&PF: Tentative Advertise Schedule Monthly Update: June 2026 · Jul 20, 2026

Luke Bowland “ANC gates N1/C3 passenger boarding bridge replacement design-build. For this project, environmental clearances have been received, no utility agreements, and right now coordinating with contracts to get this design-build out to bid and should be seeing that here late July.”

Alaska DOT&PF: Tentative Advertise Schedule Monthly Update: July 2026 · Jul 20, 2026

Luke Bowland “Hollywood Vine to Big Lake pavement preservation. Right-of-way is looking like critical path on this. Looking at 35 to 40 property interests, and so we'll see how fast we can advance those right-of-way efforts. Showing November for right now.”

Alaska DOT&PF: Tentative Advertise Schedule Monthly Update: July 2026 · Jul 20, 2026

Luke Bowland “Wasilla Fishhook Main Street rehab. This PDA has been advancing, this one's certified, the funding request is over at Federal Highways for approval. They had some questions on the conditional right-of-way cert for this project, which we got resolved yesterday.”

Alaska DOT&PF: Tentative Advertise Schedule Monthly Update: July 2026 · Jul 20, 2026

Luke Bowland “KGB, this is a huge priority for the department, safety corridor improvements. We've got over 100 property acquisitions needed to deliver this also. And I think we're hitting every utility within the corridor. And so pushing for March and keep you updated as we advance on that.”

Alaska DOT&PF: Tentative Advertise Schedule Monthly Update: July 2026 · Jul 20, 2026

Luke Bowland “critical path is utilities on this. We're meeting weekly with the last remaining utility company to get that agreement in place. Also working on extension to floodplain permit that's going to be required for this, but utilities is looking at critical path.”

Alaska DOT&PF: Tentative Advertise Schedule Monthly Update: July 2026 · Jul 20, 2026

Kirk Miller “Ketchikan-Saxman to Surf Street pavement rehabilitation, South Tongass. Big project here, major right-of-way effort ongoing right now. Definitely some risks for that December date there. There's some local issues as well, but I'm holding that as best as we can.”

Alaska DOT&PF: Tentative Advertise Schedule Monthly Update: July 2026 · Jul 20, 2026

Kirk Miller “Ketchikan Airport seaplane ramp has a permit problem, but we're making progress. If we can resolve that Corps of Engineers permit, that's going to pop out in July. So we're all ready to go. Good chance that there could be an issue there, but we're not sure.”

Alaska DOT&PF: Tentative Advertise Schedule Monthly Update: July 2026 · Jul 20, 2026

Kirk Miller “Gustavus Ferry Terminal generator replacement. We are waiting for a a design— a funding authorization from FHWA. For some reason, this has not been signed yet, but we're all ready to advertise. If we can get that authorization back from FHWA, that will hit July. If not, we're probably going to scoot that one into August.”

Alaska DOT&PF: Tentative Advertise Schedule Monthly Update: July 2026 · Jul 20, 2026

Kirk Miller “Juneau Egan Drive lighting improvements. We have everything we need to advertise this project. We're going to do an internal check of the final bid docs this week and next week, and that should be advertised by late next week. So expecting no issues there.”

Alaska DOT&PF: Tentative Advertise Schedule Monthly Update: July 2026 · Jul 20, 2026

Kirk Miller “Prince of Wales, Three Mile Creek improvements. We moved that one to March. That was— I have to look at my other list here. Was formerly in November, so there's quite a bit of delay on that. And the reason for that delay was funding complications on the FHWA grant end.”

Alaska DOT&PF: Tentative Advertise Schedule Monthly Update: July 2026 · Jul 20, 2026

Tyler Young “they will have to approve, uh, get approval for driveway permits for each new lot contingent on PD&E's recommendations, likely involving shared access to limit the amount of driveways, and with that shared access, T-turnarounds to make sure that there is area for vehicles to turn around to be able to enter appropriately onto that classification of a road.”

Mat-Su Borough: Platting Board Meeting July 16, 2026 · Jul 20, 2026

Tyler Young “it's not easy to say where these shared— which lots are going to be sharing with which lots. And I do not want to lock anyone into having to figure that out right now when PD&E could come back and say, no, we— it's better for it to be over here. And then they have to come back in front of us to make all those changes.”

Mat-Su Borough: Platting Board Meeting July 16, 2026 · Jul 20, 2026

Steve Panone

“I obviously I'd like to do it in pre-design. We'd like to move forward with this, start getting things moving on this. We would, uh, um, obviously when, when we do schedule a pre-construction meeting, we would have, uh, design in hand when we showed up for that.”

Mat-Su Borough: Platting Board Meeting July 16, 2026 · Jul 20, 2026

Reginald Carney “our job is strictly to make sure that we make sure that the application, the proposals meet the SCM, right? We don't control covenants, code restrictions, whether they're going to be there or not, HOAs, whether they're going to be there or not. Public concern is heard. We read the notes, we're up here reading them even as people come up here, and I just want people to know that the public know that we, we do hear it, but we make a judgment based off of does it meet the contractor manual, the construction manual, and something like this, though it's huge, we look at it and it does.”

Mat-Su Borough: Platting Board Meeting July 16, 2026 · Jul 20, 2026

Chris Kerlin

“it would not be supported by PD&E as it is without, without the shared access, that they would proceed no further than the preconstruction meeting without doing that. So either you make them do it, or PD&E will at the preconstruction meeting, or nothing will ever happen.”

Mat-Su Borough: Platting Board Meeting July 16, 2026 · Jul 20, 2026

Tyler Young “This is a very common occurrence. This is not out of the realm of ordinary measures. Usually these issues are handled at pre-design and engineering based entirely on what he said. They don't entirely know where everything is going to go.”

Mat-Su Borough: Platting Board Meeting July 16, 2026 · Jul 20, 2026

Tyler Young “We sympathize, but we only have a certain amount of power as the government to tell people how to use their private property. Correct. And this meets code. This meets the proper code that has been put forth.”

Mat-Su Borough: Platting Board Meeting July 16, 2026 · Jul 20, 2026

Chris Kerlin

“The proposed subdivision was approved with an internal cul-de-sac located further south. Pursuant to MSB 43-1545-G2D, proposed right-of-way easements may be moved up to 60 feet if approved by the Planning Officer. The proposed relocation is beyond 60 feet and will require Board approval.”

Mat-Su Borough: Platting Board Meeting July 16, 2026 · Jul 20, 2026

Cayman Reynolds “Each lot will still contain 10,000 square feet of usable septic and building area. The development will have a community water system.”

Mat-Su Borough: Platting Board Meeting July 16, 2026 · Jul 20, 2026

Steve Panone

“Based on the question about the shared driveway, we could easily put an easement for a hammerhead coming out of a garage or something like that. The problem is we don't know exactly where the houses are going to sit. So we could show, um, um, an easement of a shared driveway and put a requirement for a hammerhead outside any house that may be built on those, uh, 4 lots or 5 lots, uh, 16 through, um, 20.”

Mat-Su Borough: Platting Board Meeting July 16, 2026 · Jul 20, 2026

Michelle Traxler “we are on Primrose Point Phase 4. The request is to relocate an internal road in the last phase of Primrose Point MSP, Tract D, Primrose Point Phase 1, to be known as Primrose Point Phase 4, pursuant to Title 43.15.049. The proposed change will require board approval.”

Mat-Su Borough: Platting Board Meeting July 16, 2026 · Jul 20, 2026

Cayman Reynolds “There are no objections or concerns received from borough departments, outside agencies, or public at the time of the staff report. 3 Handouts contain objections by the public.”

Mat-Su Borough: Platting Board Meeting July 16, 2026 · Jul 20, 2026

Tyler Young “Condition number 4C, arrange pre-final and final inspections with DPW per CFM, the subdivision construction manual, and submit final report to platting per F1. They are going to have to work with DPW to figure out all of those issues before platting will sign off and final recommendation before any of these lots could be conveyed out. Um, the reason why we are not pushing towards a shared easement is because it's not just 2 lots that are affected.”

Mat-Su Borough: Platting Board Meeting July 16, 2026 · Jul 20, 2026

Tyler Young “The minimum lot size on this, since it's a community sewer— I'm sorry, community water— is 20,000 square feet, about half an acre. There will be no lots smaller than that.”

Mat-Su Borough: Platting Board Meeting July 16, 2026 · Jul 20, 2026

Cayman Reynolds “the petitioner would also like to request a 10-year— a total of 10-year approval extension for the fact that there are 13 phases. Due to this also being quite a large subdivision, they wanted to present the entire thing at once and to also account for potential changes in economic conditions.”

Mat-Su Borough: Platting Board Meeting July 16, 2026 · Jul 20, 2026

Steve Kevan

“the concern from what I've read through public comment and what's been heard here today is the concern of where the driveways are, that it's— even though it's not affirmed on what we're approving, it still has to be approved on final plat and to borough code.”

Mat-Su Borough: Platting Board Meeting July 16, 2026 · Jul 20, 2026

Tyler Young “Planning deals with Matsuburo Code Title 43, and that is subdivision regulations as set forth by the Matsuburo Assembly.”

Mat-Su Borough: Platting Board Meeting July 16, 2026 · Jul 20, 2026

Michael Liebing “I move to approve the preliminary plat of Primrose Point Phase 4, Section 4, Township 17 North, Range 01 West, Seward, Meridian, Alaska, contingent upon staff recommendations 1 through 7.”

Mat-Su Borough: Platting Board Meeting July 16, 2026 · Jul 20, 2026

Michelle Traxler “No objections. Motion passes.”

Mat-Su Borough: Platting Board Meeting July 16, 2026 · Jul 20, 2026

Michelle Traxler “I have one comment about the roads. That is a road service area issue, not a planning board issue necessarily. So if you got problems with your road, you need to direct it to your local RSA.”

Mat-Su Borough: Platting Board Meeting July 16, 2026 · Jul 20, 2026

Reginald Carney “at the end of the day, it meets all the requirements, and that's what we have to make a decision on.”

Mat-Su Borough: Platting Board Meeting July 16, 2026 · Jul 20, 2026

Cayman Reynolds “All 3 note potential issues with traffic due to Carmel Road being a rural road. One notes USPS does not deliver down the road. One notes that Starlight Subdivision will interfere with their planned private airstrip and concerns about trespassing on their existing dirt bike track and potential stormwater and drainage issues.”

Mat-Su Borough: Platting Board Meeting July 16, 2026 · Jul 20, 2026

Chris Kerlin

“PD&E suggests Lot 20 take access from Ashbrook Drive and Lots 16, 17, 18, and 19 share common accesses to Lone Cub Drive. Please note that per, per the 2022 Subdivision Construction Manual A043C, space shall be provided on these lots for turnaround so the vehicles will not have to back out onto minor collector streets. Staff notes the issue was unresolved at the time of this report.”

Mat-Su Borough: Platting Board Meeting July 16, 2026 · Jul 20, 2026

Tyler Young “We don't want to lock them into one area. When that changes would need to be made. And if changes are made, they would have to come back in front of the board. So we would prefer as the planning to leave this to pre-design engineering to take care of.”

Mat-Su Borough: Platting Board Meeting July 16, 2026 · Jul 20, 2026

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