BUREAUCRATS NEED TO FEEL THE HEAT TO SEE THE LIGHT

The good folks on and around DeArmoun Road are still fighting their heroic and lengthy battle with Department of Transportation (DOT) plans that would take their homes and property.

The good news is that funding of the project has been zeroed out for this year. The bad news is affected homeowners are still in limbo, including Ann and Mike Flister who could have their home demolished to accommodate a trail. DeArmoun area homeowners could still suffer governmental “property abuse,” when funding for various road projects becomes available next year.

The outcome depends on where the DeArmoun project falls on the priority list of long range road plans, and the votes of AMATS committee (Anchorage Metropolitan Area Transportation Solutions) that consists of Mayor Mark Begich, Assembly members Debbie Ossiander and Chris Birch, and two officials from the state Department of Transportation (DOT).

As I told a newspaper reporter after the latest AMATS meeting, “We need to put ourselves in the shoes of people who live on DeArmoun, It’s become a full-time job for some of the folks on DeArmoun to defend where they're going to sleep at night." Community teamwork of everyone one involved in the battle to protect property rights has been outstanding. I’m “cautiously optimistic” homeowners will finally win.