Following victories in the recent October election, progressives on the Palmer City Council now enjoy a narrow 4-3 majority, which they will try and use to reshape the historic farming town.
This agenda begins in earnest on Wednesday, Nov. 18, at 6 p.m. during a special meeting at City Hall.
This is the night when newly appointed Deputy Mayor and self-proclaimed “progressive,” Sabrena Combs, will introduce her emergency ordinance with ominous warnings that the small town is in the midst of a COVID emergency that “threatens to overwhelm our health system, endangering the lives and well-being of our citizens.” Thus, it is necessary to introduce an unprecedented level of government authority unlike any the colony era community has ever experienced.
As of Nov. 14 the entire Mat-Su Borough, with a population 108,300, had just 17 people hospitalized with COVID symptoms. That amounts to 0.01% of the population.
Sabrena knowns there will be resistance to her Ordinance so she’s marshaling a newly formed group of feminists in town.
Combs and fellow progressive Brian Daniels won three-year terms on the city council this past fall after they both narrowly defeated long-time Palmer City Council mainstay Linda Combs. Their victories, coupled with Linda’s defeat, have altered the city’s axis of power.
But Sabrena knowns there will likely be resistance to her Ordinance 20-016 so she’s marshaling a newly formed group of feminists in town – Mat-Su Moms for Social Justice. Earlier this month they led an anti-Trump, anti-Amy Coney Barrett, pro-abortion march through town – sprinkling in climate change, LGBTQ rights and other progressive themes.
Sabrena used the private Facebook page of Mat-Su Moms for Social Justice to rally this progressive posse to support her cause.
She openly admitted to them that she modeled her mask mandate after the controversial one now imposed in Anchorage under acting mayor Austin Quinn-Davidson and the hard-left Assembly.
Here’s what the proposed Palmer ordinance says.
“All individuals must wear masks or face coverings over their noses and mouths when they are indoors in public settings or communal spaces outside the home, or outdoors when at a gathering or, when not at a gathering, when 6 feet of physical distancing from non-household members, (or small chosen close group) cannot be maintained.”
Business owners will be enlisted as enforcers over the general public.
Basically, wear a mask at nearly all times and in all places.
For those who prefer a face shield instead of a suffocating mask – too bad. No one is allowed to substitute a face shield for a mask unless they “cannot tolerate a mask due to a physical or mental disability.” This would include those who are deaf or hard of hearing.
Additional exceptions are made for those who cannot safely wear a mask while doing things like getting their teeth cleaned or operating equipment that a mask might interfere with (think entanglement).
A special onus will be on employers who “must make sure employees who are present in the workplace have access to and wear masks or face coverings when with others.”
…the city reserves the right to use all available enforcement options to ensure compliance.
Additionally, business owners will be enlisted as enforcers over the general public, and are required to “deny admittance to any individual who fails to comply with this order and shall require or compel removal of such individuals from the premises.”
The only time a business can allow a faceless customer is if the patron removes their mask to “eat, drink or briefly scratch an itch.” And fitness clubs are allowed to let people work out without a mask so long as they are doing “high intensity exercise.”
Small children – under age two – are not required to wear masks.
There are no religious exemptions mentioned, but presenters, musicians and “others communicating to an audience” can go maskless if they are a full 25 feet from the audience and everyone else in attendance is wearing masks.
The ordinance does not spell out how Sabrena would like the city to enforce her law, but it does state that “the city reserves the right to use all available enforcement options to ensure compliance.”
ALASKA WATCHMAN DIRECT TO YOUR INBOX
Sabrena tried to call this meeting with hardly any public notice but, as she told the Mat-Su Moms group, the state’s Open Meetings Act requires “specific notice of meetings,” something she wants to change in the future.
“I believe we should have the ability to have an emergency meeting within 24 hours, if needed, so this is something else I’m putting on my ‘to do’ list,” she said.
It should be an interesting meeting on Wednesday. If you’d like to send a letter to the city clerk on the matter, email her at nalley@palmerak.org before 5 p.m. on Nov. 18 and ask that your letter be read into the record.
TAKING ACTION
28 Comments
All the conservatives that did not show up to vote in the Palmer election have this on their hands. The voter turnout for the city was astoundingly dismal. I’m weary of hearing the lazy excuse that one can’t make a difference, government won’t change, yada yada,. Well you are now seeing the difference of not voting. Enjoy.
Elizabeth, first one to comment, said it just perfectly. You may blame Anchorage if you want but the plain truth is that residents of local cities and the MSB in general were too busy to be bothered to vote on election day. If you don’t like an outcome, make a promise to yourself that from now on you will be a super-voter, cast an INFORMED vote every time you are able to vote.
Yeah if you didn’t vote you deal with it. I don’t care how you feel! If you didn’t get out and vote you have no right to say anything about political situations that effect you, your family, your city, your state. Just sit back and let it happen people! That’s what you get!!
Unfortunately, many of us who live in Palmer don’t actually live within the city limits and so cannot vote for city council, even though our children attend Palmer schools or play sports there, our churches are located there, and we do our shopping and eating there. There is a growing contingent of liberals within the core area of Palmer while the areas surrounding the city remain quite conservative. Still, most of us consider Palmer our city and are concerned about the changes…
Exactly!!!
Have any of you ever noticed that “progressives as a group are so regressive ?Which in turn when challenged makes them oppressive . And then just to prove their point, they become aggressive.
Yes. These people pictured apparently think they are wearing masks to make the climate better. The mayor is a nut job–who appointed that to Palmer government? Lol
Accurate statement there.
Totally agree!
Wow! Absolutely disappointed. Must be all the anchorage folks moving out to the valley and turning the borough blue. Instead of moving away from tyranny and turning a conservative town into a dumpster fire like anchorage, those residents should have stayed where they were and fixed their city. I was almost certain Alaskans loved their freedom but after the recent round of mail in ballot that have been counted I’m now worry that Alaska will continue downhill.
I have been thinking about the folks fleeing Anchorage, and bringing the same politics that voted in the socialists there. It has been the same old scenario that we have seen in Colorado, and other states they have infected. Same old “rules for thee, but not for me” mindset… It’s not too early to go ahead, and start a recall petition though… I did vote, but NOT for her.
I was thinking about this. However being from anchorage but not able to vote in Palmer is a bummer. My brother and sister moved out here a week after the election. Very much against all the mask mandates and live In downtown Palmer area. Will vote and do vote conservative and very red! Look at voter turnout, opponent, and promises. It’s pretty tough to point the finger when most the people I know moving to the valley to escape anchorage aren’t trying to turn it blue but love the redness of it
I should have mentioned the fact that there are indeed, many conservatives in Anchorage. People typically live where their jobs are, or near by. Sometimes, we fail to mention things like that.
I do not live in Anchorage proper actually live in very Conservative Chugiak. Believe when I say Anchorage does nothing but use Eagle River and Chugiak as their piggy bank hopefully we make the Eaglexit soon.
Crazy!! Go back to California.
My understanding is that they need a 3/4 majority to implement emergency orders. That is 5.25 votes out of 7 to be 3/4.
Matsu Moms for social justice are pro abortion? So really they are Matsu Moms Who Murder. I feel sorry for their children, those living and those killed.
Ya I can see a physical war happening in Palmer. The first time a karen tries to play cop and gets shot people will think differently. Or when somebody empties a can of bear spray into a business. It’s going to get nasty really quick
Better to use the bat for salmon on their head.
Alaska falls under the 9th circuit court out of California. This does not surprise me. But Palmer is a small community. I see bodies floating up on the beach if these feminist degenerates try their crap. The cops can only trespass you from a business at most. People will just quit shopping at these businesses and then they will fold. I have seen it too many times in alaska. REAL alaskans aren’t going to put up with their shit!
I’m a mom. And Grandma. And I live in the Mat-Su. And I believe in social Justice. I only have one thing to say to the residents of Palmer; Get Woke – Go Broke. And that is some true Social Justice not the hateful, racist, elitist stuff the left spreads. See yah when you fix your problem.
“As of this week, cases in the Matanuska-Susitna Borough were doubling every seven to eight days — the state’s fastest growth rate, along with the Kenai Peninsula… Mat-Su residents have Alaska’s highest test positivity rate for a region on the road system.
There have been 78 COVID-19 cases reported at Mat-Su schools in the last two weeks.”
Karen wants you all to believe that the numbers are not made up by people who want to control you. The masses are so gullible. Nobody is talking about cancer or DUI deaths or brain cancer or anything else. It’s all covid. Ever wonder why? Because you can control the masses thru fear. Scare them enough and they will do anything you want them to. SLAVES. Same old game different plantation. The wuhan flu is no more deadly than the regular flu. 99 percent recovery rate. And the mask does not stop it in either direction. It is a cloth of submission to your masters. And you all support it like some kind of trophy. I’m ashamed of you alaska
I noticed some of my comments are getting removed from this communist website. Never thought that would happen in a state like alaska but then again when communists from Cali and or and wa infiltrate local government I guess alot of feelings get hurt. I hope these idiots all float up on the beaches of Ketchikan half eaten by sharks. That’s all they’re good for anyway. Or maybe some crab pots. Let’s see how long it takes you to remove this one you sorry bastards!
Please fix the links. Both the links to the proposed ordinance and “the matter” point to a location on a computer’s hard drive. It would be great to be able to use the links to find more information on the proposed ordinance.
I doubt anyone against masks would be able to explain the role that transcription ribonucleic acid has in viral replication. As far as loss of freedoms try North Korea, Soviet era Russia, or Nazi Germany as opposed to simply wearing a mask to possibly help your fellow man.
The same disinformation dressed up as news. in the end the cry will be ”the pandemic was rigged” instead of admitting to lies that cost lives.
Combs is a tyrant. She needs to resign. Everything she stands for is against our civil liberties.