Ever since Alaska State Troopers said last year that they would close down their post in the Southcentral Alaska community of Girdwood, the town has been searching for a public safety solution. Now, Girdwood's preferred method of maintaining law enforcement calls upon neighboring Whittier to provide two officers, who will be paid for by the taxpayers of the ski town.
"Quite honestly, we don't have another alternative," said Sam Daniel, Girdwood Board of Supervisors co-chair. "If Whittier doesn't come through, we're going to be in a world of hurt. They're the only viable option."
Hiring the Whittier officers is inching closer to reality. The Anchorage Assembly will take comments and vote on an ordinance Tuesday that would submit a ballot proposition to Girdwood voters during the April election. The proposition, if approved, would add "police protection services" to the existing powers of the Girdwood Valley Service Area at the sole expense of the service area's residents.
Alaska State Troopers announced a year ago that the Girdwood post would be shuttered due to the state's budget crisis, with the initial date of closure set for Jan. 2016. But troopers extended their stay by six months, a relief for the town that hadn't yet decided how to provide public safety moving forward.
Months of planning and discussions led to the Whittier option. Residents polled about law enforcement favored that solution over others, which ranged from starting a local police department to doing nothing at all.
Whittier providing help is the cheapest option, Daniel said. According to the language of the ballot, the estimated annual cost is $620,000, amounting to an annual property tax increase of about $118 for every $100,000 of real estate for Girdwood property owners.
Daniel said the board has most recently been working on the language of the proposed ballot. The initial wording was very general, he said, but the town's representatives wanted to ensure the Girdwood electorate knew the board's intent is to partner with Whittier.
The board has clarified its intent, but the ballot language will remain broad. Daniel said officials didn't want to "tie their hands" if Whittier could not pull through and provide the services.
Anchorage Assembly member Jennifer Johnston has worked for months with the board to formulate a viable solution for Girdwood. She proposed an ordinance in September that called for a special mail-in vote to Girdwood voters to increase taxes for police. But the town needed more time to develop its options.
"Out of all their work, this is the plan they've come up with," Johnston said Friday. "They've done their due diligence for the community. Now, we just need to get the ballot in the way they're comfortable with."
Johnston said she remains concerned about the communities south of McHugh Creek, which will see less enforcement as Girdwood's plans include a local force rather than the troopers' historical approach -- patrol of the New Seward Highway with stops in the roadway communities as time and priority allowed.
Troopers have said they plan to cover the highway with available resources. Six Girdwood-based troopers will be reassigned, split evenly between Anchorage and Soldotna.
While the proposed model focuses on providing a law enforcement presence in Girdwood, Daniel said the Whittier police chief has agreed to conduct regular traffic enforcement on the Seward Highway between Girdwood and Portage when officers are commuting between the two towns.
Patrolling that stretch of the highway would require approval from the troopers. The Whittier Police Department has not contacted troopers about the possible arrangement and it would still need to be evaluated, said troopers spokesperson Megan Peters.
Two of Whittier's officers already live in Girdwood. Daniel said residents overwhelmingly support the Whittier option due to its price tag, but they also were interested in community policing.
"The fact that we would have officers who are active in the community, know the children and regularly interact with local businesses, we think that's a real positive that goes along with the values we have here," he said.