How have we let the Most Troublesome and Worst Ever Road Service Area (RSA) contractor in the History of the MSB become the “expert” on Roads for the MSB?

Op-Ed by Dennis R. Garrett

Tews Inc. (and his numerous related companies, some of which have changed names) was a contractor in the MSB for over 15 years, and have built quite an impressive record of non-compliance. The link includes an 11 page PDF document listing

Road Maintenance Contractors-Negative Action Spreadsheet 2001-2015

Tews: 85 Negative Actions. 6 Letters of Deficiency, 22 Letters of Non-Compliance, and 1 Refusal to Correct. And 3 (Three) Terminations from the MSB. This is an 11 page document obtained through the Freedom of Information Act.

During this same time period, all 5 other Contractors combined received a total of just 11 Negative Actions, and of those 11, one Contractor received 7 Notices. McKenna Bros. had 0 Negative actions.

Over the past three years the Public Works Department, with Mr. Tew’s encouragement, has slowly been pushing long time, highly experienced employees out the door and replacing them with non-experienced employees. The RSA superintendent, who oversees the road contractors, had a requirement to have 10 years of road construction experience, is now a “road technician” with no experience required.

No need to have expert oversight on how millions of tax dollars are spent.

The Public Works Department formerly had superintendents that would or could respond 24 hours a day for public safety needs. Now this position only works 8-4:30 so they don’t have to pay overtime. And Alaska never gets snow or ice at night!

Mr. Tew claims to be out of the contracting business, but his son Claton Tew, or Clayton Tew Jr, in various documents, is listed as 51% owner (Whitney Tew owns the other 49%) Battleground, LLC, Entity #: 10195275. https://www.commerce.alaska.gov

. is actively bidding on MSB works continuously, and getting some of the work. How is that not a conflict of interest, and yet another example of Tew’s nepotism? Tew also rents equipment and shop space to his son and other contracting companies. The contracts Assembly member Tew is approving in his Official capacity at the Assembly are coming back as rent and leases to his family.

“Mokie” has been busy in the Assembly, but is frustrated by his failed attempts to change Borough codes for his and his family’s benefit. “…violating MSB ethics code provisions… which prohibit self-dealing and nepotism by introducing Matanuska Assembly Resolution No. PC 22- 02,” which would have terminated an existing road service contractor in the Big Lake area and, established a time-and-materials contracting method for road service work.”

“…directly benefits Tew and his family members despite the additional costs to Borough taxpayers.”

Now, for some inexplicable reason, “Mokie” Tew is considered to be the Assembly’s and Managers expert on roads and road service items. I’m thinking he’s the expert on how not to do it.

It’s long past time for a change. We have been without representation or a voice in the MSB Assembly for years, and we need a new Representative that is there to Represent the Citizens of his district, rather than for personal and financial interests.

Sources

Mokie Tew recall, Mat-Su Borough, Alaska (2022)
https://ballotpedia.org/Mokie_Tew_recall,Mat-Su_Borough,_Alaska(2022)
https://www.adn.com/alaska-news/mat-su/2016/10/21/mat-su-borough-terminates-last-chance-road-contract-with-big-lake-company/