Anchorage Daily News

WASILLA -- The couple that helped expose the City of Wasilla's questionable dealings with a developer is now asking for compensation equal to half the mayor's salary, or $37,500 to be exact.

Bob and Annette Andres made their demand in a letter to the city dated Sept. 2. They are also seeking another $7,000 for out-of-pocket expenses, for a total of $44,500.

The Andreses own the Windbreak Cafe along the Parks Highway, located in front of a shopping center being developed by Meritage Development Group. They spent months sleuthing around in public records after learning the city planned to put a Meritage-requested road across their parking lot.

Bob Andres said now they expect to get paid for their time: More than 1,000 hours, according to his calculations. He and his wife consider their time as valuable as the mayor's, he said.

"It was the most brutal thing my wife and I have ever gone through. We are delighted that it's over with," Andres said. "Silly as it might seem, we actually believe they're going to do the right thing."

In August 2007, the couple learned of city plans to bisect the Windbreak parking lot with an access road to the shopping center and vacate another nearby road, all at Meritage's request. A letter Mayor Dianne Keller sent appeared to threaten use of eminent domain, which would force them to sell their land.

Fearing the end of their business, the couple got to work. Annette is a vice president for Wells Fargo and Bob says he graduated with a degree in accounting and finance.

They dug into city documents and e-mails, Bob Andres said. The couple spent hours with city council members, trying to get their point across.

"I would be up until 3 o'clock in the morning because basically I thought they were going to destroy my facility," Andres said.

In February, Wasilla's city council hired a private law firm to investigate claims by the Andreses and other property owners that the administration gave Meritage an unfair advantage. Denali Law Group in June found that officials "did attempt to coerce the private property owners into entering into negotiations with the private developer."

That month, the council asked Keller to resign. She refused, and survived a vote of no confidence in July.

The council will take up the compensation request at its Monday night meeting.

City attorney Thomas Klinkner has already advised members that the Andres' letter does not provide enough specifics or documentation of time and expenses to "support the Council's authorization of any payment of compensation," according to a letter dated Sept. 11.

Klinkner also said Keller withdrew any threat of eminent domain action in a letter to Bob Andres in mid-September.

He said he would be willing to review further explanation and documentation.

City clerk Jamie Newman said she couldn't remember a comparable request.

Andres has invited council members to come look at all the paperwork he and Annette collected before making a decision.

"We want this to be done. I don't want to make a big deal out of it," he said. "I want them to come over, look at it, and say, 'You know, he was right. We didn't do this properly.' "

Find Zaz Hollander online at adn.com/contact/zhollander or call 907-352-6711.

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