My Background:  I came to Ketchikan in 1985 to spend a year with my in-laws. My in-laws are gone now, but my year isn't quite up yet.

Professionally: Before coming to Ketchikan, I was a Special Education teacher, consultant, administrator and Director. Shortly after arriving in Ketchikan I was hired as the Coordinator of Adult Education.

Politically:

• In the 1980s and 90s, I was elected to two terms on the school board and was appointed twice more for short stays.
• I served as chair of the North Tongass Service area board for five years.
• Was elected to the consolidation committee.
• Was elected twice to the Borough Assembly; during which time I served as chair of PLEDAC and worked primarily on economic development issues.
• I was appointed by Governor Parnell to serve on the State Local Boundary Commission.
• I was appointed to the Planning Commission and work on planning and economic development issues and make regular reports to the Assembly.
• I even had a brief sojourn, or foray on to the School Board again.

What I stand for:

Elected officials come in all packages and orientations. Many are content to receive information from staff and make decisions based on the packet. But that is not me.

Governmental institutions like institutions everywhere have an internal momentum. It takes pressure to move the institutions in any new or different direction. That is a role I like to take. Over the last few years I tried to work with the chamber and other elected officials to do many things, among them:

• In the arts: the initial acquisition of the Performing Art Center, The year of the Artist, and funding the sculpture the Rock. (So Dave Rubin would not scale back his iconic sculpture)
• Fishing industry: Pushed to use the fish tax money to support the fishing industry instead of putting it in the general fund. By doing this the City and Borough have been able to: buy new dock carts, repair the net float, and pursue the building of a drive down dock that fishermen have wanted for decades.
• There was the Prince Rupert initiative
• The promotion of the mariculture industry and  help the acquisition of  nursery equipment for OceansAlaska.
• We worked on a buy local campaign and the Tax Free day to encourage folks to spend their permanent fund in Ketchikan instead of on the Internet.
• And finally there was the public private partnership in the Maritime Initiative.

Currently I am promoting two ideas.

First a proposal to increase affordable workforce housing so that we can retain our young professionals. Without housing they move on. They are the foundation of Ketchikan's future.

Thinking regionally, the second idea is to reach out and try to establish a working relationship with the communities on Prince of Wales. Right now in our region, what is good for POW is good for Ketchikan. During my trip ot Southeast Conference, I coordinated a lunch with the Prince of Wales delegation. We discussed a possible joint meeting between the Borough and the P.O.W. municipalities. I will be reporting on that meeting at the next Borough Assembly meeting.

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Stories In The News
Ketchikan, Alaska

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