There are 7 candidates for the 4 open seats on the board.  Candidates include new and long time members of the community.  Candidates are:    Rick Leo, long time Trapper Creek resident;  Teri Lynn Dyrud, who just moved to the Trapper Creek area last March but has worked extensively with community organizations; Paula Glenka, a resident of Trapper Creek for the past  year; business owner Mike Miller; Sariah Neff, long time Alaskan and active volunteer for Trapper Creek preschool.  Kristie May Parsons is also running and is the special education teacher and operator of Arctic Curly Farm.  Paul Thomas, another new member of the community and currently an adjunct math instructor at Mat Su College, has also thrown his name in the ring.

The council will have a meet-and-greet the candidates potluck on April 21^st, before their regular monthly council meeting.  The council will be tackling a number of issues at that meeting including information on the Susitna Dam, a report on concerns regarding kennel licensing, suggested name change of the Chulitna Bridge as well as progress reports on their 2009 revenue sharing projects.

Their elections will be held two days – April 27^th and 28^th –at the Trapper Creek library during library hours.  Absentee ballots are available by request or at the Trapper Creek library during library hours.  The council has gone as far as having a sign up for people unable to drive themselves to the polls in order to arrange transportation.

Results of the election will be available April 29^th.

BIOGRAPHIES:

TeriLynn Dyrud, M.S.
My name is TeriLynn and I am a proud full time resident of Trapper Creek. My husband and I have businesses: Trapper Creek Soap Company, Northland Fishing Adventures and the Trapper Creek B & B. We moved to Trapper Creek in March of 2010. I have an extensive background in community organizations as well as grant writing and implementation. I am working on a doctorate in psychology. I am looking forward to volunteering my time to this wonderful community.

Paula Glenka – Homeowner and full time resident in Trapper Creek, I’m proud to be a part of this community. Being an active and productive member of the community is important to me. In business since 2005, I have a home office bookkeeping service. I look forward to volunteering my time and assisting in the continuing progress towards the betterment of our community.

Richard Leo – Has lived in Trapper Creek for 30 years.

Mike W. Miller – Mike Miller moved from Washington state in 2007. He and his wife – Julie have built their home and Alaska business in the Trapper Creek community. He is a business owner who is interested in promoting positive works in the community. He has been involved in golf course boards and community service boards in the past. His goal is to create a community environment where everyone’s individual skills and talents can be utilized for the good of the whole community.

Sariah Naff
Age: 30
Occupations: Owner/operator Alaska Pony’s and a Personal Care Attendant
As a mother of 3 elementary age children, whom are 5th generation Alaskans, I look at Trapper Creek’s future as what I would like for my children’s children and I actively work towards that vision. We have a wonderful rural environment that I would like to see continue with opportunities for our children that enrich their lives. Volunteering for the community is an important value within my family. I am an active volunteer for the Trapper Creek Preschool Program, Trapper Creek Parent Teacher Association, Cancer Research, Disabled Children, and for the Trapper Creek Community Services.

Kristie May Parsons
Age: 43
Occupations: Special Education Teacher and Owner/Operator Arctic Curly Farm
My occupational history provides me with skills that will benefit the Trapper Creek Community Council include: Community Service Director for UAF; Executive Assistant for the Downtown Association of Fairbanks; and Upper Susitna Soil & Water Conservation District Manager. I have skills to write winning grant proposals, to administer grants awarded by the Federal, State, and Borough governments and to pass audits of awarded grants. I have experience and knowledge of governmental policy and procedure execution and the ability to coordinate volunteer programs. Above all else I have been an active volunteer in my community and am known to walk my talk. My complete resume is available at the Trapper Creek Library.

Paul Thomas – Moved to Trapper Creek in July 2010. Formerly worked for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania (Department of Corrections) for 20 years as a teacher and Corrections School Principal. Currently employed as an adjunct math instructor at Mat-Su College. Appointed as interim Community Council Treasurer in October 2010. Long term goal is to see a suspension bridge connecting Talkeetna and Trapper Creek made of stone towers quarried and stacked by inmates seeking to improve their lives through honest hard work and positive goal achievement.

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3. How long have I lived in Mat-Su borough?
I purchased a home in the valley (Mat-Su borough) in 1985 (25-years).

4. What is my motive for running for mayor?
Over the past 25 years there have been many people elected mayor of our Mat-Su borough.
I have served as member on the Mat-Su borough citizen’s budget advisory committee.
I have served as a Road Service Area (RSA) supervisor.
During this time I have seen many residents become frustrated with the results of the borough assembly’s actions and/or inactions.  Borough property taxes have continued to go up.  Tax payer money has been spent on projects that appear to have little preplanning.

5. Do you think you can make a change?
My goal as mayor will be to work with all borough departments to develop and implement long range plans and to give voters a wider choice of candidates.

6. What experience do I have running meetings and selecting boards?
Over the past 36 years I have worked in the telecommunications (telephone) business in Alaska.
I have served as vice-president of operations for an Alaska company providing local telephone service to bush communities.  During that time I worked with and coordinated loan negotiations with the Rural Electrification Administration (REA) to finance and build six new switching and outside plant systems in bush communities.
I worked for Anchorage Telephone Utility for 13 years as a senior telephone switch engineer and as manager of inside plant engineering.  In that capacity I supervised up to eleven telecommunications (switching) engineers and coordinated projects ranging up to 15-million dollars.

7. What are my political affiliations?
I am an undeclared.

8. What are political affiliations who would you likely be compared to or LIKE to be compared to politically?
As stated in #7 above I do not have any major political party connections.  In the past I have been a republican and a democrat.  I became totally frustrated with both party platforms and chose undeclared.

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The Assembly has been interviewing and looking at potential candidates for months.  They whittled the list of 60 candidates down to three  candidates a few weeks ago.

The Assembly deliberated on the issue for three hours last night before unanimously passing the motion. The Assembly has directed the staff to hire an executive search firm to continue the selection process for the next Borough manager.

It is unknown at this point how long the selection process will take now that a search firm will be involved.

Search firms many times ask for a percentage of the salary of the executive they are searching for, which could put the cost of this particular search between 25 and 35% of the manager’s annual salary. It is not known what firm will be chosen to help find the new manager.

Past manager John Duffy resigned the position and left in June of this year.  The assistant manager, Elizabeth Gray, became acting Borough manager. She’ll continue on as acting Borough manager as long as the search is underway.

The special elections for mayor are going to be held on January 11.

So far, 12 people have declared their candidacy. Among them are Frank Bettine, John Leiner, Ken Clark, Larry DeVilbiss, Candy Gibson, Patricia Wade, David Wilson and Kurt Jarmer.

Interested candidates have to fill out a declaration of candidacy form, financial disclosure and campaign forms as well as submit a photo and a candidate statement. The complete packet has to be submitted by Friday 5 p.m. to the Mat-Su Borough clerk’s office.

Until the election, assembly member Ron Arvin serves as the deputy mayor and presides over assembly meetings.

Justin Koles and Blaine Humphries attended the regular monthly council meeting on Thursday and declared their candidacy to run for regular seats on the board of directors. Ken “Panic” Holbrook was also present but withdrew his name from the list of candidates seeking election for a regular seat. He opted to run for one of the alternate seats. Eric Runstrom, already an alternate, is running again for one of the two alternate seats.

Alternate Scott Holcomb was appointed to fill the remainder of Wade Bartel’s term. Bartel resigned from the board citing personal time constraints.

The council holds its election on November 4 at the Upper Susitna Senior Center.

This year, incumbent Myrl “Boone” Thompson of Big Lake is being challenged by Wasilla resident Lynn Gattis.  The seat is seat G, which is generally thought of as the ‘upper valley seat’.

Gattis  has lived in Alaska her entire life. She is excited about the new superintendent and believes he is more transparent than past administrators.  She believes she’ll bring a different aspect to the Board on how to fix the problems, which is not to throw more money at it but do more with less. She believes that the ideas used in the past aren’t working and changes need to be made. She says that teachers are the biggest priority when it comes to contracts. Her mother lives in east Talkeetna and she either flies or drives up to Talkeetna often.  She is the current assistant secretary of the Alaska GOP. Residents can follow her on twitter and her facebook page.

Thompson currently sits on the School Board.  He spent about 4 years in Juneau writing about the legislature and says he learned a lot from the political process in those years. He says he is running for a second term because he wants to provide continuity on the board.  He was apprehensive about the new administration but says the new superintendent is very professional and knowledgeable.  He says it was hard to get straight answers about the budget in the past, but he believes that has changed for the better.  He says he tends to go out of his way for the upper valley because they tend to lack representation. He enjoys the challenge of the Board and wants to continue to move the district forward and continuing improving schools in the district.

Voters will choose between Thompson and Gattis for Seat G.  Susan Pougher, of Palmer, is running uncontested for Seat C.   The current School Board president Colleen Vague, of Wasilla,  is being challenged by Neal Lacy of Wasilla for Seat F.

Council chair Billy Fitzgerald says the council bylaws say nothing about continuing the nomination process after the September meeting.  The council had less nominees than open seats on the ballot this year, something long time resident Roberta Sheldon called “unprecedented”.

Council member Meghaan Vaughan resigned from the board after getting a new job and moving.  That left one vacant seat as well as the 4 open seats for the October election.

According to Fitzgerald there will be no early or absentee voting as there was last year.  All residents living in the Talkeetna council area can vote at the Talkeetna library for the slate of nominees on October 5^th, the same day as Borough elections.

The ballot now includes 5 candidates, according to Fitzgerald. He added there may be more interested individuals but they have not committed to run for election. There are 5 open seats.  The slate of candidates for the council Board of Directors so far is Larry Dearman, Mary Farina, incumbent Sharon Montanigno, Deb Wessler and Robert Gerlach.

(Voting for residents in the Talkeetna Council area is from 8 a.m. to 8 pm at the Talkeetna Library on October 5th)

The council’s board of directors unanimously voted to extend the nomination time period if the bylaws allow.  Otherwise, people can run as a write-in candidate.

The nominees for the upcoming Talkeetna Community Council election are Larry Dearman, Mary Farina, Sharon Montaningno and Deb Wessler.  The election is on Tuesday, October 5^th.

The council had a long list of items they covered at their meeting including Borough C-I-P applications, revenue sharing, trash and debris at the end of F Street, a report from a visit by code compliance officers, a proposed public fishery information center, request for the Borough to start the Riverfront Management Plan process, scheduled upgrade of B street, a Railroad spraying update and discussion of snowmachine traffic in winter.

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Assemblyman for the upper valley, Vern Halter, is up for reelection in 2012.

Five candidates have filed for school board seats.  School Board Seat G, which is the upper valley seat, will see Myrl Thompson run against Lynn Gattis.  Thompson lives in Big Lake. Gattis is from Wasilla.

For School Board F, incumbent Colleen Vague is running against Neal Lacy and Susan Pougher  is the only filer for Seat C.  The school board, unlike the Borough Assembly is an open ballot, meaning everyone in the Borough votes for every seat.

The Borough election is October 5^th.

This week’s Susitna Community Council board of director elections drew four candidates running for four open full seats and three candidates for two alternate seats. KTNA asked each candidate the same three questions and here are the answers in their own words.

Candidates running for full board of director seats:

( The order of appearance is sorted alphabetically)

Susitna Community Council candidate: Wade Bartel

What is your motivation to run for office and what qualifies you to be part of the Susitna Community Council?

Wade Bartel: In order to fully appreciate why anybody runs for a seat on the Community Council, one must understand that it is not a position that comes with an exceptional amount of power or clout.  It is a position that requires that the participant accept their civic responsibility to get involved. I have made the decision to do just that, get involved.  As for my qualifications, I have lived in the council area for the past fifteen years and I care about the direction that our community is taking.  I am a local business owner, property owner, parent and I’m motivated.  Beyond that, however, I have been approached by many local residents who have genuine concerns for the area.  They are not all in a position to get directly involved with shaping the future of our community but their views do deserve adequate and accurate representation.

In your opinion, what are the council area’s greatest challenges and issues and how do you propose to meet them?

Wade Bartel: There are two main challenges and issues that the Susitna Community Council is facing at this time. The first is community involvement. There seems to be a general misconception that the Community Council is an inert organization that accomplishes very little.  That is simply not the case.  The Susitna Community Council is made up of a group of dedicated individuals who have committed their time and efforts for the improvement of our area. However, as of late, they have not been experiencing a great deal of community support.  Support does not mean agreement, it means involvement.  It is very difficult to represent the wishes of the community if very few speak up.  I would like to encourage concerned residents to come to the council meetings and lets us know what we can do to help them.  I would also like to see the Community Council take a more visible role in the community. 

The second important issue that the Community Council is immediately facing is the upcoming SPUD (Special Use District) hearings.  These SPUDs will produce new regulations for our area that can include issues such as zoning, restrictions on business, public access and general private property rights.  As a community, we are faced with three different avenues that we can take: We can do nothing; in which case the Mat-Su Borough will decide what they think is best for our community and pass these regulations as they see fit. We can allow the Susitna Community Council to go into the process without community support. We can get involved and make our wishes and opinions known so that the Susitna Community Council can direct the SPUDs in the direction that is best suited for our community. 

It is my intention to encourage this third option.  We as a community must let our representatives know what we think so that they can responsibly direct the SPUDs in a direction that allows a balance between inevitable growth and the preservation of our community.  
 

In your opinion, what are the council area’s strengths and how do you propose to take advantage on them for the benefit of the residents?

Wade Bartel: The Susitna Community Council area is very large and diverse.  Although this does present a certain set of challenges in its own right; it also gives us a wide community base to draw from.  With a wide community base comes a great deal of experience that can help the Community Council maintain a responsible direction. Our area is also a very good representation of rural Alaska.  We have beautiful landscapes and creeks. These features will always draw visitors and new residents to our area.  If responsibly managed, this will always be a great place to live and do business. 

Susitna Community Council candidate: Robert Coleman (incumbent)

 What is your motivation to run for office and what qualifies you to be part of the Susitna Community Council?

Robert Coleman: My family homesteaded near Sheep Creek in 1960 prior to any roads coming into the area. I have seen many changes during that time and feel I need to have a voice in our future. I have served as a board member and President of the former Y Community Council and current Susitna Community Council, learning all the way.

In your opinion, what are the council area’s greatest challenges and issues and how do you propose to meet them?

Robert Coleman: Among the council areas greatest challenges is prior developments that did not provide the infrastructure they now need to support them-too small lots not allowing for even wells, septic systems, or in some cases legal road access. Current property owners are now being strapped with trying to correct and pay for these issues. We must make sure the Mat-Su Borough is aware of our wants and needs and factors these into any future code revisions.

 In your opinion, what are the council area’s strengths and how do you propose to take advantage on them for the benefit of the residents?

Robert Coleman: Our areas strength comes from a resident population that all in all cares about where they live, likes the quality of life they have and want to work to channel the inevitable growth in the area in a positive direction without negatively restricting development. AS I stated above, we will work to make sure our voices are heard.

Susitna Community Council candidate: Phenie Miller

 What is your motivation to run for office and what qualifies you to be part of the Susitna Community Council?

Phenie Miller: I live in and am a business owner in this community, so therefore I have a vested interest both personally and professionally in how our community evolves over the years.  I feel that we are in the beginning stages of defining what our community will be like in 25 years and I think it is important to have a variety of perspectives when making decisions that will impact the future of our community and our families.  As far as my qualifications, I suppose one of my greatest strengths is my ability to listen and interpret the essence of what is being said and restate it so others might be able to understand.  I have held many leadership positions and have been successful in achieving objectives through healthy debate, good humor, and striving to find commonality rather than focusing on differences; thereby finding resolutions with win, win, win outcomes.

In your opinion, what are the council area’s greatest challenges and issues and how do you propose to meet them?

Phenie Miller: Apathy and lack of information are the greatest challenges.  We do not have a highly involved community, most do not vote and don’t participate in community decision-making, though many have very strong opinions; they are not in a position where they have ready access to information that may impact their lifestyles.  Even I have found it difficult on occasion to know what is happening in our community that may impact my family or my business and I do attempt to seek out that information as time permits.  I would like to work with the community council to find ways to bring together the disparate communities that we represent and find ways to increase the level of communication to all those who live in our council area.  This will be more important as it becomes necessary for us to debate issues that involve area-wide growth, public access and private property owner rights.

In your opinion, what are the council area’s strengths and how do you propose to take advantage on them for the benefit of the residents?

Phenie Miller: The qualities that brought most of us to the area is it’s greatest strength; the remote feeling, access to the outdoors, fishing, hunting, wildlife viewing, dog mushing, snow machining, cross country skiing, hiking, berry picking, growth potential and the sheer beauty of our lakes, rivers, streams, meadows and mountains.  Growth is coming our way, we must accept that and find a way to be able to maintain the overall look and feel of our area while preparing for that growth.  It is important to ensure as much as possible that we can all maintain our chosen lifestyle and provide for areas that allow recreation for those who come here to play.

Susitna Community Council candidate: Bronn Salmon

What is your motivation to run for office and what qualifies you to be part of the Susitna Community Council?

Bronn Salmon: My motivation for running is simple, to do what I can to try and contribute and improve my community. My qualifications include some 20+ years in and working for the Department of Defense (DOD) so I am familiar with protocol and politics. I have served on several non-profit boards and have over 10 years of management experience as well as running my own business for more than 15 years.

In your opinion, what are the council area’s greatest challenges and issues and how do you propose to meet them?

Bronn Salmon: I feel that currently the council’s greatest challenge is community involvement or rather the lack thereof. I don’t see how we can be successful without getting people plugged in and involved. In order to resolve this issue first I believe that we need perform some self-promotion and marketing. We need to get the word out to residents as to what our issues are and how they can get involved and help. 

In your opinion, what are the council area’s strengths and how do you propose to take advantage on them for the benefit of the residents?

Bronn Salmon: Our greatest strength is the people within this community, their willingness to help others, their drive and passion for what they believe in and their love of the nature and freedom that surrounds us. From this strength we gain power. The power to question. The power to change. The power to remain resolute.

Candidate answers running for alternate seats:

 Candidate Scott Holcomb

What is your motivation to run for office and what qualifies you to be part of the Susitna Community Council?

Scott Holcomb: My motivation running for this office is simple. My wife and I are raising two children, have lived in this area, in the same spot for 26 years. We are committed residents of this area and care about what happens here. My qualifications, beyond basic residency, include past service on the council, then known as Y Community Council. I was elected to two terms as a full board member. I also, from 2002 to 2005 served on the YCC comprehensive plan planning team. I helped to get the comprehensive plan passed and most recently I served as an alternate board member.

In your opinion, what are the council area’s greatest challenges and issues and how do you propose to meet them?

Scott Holcomb: Our area’s greatest challenge is population increase and therefore increased development. How we as a community respond to this is critical if we are also to maintain all the qualities of this area that make it a great place to live, work, raise a family, recreate etc. To meet those challenges, I feel, we, the community, need to strengthen our comprehensive plan through the SPUD process (or its replacement) in order to make sure, for example, our watersheds are protected. Another example would be shielding our residential areas from incompatible development. The comprehensive plan gives area residents some control over our destiny. A stronger comp plan gives are residents more power to decide our area’s future as opposed to others deciding for us – whether they be the Borough, state or commercial interests from outside the area.

In your opinion, what are the council area’s strengths and how do you propose to take advantage on them for the benefit of the residents?

Scott Holcomb: Our greatest strengths are our local residents – many of whom are very talented and self-sufficient. Our large area is rich in natural beauty and natural resources. We do not have the problems other areas have for the most part – yet. Such as pollution, lack of open land, heavy traffic, urban sprawl and rampant crime. We have a chance to do it right. We should make use of this opportunity. 

(Editor’s note: by Wednesday, October 28, we have not received Eric Runstrom’s or Davis Miller’s response)

Photos by Diana Haecker

The Susitna Community Council is holding board of director elections next week during their regular council meeting on Thursday, November 5 at the Senior Center/ Su Valley High School .Four seats are up for election and four candidates tossed their hats in the ring. Outgoing council members not running for office again are Robert Ambrose, Sue Drover and Mandy Hartley. Current council president Robert Coleman’s seat is up for election and Coleman opted to run for office again. Candidates running for regular board of director positions are Wade Bartel, Phenie Miller and Bronn Salmon. Running for two alternate seats are Scott Holcomb, Davis Miller and Eric Runstrom.

Absentee ballots are available by calling council member Terrence Shanigan at 907-244-8165.

The Susitna Community Council area encompasses an area north of Willow, including Caswell, up to the Trapper Creek area and bordering on the Talkeetna Community Council area near Answer Creek.

  The Talkeetna Community Council has three new Directors for their Board. Meghaan    Vaughan, the youngest director, took the most votes with 135 of 187 total voters casting  their ballot for her. The other two elected directors, Cary Birdsall and Howard Carbone received 130 votes each. Larry Dearman was in fourth place with 66 votes. This year, Loudon Wilson, outgoing director, acted as the election official and appointed a panel of 7 residents to help count the votes.

In the Mat Su Borough election, the sales tax ordinance failed by a large margin. Proposition number 2, which was a school bond proposition looks like it has failed, although there are one thousand four hundred and twenty three absentee ballots left to count and it only has a 483 vote gap. There is still a possibility that the proposition could pass.

Mayor Talis Colberg won in a landslide in the mayoral race.

Borough Assembly seat 7 goes to Vern Halter in a close race with Doyle Holmes. It is unlikely, even after absentee ballots are counted that Holmes could pull in front. In the Susitna District, Halter took 64% of the votes, in Talkeetna he took 74% of the vote and in Trapper Creek, Halter’s old stomping grounds,he took an even higher percentage. In Willow, the vote was 284 to 278, with Holmes in the lead. Meadow Lakes districts also votes on District 7. Halter took those districts with 55% of the vote.

In a strange turn, incumbent Michelle Church lost Assembly Seat 3 to Ron Arvin, CEO of NPI, the wood chipping company, who is currently in a lawsuit with the Borough. Jim Colver, past School Board president, is in a close race for Assembly seat 6, which may turn with the absentee and questioned ballot count.

Voter turnout in the election was low, with 20% of Susitna voters, 23% of Talkeetna voters, and 17% of Trapper Creek voters turning out. Voter turnout across the Borough was 22%. There are still close to two thousand questioned and absentee ballots to be counted. According to Borough officials, the count could take two weeks.

Other results:  The sales tax ordinance was soundly defeated.  The school bond issue failed in a close vote. Talis Colberg is the new (presiding) Borough mayor; Ron Arvin beat out Michelle Church in Asembly seat 3 race, Jim Colver took Borough seat 6 in a race so close that it is possible it could go to Jim Turner depending on absentee votes.

New School Board members are Erik Cordero, Sarah Welton, Mike Dunleavy

There was a 21.7% voter turnout overall for the election.

See this site tomorrow for updated information on precinct counts.

Borough election preliminary results are:  Mayor – Talis Colberg; Sales Tax ordinance – failed; school bond issue – failed;  However these are preliminary.  Currently waiting on District 7 results and confirmation on all vote tallies.

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Larry Dearman:

He moved here 7 years ago with his wife, Donna.  He is a retired federal employee.  He is running for the Council Board of Directors because he feels he has business sense to offer and says that  Board needs be as diverse as possible to represent ALL Talkeetna residents. He feels he represents a part of the community not represented at the present time.

He feels that Talkeetna is, and will be, facing growth issues in the years to come. “Talkeetna needs to decide how they want to look in the future,” he says.  He says he feels like he is moderate…he wants Talkeetna to keep the small town feel it has and at the same time, invite businesses other than tourism to be part of the community in order to be sustainable.

He is involved with the Upper Susitna Seniors Inc., volunteers his time at KTNA fundraisers, and became deeply interested in the Moose Dropping Festival issues when they occurred this summer. He is concerned with issues surrounding the Alaska Railroad, large corporate tourism as well as the reports of rising crime in the community.

Cary Birdsall: I came to Alaska from Syracuse, N. Y., in 1971. I was looking for cooler summers and wilder land, and a place where things didn’t feel so “decided”. Ironically, I ended up living in the biggest city in the state.

By 1989 I was married and had two young children – a new-born and a kindergartner.. Sarah, now my ex-wife, and I decided that Anchorage had gotten too big and busy, and too much like the places we had left to come to Alaska in the first place. Her family had settled up the tracks in the early 70′s, and we decided Talkeetna would be the place to go. In 1994 I finally landed a teaching job at Talkeetna Elementary School. In the ensuing years, both my children graduated from Susitna Valley Junior/Senior High School, and I retired from teaching after 28 years. I now substitute teach here, and presently serve on the Talkeetna Community Council and on the KTNA Board of Directors.

Serving on the Community Council gives me a chance to give something back to this community that has had such a positive influence on my children.

The most pressing issues Talkeetna faces at this time relate to growth and tourism. This is a unique little town, and over the years more and more people have, like myself, chosen to become a part of it. At the same time, more and more people and a number of cruise lines have chosen Talkeetna as a tourist destination. As Talkeetna grows, decisions are being made to accommodate this growth. I feel that as a community we need to make these decisions together. While there are people who feel that group decision making represents an invasion of privacy and individual rights, I think most people have literally looked down the road and realized that we have something special here that we can lose without some foresight and planning. A prime example of this need is our historical downtown district. Talkeetna was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in April of 1993. I think that the retention of this status is critical to our tourist industry, not to mention our way of life. This cannot be accomplished without planning and forethought in a public forum. The most inclusive public forum we have is our Community Council. While the power of the council is limited, its capacity to enhance communication among the citizens of Talkeetna is not. As a council member, I am most interested in the quality and effectiveness of this communication, whereby we all learn to appreciate each others needs and values, and work together to make this a place where we all can live. After fifteen years, I feel I am finally getting a handle on who we are as a community. I feel ready to listen and act, not as an individual with a personal agenda, but as a person who respects the many ways of life that comprise our community and wants to live in a place that accommodates these diversities.

This town is famous for coming together in times of individual need. At these times very few people withhold help based on political or social differences. We need to hold that same spirit when planning for the future of our town, and while meeting the changing needs of our selves and our fellow citizens in the present.

Howard Carbone:

My wife Noelle and I settled here in 1996. We could have chosen anywhere in the country and decided on Talkeetna because of the great people and strong sense of community. Since then we have built a home, founded a successful business, and started a family. Our business is Alaska Nature Guides, offering guided hikes in Talkeetna and Denali State Park. My favorite pastimes are being at home with my family, fishing, hunting, making music, community involvement, photography, hiking, and snowmachine logging on the Back 40.

I am running for Talkeetna Community Council because I love Talkeetna, I want to give back to the community, and I feel that I can be an effective board member. I have a solid understanding of Talkeetna from involvement in a wide variety of community organizations.  My temperament and skills will help me to contribute to the council. I am an even-keeled, reasonable person with moderate views and sound judgement. I have a rational, common-sense approach and a knack for problem solving. I am a good listener and will weigh issues objectively and fairly.

Our greatest challenge is to keep Talkeetna’s small town character and identity and the Talkeetna way of life in the face of constant change. This has taken a lot of hard work and vigilance over the years, and I am now ready to do my part. Big issues we will face include Talkeetna State Airport expansion, rising crime, and Alaska Railroad land use issues such as the Village Park, the riverfront, and their East Talkeetna lease lots. I will take a collaborative approach to these problems by gathering information and community perspectives.  I will promote an atmosphere of open communication, trust, and respect within the council and the community.  I will uphold the council’s influence by maintaining our good reputation and through actions that truly represent the will of the Talkeetna community. I would be honored to be part of the voice of the Talkeetna community. Please vote.

Meghaan Vaughan:

Meghan Vaughan is a lifelong Talkeetnan. She graduated from Su Valley High in 2002. She graduated from Montana State University in Bozeman in 2006. She moved back to Talkeetna and worked as a manager at the Talkeetna Alaskan Lodge, then worked at the day care center and is now substitute teaching at Talkeetna Elementary School. She plans on staying around and hopes for a full time position at Talkeetna Elementary in the near future. She is a year round resident, is vested in Talkeetna and feels like she has something to give back to her community. “I want to be more active in the decision making process in the town I was born and raised in and am so personally invested in.  I also believe it is important to have young voices represented on the Community Council and I hope to provide that.”

“I feel I am too new to the game to really pin-point specific town issues.  I can see how much Talkeetna has changed in the last 25 years, I can see that there are some pressing issues and I look forward to hearing all sides of these issues and helping the council make informed decisions. ”

Several of the candidates have websites/facebook to help voters try and chose which candidate they would like:

Seat A
Neal Lacy, Wasilla  www.ktva.com/ci_4215074
Jamey Duhamel, Wasilla www.facebook.com/posted.php?id=104808493761 ; www.jameyduhamel.com/?page_id=46
Mike Dunleavy, Wasilla www.mikedunleavyK12.com
Adam Boyd, Wasilla
Seat B
Sarah Welton, incumbent, Wasilla
Robert Doyle, Wasilla
James Tapley, Sutton
Seat E:
Erik Cordero, incumbent, Palmer www.hs.facebook.com/pages/Erick-Cordero/110432866973
Julie Collins, Big Lake www.blogger.com/profile/16485239078330460714
Dave Anderton, Palmer

Nominations for the Talkeetna Community Council Board of Directors election are officially closed.

The Talkeetna Community Council nominating committee met in the Talkeetna Village Park Monday night as a jump start on an initiative to hold family friendly events at the Park. Council board member Ellen Wolf says it was very cool to have the short meeting in the Park as a completely different venue.

The council board has 7 seats, 3 of which are open. The four candidates that will be on the ballot are : incumbent Cary Birdsall, Howard Carbone, Larry Dearman and Meghan Vaughan.

Ellen Wolf and Louden Wilson are stepping down from the council board.

The election will be October 6^th at the Talkeetna Library in conjunction with the Borough elections on the same day at the Talkeetna Elementary School

At its regular meeting on Thursday, the Susitna Community Council accepted four candidates running for regular council seats in the election this fall. Also, three area residents threw their hat in the ring for two alternate seats.

Seeking re-election is current council president Robert Coleman. The new candidates for the two-year term council seats are Phenie Miller, Wade Bartel and Bronn Salmon.Running for the one-year term alternate seats for are Scott Holcomb, Eric Runstrom and Davis Miller. Current council members Robert Ambrose, Sue Drover and Mandy Hartley are not seeking re-election.

Council vice-president Tami Hamler said that the candidates have the opportunity to speak at the next regular Susitna Community Council meeting on October 1