Several boards with vacant positions in the Upper Valley have multiple applicants, including the Caswell-Willow Fire Service Area and Caswell Lakes Road Service Area. But some seats will remain vacant on those boards, despite Upper Valley residents applying for them.
Borough Mayor Edna DeVries says she nominates individuals from the pool of applicants received. Those nominations are then forwarded to the Assembly who votes to approve or deny the appointment. Mayor DeVries says she relies on the Borough District Assembly member for advice in each area to make Board nominations. Assemblymember Ron Bernier represents District 7, which includes Willow, Caswell Lakes, Talkeetna, and Trapper Creek.
The Willow-Caswell Fire Service Area with five board members currently has two vacancies. According to the Borough website, the Fire Service Area Boards provide fire protection services in their respective areas. Three applications were received for the two Willow-Caswell vacancies. Those applicants include Tam Boeve, who currently sits on that FSA Board, serving a partial term from July 15 through the end of this year.
William Brewer, an applicant who listed experience in Scouts and Jacob Lamphier, a former firefighter with 14 years in the field also applied. Brewer was appointed to one of the open seats. Boeve’s seat will be vacant in January. She has served on the Willow FSA Auxiliary, one full term on the FSA several years ago, and on the McKinley Wildfire Recovery Team. She also was elected to serve as the District 7 Assemblymember in 2018. She lost to Bernier in 2021.
According to the Borough website, Road Service Areas advise the Assembly and administration on local road policy within the Borough. Most RSAs have three members. The Trapper Creek RSA Board with three seats and three vacancies had three new members appointed, two of whom have experience with the Alaska Department of Transportation.
The Caswell Lakes Area Road Service Board is one of the most active in the Upper Valley, attracting many residents from the local area to the monthly meetings. This RSA will have one vacancy in January. Sheena Fort, currently serving on that RSA Board submitted her application for reappointment, however, the Mayor has not made any nominations to fill that seat. Fort also ran for the District 7 Assembly seat in the 2024 Borough elections and lost to Bernier.
Mayor DeVries says she needs guidance from the District Assembly member well in advance to get the nominations listed in the vacancy report in order to comply with the Open Meetings Act. The Mayor says it’s unlikely that any new candidates would be submitted in time to be listed on the vacancy report for the January 6 Assembly meeting.
