By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
By the close of the filing period at 5 p.m. Friday, there were eight candidates for two Assembly seats, three candidates for the two open seats on the School Board, and two for mayor.
Running for the two-year mayor’s position are incumbent Gary Paxton and Steven Eisenbeisz, whose Assembly term expires this fall.
The Assembly candidates are Marshall Albertson, Amy Bethune, Diana Dapcevich, Crystal Duncan, Rebecca Himschoot, Leo Jimmy, Steve Lee and Frederick Olsen Jr. Incumbent Richard Wein is not seeking re-election.
Running for School Board are Andrew Hames, Cass Pook and Blossom Twitchell. Twitchell and Hames are the incumbents. Both were appointees named to fill out terms of members who resigned.
Brief profiles of candidates who filed prior to Friday afternoon have appeared in previous issues of the Sentinel. Following are profiles of Eisenbeisz, Albertson, Bethune, Duncan, Himschoot and Olsen, who filed after Sentinel press time Friday.
Steven Eisenbeisz
Eisenbeisz has served two three-year terms on the Assembly, and his fellow Assembly members have elected him more than once to one-year terms as deputy mayor.
“I believe I have a unique opportunity to use the knowledge I’ve gained in the last six years to run an inclusive, respectful and professional meeting,” he told the Sentinel.
He said he has some top priorities he wants to see addressed prior to the October election and, if elected, during the next two years.
“Number one, supporting the school district through these times of COVID,” he said. “Parents need a sense of stability in the school district. I want to make sure the Assembly is an ally in that process so we can have a safe and productive school year for our school district.”
Eisenbeisz said he also wants a review of the city’s long-range infrastructure plans.
“The Assembly has to set rate increases according to plans,” he said. “We have to ask: a, are they sustainable; b, see if they accomplish the goals of the city; and c, make sure the burden is not unbearable for our citizens.”
Eisenbeisz is the co-owner of the downtown sporting goods and clothing store Russell’s. He has lived here since 1992, and is a 2004 graduate of Sitka High School. He is also a volunteer lieutenant in the Sitka Fire Department, in the firefighting division.
Marshall Albertson
Albertson has lived in Sitka 21 years and is the owner of three local businesses: Absolute Tree Care, Munchie Mart and Guns of Alaska. He is the chairman of the Alaska chapter of the NRA.
He says he is interested in providing good representation of Sitka values and Alaskan values, which he says has been lacking on the current Assembly.
He said he follows local issues and Assembly discussions, and is most looking forward to debating issues during the campaign season. He said those elected to office need to be held accountable.
“Too many times nowadays (those running) tell you everything you want to hear when they campaign--they promise you the world, but they lack the courage of their convictions,” he said. “If I promise you something I’ll do it.”
Albertson said he makes videos on YouTube and TikTok as a way to “vent,” but also enjoys discussing issues one-on-one with anyone who approaches or calls him.
“When I have face to face interaction, which is seven days a week, no one could say I’m yelling at them,” he said.
Amy Bethune
Amy Bethune has lived in Sitka for four years, Southeast for 12 and Alaska for 26. She grew up in Kirkland, Washington, and has also lived in Bethel and Fairbanks, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in biological sciences.
“Like all of us, I’m very concerned about the economy,” she said. “There’s so much going on and so many businesses are shut down. I want to support small businesses. We have to have jobs to put food on the table, and to continue to live here, and I want my family to be here long term.”
Bethune said she is concerned about the divisiveness in the country and community, and believes more problems will be solved if different factions work together. She said she’s concerned about some of the problems arising from the shutdowns during the pandemic, including isolation, mental health and drug abuse.
She has worked in the for-profit and nonprofit sectors, and currently is a stay-at-home mom who homeschools her two children, ages 9 and 11. She said she is a proponent of education and supports resources for children in Sitka.
Crystal Duncan
Duncan is the regional Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium liaison for SEARHC beneficiaries. She is a 2000 graduate of Sitka High School, and has bachelor and master degrees from the University of Alaska Fairbanks, and a bachelor’s degree from Fort Lewis College in Colorado. She is a member of Sitka Tribe of Alaska.
She said she was surprised and pleased to see such a large field of candidates seeking an Assembly seat, which should give voters a choice.
“I’m running because I think I offer a voice that comes from a community perspective, and we have a diverse community,” she said. “There’s a benefit when we have a number of people at the table.”
Duncan said she believes the city would benefit from new leadership during this complex time navigating issues related to COVID.
“For me, the most important thing I provide is access to a number of people otherwise hesitant to voice their concerns,” she said. “The experts on the community are community members. Access will be critical. That’s how I will be most effective: getting out there and talking to people.”
Rebecca Himschoot
Himschoot is a teacher in the Sitka School District, who originally came to Sitka in 1988. Her first job was house parent for the Sitka Youth Hostel, and she has held other jobs in Sitka in the nonprofit and tourism sectors. She has bachelor’s and master’s degrees in education from University of Alaska Southeast and Gonzaga University, respectively.
Himschoot’s first teaching job was Sand Point but she’s also taught in Hawaii and Kuwait. She currently teaches at Keet Gooshi Heen Elementary. Other experience includes two years on the state Board of Education, and two years on the Professional Teaching Practices Commission.
“At the end of the day, Sitka is an awesome place, so I’m not looking for huge changes but I am looking for continuous improvements,” she said. “It’s important to have respectful dialogue and discourse. The best way for Sitka to improve is for all voices to be heard.”
Himschoot said her time as a teacher has allowed her to see all sides of Sitka. She’s seen some of the challenges families have faced, and wants to play an active role in keeping the community strong and welcoming for everyone, she said.
Frederick Olsen Jr.
Olsen was born and raised in Ketchikan, and graduated from Juneau High School. He is the executive director of the Southeast Alaska Indigenous Transboundary Commission, which represents 15 federally recognized tribes in Southeast Alaska in the protection of shared watersheds. He has also lived in Kasaan, Prince of Wales, Santa Barbara (Calif.), New York City, and Seattle, where he earned two degrees from Seattle University.
When he moved to Sitka, he was eager to contribute, including serving on the boards for Brave Heart Volunteers and the Friends of the SJ Museum, he said. At KCAW-FM he hosts an Alaska Native language show. He is a member of the Sitka Tribe of Alaska and serves as one of the STA representatives on the Sitka Community Health Council, the group representing the community after the affiliation between SEARHC and Sitka Community Hospital.
“I’ve always liked Sitka,” he said. “I do have a lot of experience with these types of things. It’s not just the experience, but I think I can contribute especially with improving the government to government relationship. People might not realize the benefits of having a tribe in the community and STA is a strong tribe.”
Although he hasn’t lived here long, he has strong ties here, he said. His dad attended Sheldon Jackson School, and he has several relatives here as well.
