By Sentinel Staff
The polling places for Sitka’s two voting precincts will be open at 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. at Harrigan Centennial Hall Tuesday for voters who have not cast ballots in advance to make their choices for mayor, Assembly and School Board.
On the ballot are two candidates for mayor, three for the two positions on the School Board, and eight for the two seats on the Assembly.
Advance in-person voting at Centennial Hall has been underway since Sept. 21, and will continue 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Monday.
Vying for mayor this year are incumbent Gary Paxton and current Assembly member Steven Eisenbeisz.
Candidates for the two School Board seats are Blossom J. Twitchell, Cass Pook and Andrew Hames.
On the ballot for the two Assembly seats are Marshall Albertson, Amy Bethune, Diana Dapcevich, Crystal Duncan, Rebecca Himschoot, Leo Jimmy, Steve Lee and Frederick Olsen Jr.
Because of the high number of candidates, the Sentinel’s annual election edition will be published in two parts this year, with mayor and the School Board covered in today’s issue, and the Assembly race in Friday’s Sentinel. The statements are submitted by the candidates themselves.
News stories on the municipal candidates’ responses at last week’s Chamber of Commerce virtual forum were reported in the Sentinel on Sept. 24 and 25.
Advance and absentee ballots will be counted on October 7, the day after the election, and late-arriving ballots will be counted on October 9.
The Assembly will certify election results at its October 13 meeting.
The city clerk’s office says the COVID-19 precautions for advance in-person voting will remain in effect Tuesday at Centennial Hall, where voters in both of Sitka’s two election precincts cast ballots. Election officials will be wearing face coverings, and voters are encouraged to do likewise. Hand sanitizer will be provided at the door and voters will be physically distanced in lines to sign in and cast ballots. Voting booths and pens will be sanitized after each use.
Those wishing more information can visit www.cityofsitka.com or phone the Municipal Clerk’s office at 747-1811 or 747-1826.
MAYOR CANDIDATES
Steven Eisenbeisz
Steven Eisenbeisz
Candidate for Mayor
Thank you to my wife, Ashley. For the last 6 years she has endured the late night assembly meetings, time consuming budget cycles and numerous work sessions. It was her unseen sacrifices that have allowed me to serve our town for so many years. She believed in me, and has remained my number one fan. That might be tossed around easily from wife to husband, but her simple statement allowed me the confidence to run for mayor. I knew that continuing my assembly work would take me away from her and my one-year-old son, Fisher. I knew that leaving her so much with Fisher would be hard. But she knew I needed to run. We heard the voices from all over the community. We knew I could make a positive impact. And I now know, without a doubt, she will always be there for me, and is my biggest fan.
These next two years as mayor are not going to be without struggle. COVID will be with us for some time still. Budgets all over town will suffer. Our aging infrastructure is in need of repair. Citizen wages, for the most part, have not increased at the same rate as utility costs. Affordable housing is still a main concern for families. State support has diminished to the level of non-existent, while unfunded federal mandates necessitate new and costly infrastructure. We are currently in the largest civil rights movement I have seen during my life. The oceans are changing, and so are the salmon. I don’t pretend that I can solve all these issues during my tenure, but I am aware of them. We as a community can make progress on all of the issues facing Sitka today. My number one goal as mayor is to leave Sitka a better place than it was, for our future generations. I have established strong roots in Sitka, and will be here to deal with the consequences of my decisions.
There are a few things I can do as mayor. We can have efficient, inclusive and respectful meetings. I value the time of citizens who come to our meetings, and want to make sure we conduct our business as efficiently as possible, so that we allow time for all to be heard. I will represent the Assembly and city professionally, and only advocate the adopted policy of the Assembly, not my own. I will remain optimistic about our future, and try to inspire a positive mindset. Any economic development opportunities will be nurtured, while preserving our land, waters and resources. I will ensure that even with budget shortfalls our quality of life remains high. And I will do all this for us today, and for the next generation Sitka.
Gary Paxton
Gary Paxton
Candidate for Mayor
Our current challenges are equal to or more difficult than the closure of Alaska Pulp Corporation in 1993. I think my experience can help now as it did then. Distribution of CARES funding, building a new haulout, lobbying for federal funding for Green Lake and waterfront projects, holding SEARHC accountable for the affiliation and the 2020, 2021 budgets are just some of the priorities. I understand and respect our diverse culture, economy and politics and am committed to making decisions which are constructive for our entire community. I have no agenda other than what is best for our all-out citizens. Pax
SCHOOL BOARD CANDIDATES
Andrew Hames
Andrew Hames
Sitka School Board
My name is Andrew Hames, and I am running for a seat on the Sitka School Board.
I was born and raised in Sitka, and I attended Sitka schools for my K-12 education and graduated from Sitka High in 1998. During those years I had many wonderful teachers, several who directly inspired my choice to pursue a career in education.
I have a degree in music education, and I spent six years as a public high school and middle school teacher in Blackfoot, Idaho, teaching choir and other music classes. I also spent 10 summers as a teacher at the exceptional Sitka Fine Arts Camp teaching choir, vocal solo, and musical theater.
In 2013, I moved home to Sitka permanently with my family for the opportunity to represent the fourth generation of family involvement with Hames Corporation, learning retail grocery store operations from the ground level up. I believe my experience as an educator and businessperson makes me an ideal candidate for School Board.
As a teacher, I often heard voices outside of education advocate that “schools should be run more like a business,” in that they need to operate efficiently within their budgets, be less fearful of risk-taking, incentivize top performing educators through merit-based pay, and do a better job “selling the product” of public education in light of the options parents and guardians have when making school choices for their children.
While I agree with the reality of budgetary constraints and maximizing cost-effectiveness, for me, the comparison between business and education largely stops there. While both involve teams of people working together in a common purpose or goal, the primary motivations and measurements of success are starkly different.
Our school staff is tasked with not just educating our students in a measurable way, but also caring for and guiding their physical, emotional, and mental development. I believe the majority of people who work in public education do so because they are passionate about teaching our children, and that leads to rewarding work. Our administrative staff, teachers, paraeducators, counselors, kitchen crews, janitors and custodians, and bus drivers are all essential workers who strive hard to create a community for our students, the future of our society, to learn, grow, and thrive.
The educational community is strongest when administrative staff feel connected to their district office and are given the ability to make positive decisions to set the direction for their school. It is strong when teachers feel supported and are held accountable as the trusted professionals that they are. It is strong when our schools have vibrant, community-supported extracurricular programs that introduce our students to new activities and new ways of thinking.
We are certainly facing a challenging road ahead, and I am eager for the opportunity to sit at the table with other school board members and advocate for funding for each of our schools and the vital programs they provide to our youth.
Cass Pook
Cass Pook
School Board Candidate
Sitka is where I have called home since April 27, 1962, where I was born to Peter and Bertha Karras Sr. My mother is Tlingit and is the daughter of Mark and Annie Jacobs. I attended the Sitka School District from kindergarten through 12th grade, graduating in 1980. My husband of 35 years, Stewart Pook, is the pastor of Grace Harbor Church. Together, we have raised five children in Sitka; Cassie, Chloe, Cayla, Seth and Cedar. I am a longtime employee of SEARHC and specialize in prevention activities in health promotions. Currently I am pursuing my BSW degree through the University of Alaska Fairbanks. I served on the Sitka School Board for 18 years, and on the Alaska Association of School Boards Board of Directors for four years. I bring invaluable experience to the board and an extensive record of
fierce advocacy for the public education of our kids.
I bring years of experience, commitment to equity and a proven record of public education advocacy to the School Board table. Every child is deserving of a free appropriate public education (FAPE). In my 18 years on the board, I not only witnessed but I participated in the evolution the Sitka School District has undergone to meet the needs of the student in the 21st century. With the challenges put before us due to COVID-19, we need experience and strong leadership now more than ever. My re-election would enhance and balance board deliberations with a unique and necessary historical perspective.
In my years of working with Sitka Schools, engaging with our youths is what has continually inspired me the most to serve. As a board member, ensuring that Sitka schools provide an equitable education and a positive and safe climate to learn in are among my top focuses. Providing an equitable education and a truly comfortable learning environment is how we prevent our most vulnerable and disadvantaged students from falling through the cracks. These are the potential-filled students who inspire me. When I sat on the School Board, I helped choose the School Board’s two goals that they still pursue to this day – 1.) Close the achievement gap for all demographics; 2.) Increase the positive response rates on the School Climate and Connectedness survey. I remain passionate about these goals, tracking them and strategizing with the board to identify supports needed to make measurable progress. Thank you!
Blossom Twitchell
Blossom Twitchell
School Board Candidate
Uvanga Atiga Paniiraq. Hello, my name is Blossom Twitchell. I am Inupiaq from Kotzebue. I was raised by my mother, Mrs. Elizabeth Teal, in Fairbanks. I moved to Sitka in 1995 to attend Mt. Edgecumbe High School. I have made Sitka my home since.
I have been a dedicated employee of SEARHC (CNA, Physical Therapy Assistant) for 6.5 years, MEHS for nearly 10 years (Residential Advisor, Home/School Liaison, Cultural Coordinator), Sitka Tribe of Alaska for 3 years (Economic Development Assistant, General Assistance Caseworker).
I currently work for Central Council of Tlingit & Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska, as a Workforce Development Specialist. As a WDS, I help families achieve their self-sufficiency.
I am raising three beautiful children, along with my husband Frederick Olsen Jr. I have been active on various boards throughout my years here. I am a writer and have published work about my childhood.
If elected to the Sitka School Board, my focus would be a continuance of my current work as an appointed member. Having children with diverse needs, I am a representative of Sitka’s diverse families.
I want to continue to assist the Sitka School Board in updating the current policies with language that promotes growth and acceptance. As an elected official, I would work towards ensuring that the Sitka School District (SSD) would continue their growth towards being trauma informed. I would like to see the SSD continue their path of providing social emotional learning at all levels of our grade system.
As an Alaskan Native, I find it imperative that our schools offer a culturally responsive curriculum that mirror sSitka’s diverse cultures.
Directly speaking to the coming year ahead, we will need to find a superintendent that will lead our schools. Choosing the right person for this job is a must. I understand that our school budget is always under scrutiny. My endeavors in and outside of my profession reflect my passion to ensure that our families are secure. As a school board member, I will work for both family and teachers.
I hope I have your vote.
