On Monday, the first Sitkan filed to run for public office. 43-year-old Steve Lee has lived in Alaska for the last 7 years, and in Sitka for the past 5. He works at SEARHC, as a patient housing clerk and shuttle driver. And this fall, he’s running for one of two open seats on the Sitka Assembly.
“I like to get involved in the community,” Lee said, speaking to KCAW in an interview on Monday. “I like to learn about people and plant the seed in the soil, and water the soil and have a beautiful relationship with people here in Sitka. I’m interested in helping others and to serve.”
Lee says he goes to the assembly meetings when he has time. He says he thinks the assembly is doing a good job handling today’s challenges. But if he’s elected he wants to see more communication between the assembly and the public.
“I can give my ideas and build a bridge between what the community wants and what we want,” he says.
In terms of concrete goals, Lee says he has two. First, he’s interested in providing more transportation for Sitkans.
“There’s no transportation except the taxis that go to the airport. There’s alot of people getting off the plane and, you know, they call a taxi,” he says. “If we had the bus that runs to the airport, they save time to get home.”
And Lee says right now there aren’t enough drug rehab services in Sitka.
“We have a problem here in Sitka with drug addicts, alcoholics. I’d like to expand to have a facility for them to change their lives. I experienced drug addiction. I’ve been through that,” he says. “The only person you can change is yourself.”
Lee says the community needs to keep moving forward- laboring over decisions made by the previous assembly won’t get folks very far.
“What is done is already done,” he says. “We don’t look back, just look at the future. Let’s do our best to make Sitka a better place.”
Lee is the first candidate to file for a seat on the Sitka. On Wednesday afternoon, a second candidate, former assembly member Ben Miyasato filed to run for a seat on the Sitka Assembly. The filing period closes on Friday, August 2 at 5 p.m.
KCAW will provide continuous coverage of the 2019 municipal election, and will host several candidate forums, leading up to the election on October 1. Find additional election information, including candidate statements and biographies, here.
