Sitkans who are on the fence about whether to run for public office have just under three weeks to decide. The filing period to run for local office opened Monday morning (7-17-23).
Several seats are up for grabs this year on both the Sitka Assembly and the school board. Assembly member Crystal Duncan’s three year term is up, and Tim Pike and JJ Carlson’s terms are also expiring. Carlson was appointed to the assembly to serve out the final year of Rebecca Himschoot’s term after Himschoot was elected to the state legislature last year. Pike was appointed to fill Dave Miller’s seat until the next municipal election.
Of the candidates who run for these seats, the top two vote earners will be elected for three-year terms on the assembly, and third place will serve for one year.
On the Sitka School board, two three-year terms and one two-year seat are opening. Melonie Boord’s one-year term is expiring, as is Dani Snyder’s term– Snyder was appointed to fill Mitch Mork’s seat until the next municipal election. Blossom Teal-Olsen’s seat is also opening up– she stepped down last month, but her term was set to expire this fall. The school board is holding a special meeting at 6 p.m. on July 19 in the district office board room to interview a candidate interested in serving out Teal-Olsen’s term until the municipal election.
There may also be two propositions on the ballot this year, pending assembly approval. The first asks voters whether they want to establish a permanent one percent seasonal sales tax to fund repairs to aging school buildings. The second would allow city employees to serve on the school board. Both must be approved on final reading by the assembly at the next regular meeting in order to make it on the ballot.
Candidate packets can be picked up from the municipal clerk on the third floor of city hall. The filing period to run for office closes at 5 p.m. on Friday August 4.
