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A lot
of familiar names will be missing from the local election ballot when Kodiak
voters go to the polls this October. Four incumbents for prominent local
government seats have decided not to seek re-election. KMXT’s Casey Kelly has
more.
Longtime
Kodiak City Councilman Charlie Davidson announced last week that he wasn’t
going to seek a sixth consecutive three-year term on the city’s ruling body.
Before last week’s regular council meeting, Davidson said it’s just time for
him to move on.
(Davidson
1 :15s “…maybe
it’s time for a change.”)
Davidson
says he has few regrets from his time on the council, although he admits to
being disappointed that he’ll leave with the new Kodiak city jail and police
station project still unfinished.
(Davidson
2 :30s “…you
see in the local council.”)
In 2006,
Davidson ran for State Senate as a Democrat against Kodiak Senator Gary
Stevens. But he says he doesn’t have any plans to seek elected office in the
future.
(Davidson
3 :11s “…those
who have like opinions.”)
Kodiak
Island Borough Assembly members Tom Abell and Reed Oswalt have also decided not
to seek re-election. Oswalt couldn’t be reached for comment. But Abell, like
Davidson, says he feels that it’s just time for a change in local government.
(Abell 1 :26s “…those
people are not involved.”)
Also like
Davidson, Abell says he’s proud that the borough assembly has kept taxes in
check during his four terms of service.
(Abell 2 :33s “…don’t
need to raise it, lower it.”)
Unlike
Davidson, Abell says he plans to run for office again in a few years.
(Abell 3 :23s “…then
we’ll see from there.”)
School
Board President Betty Odell has also decided not to seek office again. She also
could not be reached for comment.
The lack of candidates means that
at least one open seat on the borough assembly and one on the school board will
have no one vying for them. The assembly seat is for a full three-year term,
while the school board seat is a one-year vacancy.
The other incumbent facing
reelection on the city council this year, Tom Walters, filed Tuesday. So far he
and former administrative assistant to Police Chief T.C. Kamai, Paul Smith, are
the only candidates for two vacancies on the council. The deadline to submit
nominating forms for those seats is Friday at 5 p.m. The municipal election is
October 7th.
I’m Casey Kelly.
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