Topics ranged from how the candidates would govern, to what the future might hold for Wasilla.
An audience of roughly 60 people, some from Wasilla, some from points beyond, listened as each candidate fielded questions relating to challenges facing the city.
  
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Perhaps the most pertinent question asked Monday dealt with the future of Wasilla’s economy and how new leadership might attract high-paying jobs outside the service sector.
One prime example of the yearning for better jobs in the city became apparent during a recent hiring fair for the new Target store. The fair saw almost 1,000 residents show up looking to fill the 300 available positions.
For the candidates Monday, it became a theme to mention the infrastructure needs that have to be available for business to move to the city. Although some candidates differed on just what kind of infrastructure.
Mayoral candidate Greg Koskela said he’d like to see development at the industrial park near the Wasilla Airport launch the town into the economic future.
“We could turn that into another economic engine for our city,” Koskela said.
Wasilla City Council Member Steve Menard, a mayoral candidate, touted bolstering Wasilla’s infrastructure so the city is more attractive to potential job suppliers.
“If you want better jobs you’ve got to build the infrastructure,” he said.
Menard said development at Port MacKenzie is also a crucial objective because it would provide the transportation hub missing from the city.
Fellow city councilman and mayoral candidate Marty Metiva said what he calls high-paying legacy jobs should be attracted to Wasilla because the city has the right people to fill the jobs.
Currently, roughly 33 percent of the area’s population commutes to Anchorage daily for work. The idea is to let businesses know the same people who do the job in Anchorage can do it in Wasilla where it’s less expensive to bring in business with the existing infrastructure, Metiva said.
“We’ve got a work force that’s trainable,” he said.
For Verne Rupright, a local attorney running for mayor, the key to better jobs in Wasilla might lie with a commuter rail system.
By providing a feature like a rail system, Rupright said it will serve the population better, and could bring folks from Anchorage north to work new jobs once they get here.
Rupright also said the area’s energy resources could be developed to create jobs that would last for years.
For at least one candidate, the way Wasilla’s job growth is going seems to be working.
Michael Carson, a real estate broker running for mayor, said the majority of jobs in Alaska are either in Anchorage or on the North Slope.
Carson offered a plan to keep the growth going as it has been.
“We get more of what we got, keep the sales tax low and we’ll do well,” he said.
For city council candidates, infrastructure and smart development are key to attracting new, better jobs.
Ron Cox, running for Seat A, said it’s time the city’s management stepped forward to take an active role in developing the city.
“Let’s put out some feelers and put our own businesses out there and let them hire our people,” he said.
Leone Harris, one of two candidates gunning for Seat C, said she agrees the airport should be a focal point of development.
By expanding the operations of the airport, namely sending flights to the North Slope, Harris said business would likely pop up in the industrial area around the airport, thus creating more jobs.
Expanding the airport seems like a good idea to Gretchen O’Barr, who is running against Harris for Seat C.
O’Barr said with more resources and infrastructure concentrated in that area, businesses could latch on to the airport as hub to do business.
“I would love to see the airport area expand,” she said.
Two candidates are running for Seat D, and both said the city has some work ahead of it to attract higher paying jobs.
Nancy Hall, who said the engineering firm at which her husband works in Anchorage has 15 Valley residents working there, put some of the blame on Wasilla’s culture.
Hall said a lack of entertainment options, such as theaters, museums and other amenities commonly found in Anchorage, might be keeping business away.
“The culture needs to be developed,” Hall said.
Mary Kvalheim, a term-limited Mat-Su Borough assemblywoman who is running for Seat D, said Wasilla needs to look outside the box to attract jobs beyond the service sector.
The first step is finding out what sets Wasilla apart for business, Kvalheim said.
“There has got to be something we can give them to ask them to come,” she said.
The candidates said much more Monday evening. Check the Frontiersman’s Web site, www.frontiersman.com, Tuesday for more.
Contact Michael Rovito at michael.rovito@frontiersman.com or 352-2252.
Comments
29 comment(s)Leone Harris wrote on Oct 10, 2008 4:33 PM:
Leone Harris wrote on Oct 10, 2008 4:27 PM:
City Voter wrote on Oct 5, 2008 10:23 AM:
Truth seeker wrote on Oct 5, 2008 9:51 AM:
Nice wrote on Oct 5, 2008 9:25 AM:
Some of your supporters think we should move because we aren't interested in voting for you. That doesn't sound so constitutional. Why do you need to know names? Just talk to ALL the people. Not build a payback list. "
Barb wrote on Oct 5, 2008 9:08 AM:
If some of them are invited and don't want to participate, that would also weed some out in people's eyes. It would give us the opportunity to see first hand their personal style and how effective they would be in council chambers. "
Barb wrote on Oct 5, 2008 9:03 AM:
Me wrote on Oct 4, 2008 10:06 PM:
Verne Rupright wrote on Oct 4, 2008 4:13 PM:
More research wrote on Oct 4, 2008 10:45 AM:
Get your story straight wrote on Oct 3, 2008 11:53 AM:
Insite wrote on Oct 2, 2008 10:37 PM:
Is the partnership failing? Is that why you need the 75,000. "Know what I mean Verne" "
Oh No you say wrote on Oct 2, 2008 3:35 PM:
A lawyer who knows what is legal and not can keep Wasilla off of the front pages of the ADN.
Remember seated with Keller for this whole debacle. Silent or stupid, they were made aware of her tactics months before it became an investigation. What did they do? Nothing! Chalk Metiva, Menard and Koskela off We need a leader and if it is an attorney so be it! Verne Rupright 4 mayor! "
Most of you should Move wrote on Oct 2, 2008 2:59 PM:
Hard miles wrote on Oct 2, 2008 6:51 AM:
Oh no wrote on Oct 2, 2008 6:46 AM:
Just the start wrote on Oct 1, 2008 3:41 PM:
Something that simple and concise should be reviewed by the candidate to be sure!
I guess that leaves Menard and Rupright.. Carson doesn't know what APOC is.
My leaning is to Rupright for all the Right Reasons! "
To build it and they will come wrote on Oct 1, 2008 10:02 AM:
To Build it and they will come wrote on Oct 1, 2008 8:51 AM:
build it and they will come wrote on Oct 1, 2008 6:49 AM:
TRIED TO wrote on Sep 30, 2008 2:23 PM:
We were deprived the opportunity to hear them say their piece in a face to face debate. It is there when the true colors come out. How can they stand up to their convictions? How do they act in an adversarial situation? Who can make a convincing point? Who waffles and who pancakes out?
We need one like that! "
Agreed wrote on Sep 30, 2008 12:04 PM:
Observer wrote on Sep 30, 2008 12:02 PM:
Many followers there last night, but the only one who stood head and shoulders above the rest was Verne Rupright! All the rest of the Mayoral candidates tried to convenience us that they were mayor material, but they came across as "planners" and not to good at that. Ksokela for example and what has Metiva, his RC&D done for Wasilla?
Why did the city and borough each pay $25,000 to him for non-services? A ripoff to be sure! No! we see more of Keller on the horizon from them. "
We want a mayor wrote on Sep 30, 2008 11:55 AM:
His past is proven and he can bring those characteristics and traits to the table and the city council.
All the ideas of planning is a foregone issue, but HOW can the mayor accomplish these things?
It was clear in our minds that Verne Rupright was the only practical candidate who addressed the truth and our situation.
Koskela talked planning but failed us while on the planning commission. Metiva a sitting member of the council has seldom shown a positive positive on any issue. Even the resignation of Keller, he flip flopped. "
Mostly Stunned wrote on Sep 30, 2008 11:45 AM:
Some candidates were way off the map. They were not prepared for even the questions posed to them. We need a face to face debate! "
Watching from the sidelines wrote on Sep 30, 2008 11:07 AM:
Metiva flip flops like a fish out of water. He is a pro at reading what type of person you are and always says just what you want to hear. Since there were library folks at the debate last night he flipped and flopped again. Now he thinks we need this huge library, VPA complex, with the cost put on the backs of the tax payers of course. This needs to go to a vote! Put on your dancin' shoes the music man is about to play us another song! "
Was there wrote on Sep 30, 2008 10:29 AM:
We know and tell. wrote on Sep 30, 2008 9:05 AM:
They have failed this city for years. It's time for a change and NOW. Of course one of the mayoral candidates serves on that Commission so that may say something about him. "
Insite wrote on Sep 30, 2008 7:58 AM:
They all wanted the same things for the future and stayed mainly on that course. We think the real question boils down to which of them is truly qualified or at least the most qualified to lead the city government. Questions to bring that out were omitted, where have they shown their leadership, where have they succeeded and where have they failed. Get more details about the cadidates as that will be the main factor in making an intelligent decision Nov 4 "