MAT-SU — While perhaps less controversial than the city council race in Houston, and less contested than the race for the Mat-Su Borough Assembly, both Wasilla and Palmer have two seats on their city councils up for election on Oct. 6.

In Palmer, the seats held by Richard Best and Ken Erbey will be on the ballot. Both are running unopposed for re-election.

Seats A and B on the Wasilla City Council will be up for voter approval. However, Doug Holler is running unopposed for Seat B. In the one contested race between the two cities, Ron Cox has drawn two rivals for Seat A. Cox, Taffina Katkus and Steve Menard were sent a questionnaire from the Frontiersman. Menard did not respond by press time, and a summary of the answers of the other two are below. Their complete responses are on at frontiersman.com.

Cox is a past teacher and pastor who now manages Mat-Su Security Services. He said he is running for re-election to continue to make Wasilla a better place and “will not be happy until our traffic problems are under control.”

Katkus is the owner of Pioneer Signs and a professional artist and photographer. She is running for the council to represent the interests of everyday people, she said.

As far as working with Mayor Vern Rupright, Katkus said she admires his determination and commitment. He is doing the “best job that he thinks he can do at this point,” and he will only get better with more experience.

“However,” Katkus said, “it also appears that in his drive to do what he thinks is right, he loses sight of his duty and responsibility to the public to listen to and heed conflicting opinions.”

Cox said he thinks the mayor is doing a “wonderful job.” However, this race is about the people deciding who they want to represent them, not the mayor, Cox said.

Cox supports the concept of an outdoor shooting range at the Menard Memorial Sports Complex. Having a controlled place for people to train will cut down on the accidents and uncontrolled shooting.

“What better place than an area that was set aside for sporting events?” Cox said.

Katkus disagrees. She believes there is a need for a range, and she supports “responsible firearm ownership, training and use.” However, she does not support the proposed location, design or concept.

Now is not the time to split the borough in two, Katkus said. Each government has certain responsibilities, she said, and there needs to be planning and leadership to prevent overlapping services and overreaching authority.

Cox said the council has never discussed splitting the borough. Besides, he said, Wasilla does not need to follow Houston.

“Perhaps Houston should follow the lead of Wasilla?” Cox said.

Contact Todd L. Disher at todd.disher@frontiersman.com or 352-2252.

Questions to the Wasilla City Council Candidates

1. What is your background?

2. Why are you running for the city council?

3. What is your estimation of how the mayor is doing in his first year running the city?

4. Would you support an outdoor shooting range at the Curtis D. Menard Memorial Sports Complex?

5. Would you support Wasilla following Houston’s lead in attempts to break the Borough in half?

Seat A

Ron Cox (incumbent)

1. I am the youngest of five children. My dad was a farmer and my mother was a stay at home mom. My wife’s name is Linda, and we have no children. I have a high school diploma, a Bachelor of Science degree and a Masters of Education degree. I taught school for about fifteen years, was the pastor of two churches for about twenty six years. For the past eight years I have worked in the security industry and the past three years, I have worked as the manager of Mat-Su Security Services here in Wasilla. When I was not working, I was attending school. My hobbies are gardening and trout fishing.

2. To continue working towards a better Wasilla. I will not be happy until our traffic problems are under control.

3. The Mayor is doing a wonderful job; but, this race is not about the Mayor or how he is doing. It is about who the people want to represent them on their behalf.

4. Yes, we need a controlled environment and a safe place for people and our police officers to train. What about the little girl who was shot out on KGB road picking berries? The borough has refused to address the issue. If the City had a firing range accessible to everybody there would be less people firing at pop cans on the sides of the road. Anchorage has two firing ranges and has no problems with them. The City of Wasilla wants a safe shooting range area what better place than an area that was set aside for sporting events?

5. Wasilla doesn’t “follow” Houston’s lead. The council has never discussed this issue in a council meeting or in anyway at all. Wasilla doesn’t need to follow the lead of Houston. Perhaps Houston should follow the lead of Wasilla?

Taffina Katkus

Lived in Wasilla since 1969

Graduated from Wasilla High School

Attended Abilene Christian University & Northwest Bible College

Owner/Operator of Pioneer Signs since 1983

Professional artist & photographer

1) Growing up in Wasilla and being raised by parents who instilled the idea that if you want something bad enough, then you need to work hard to achieve it. This principle has driven me not to step back from challenges, but rather step forward and face them head on. I see the potential of Wasilla becoming a city that we and future generations can be proud of. I want to work hard in this challenge with the help of our community. I am presently married to John Katkus for 25 years and we have six children. Four of our children are a sibling group that we lovingly adopted from Romania. Our oldest son is in the Alaska Air National Guard and our second son is doing mission work in South Africa helping the youth. I have been a commercial sign painter and artist for more than 26 years now, serving the businesses and people of Wasilla. I love Alaska and strive for excellence in my work as an artist and business owner. As a fun project for my family and others, I have developed a 5 acre raspberry farm to help provide a wholesome outdoor experience for the community. It is also an outlet for artists to sell and show their work during special events. I love the pioneer spirit of Alaska and it’s history, this past year I was selected to do the Alaska Railroad 2009 print titled “Clearing the Way”. I have a very diversified background working with many types of people and businesses.

2) I am running for City Counsel to represent the interests of everyday people against administrators that do not uphold the integrity of the public for whom they work. I am also very concerned with the level and direction our infrastructure & economic growth that have been planned, but never seem to be implemented. We need to work hard to create a thoughtful vision for growth for our diversified community. I will guard the public’s best interest from personal political agendas, special interest groups, unfair policies and wasteful spending. We are a maturing community, and it is time the City leaders work hard to earn the trust of the people and lead with integrity, while working together wisely for the changes ahead.

3) I believe that Mayor Rupright has brought a great amount of zeal and determination to an office that is not usually seen in a newly elected official. It appears that he is very committed to his work. However, it also appears that in his drive to do what he thinks is right, he loses sight of his duty and responsibility to the public to listen to and heed conflicting opinions. I believe he’s doing the best job that he thinks he can do at this point in time, and I think he’ll do even better as he gets more experience at this level of public service.

4) In it’s current concept, design, and location absolutely not! However, I strongly believe there is a need for a range available to the public and I am fully supportive of responsible firearm ownership, training, and use.

5) Not at this time. I believe Wasilla should LEAD, not follow, If there are perceived problems between the government bodies, then treat the problem and not the symptoms. Each body has different responsibilities, and there should be close planning and leadership so as not to have overlapping or duplication of services, nor overreaching authority. One also has to be careful to not overreact. If something like this were to happen without adequate planning, how does it benefit anyone if the end result is more government, wasteful spending, and less services for the public.

Steve Menard

Did not respond

Seat B

Doug Holler (incumbent)

Did not respond