A new mayor in Palmer, props fail in Houston

Palmer has a new mayor who is not new to the position.

More than two decades after serving as the city’s mayor the first time, Jim Cooper is back in the role. Cooper received 277 total votes to finish atop a field of five candidates in the race.

The final results were released Friday evening and will be certified Monday.

Cooper, a current council member, served as Palmer’s mayor in the early 2000s.

Cooper maintained a healthy lead, 54 votes, after the poll numbers were counted Tuesday night. The count that included early, absentee, questioned and special needs votes extended his advantage. Cooper received about 45% of the total vote.

Cooper was one of four current council members in the race. John Alcantra was the runner-up with 151 votes, and was followed by Josh Tudor at 105 and Victoria Hudson at 58. A fifth candidate, Cachet Garrett, received 16 votes.

There were also races for a pair of council seats, two for three-year terms and another for one-year term. Allison Collins and Amanda Graham won the three-year seats, with 382 votes and 275 votes. Carolina Graver, a current council member, finished third with 241 votes.

Sherry Carrington will also join the council with a one-year term, after receiving 370 votes. Aundra Jackson received 162 votes.

Palmer also had one proposition on the ballot, which if passed would require its city manager to reside within five miles of city limits. It passed 389-213.

In Houston, 17% of the registered voters turned out, a high number for the sleep city for an off-year election. Several new faces will be ascending the city council dais after Callie Courtney won her bid for Council Seat F over Ron Bass, with 200 votes for her, and 103 for Bass.The seat was open after Council member Sandy McDonald opted not to run for re-election. It was nearly the same vote count that saw Dan Lewis unseat incumbent Laurie Faubert for Council Seat G. The final council seat election held the closest vote count as incumbent David Childs, who also serves as the Deputy Mayor, lost his bid to Jason Kahn, with only 23 votes separating the two men. Of note, Kahn is married to Courtney.

There were also four propositions Houston voters were asked to vote on during this election. The development of a Houston Airport, an issue which has faced criticism from Houston and Willow residents, was overwhelmingly disapproved by Houston voters, with 232 votes against the idea, and only 82 in favor of it. The proposed 2% sales tax increase was also voted down, 229 votes cast against, with only 87 votes in favor of the raise.

In the two props establishing city holidays, the first establishing Matanuska Thunder Funk as a city holiday was voted down by a wide margin, 262 to 53, while the voters overwhelmingly approved establishing Founder’s Day as the first official holiday for the City of Houston.

“I’m committed to putting in the work, to understand the issues thoroughly,” said Lewis after being sworn in.

Faubert offered her congratulations to the new council members, telling the new members to remain optimistic about the responsibility of serving the city.

“I would like to say thank you to the outgoing council members. It’s been a pleasure working with everybody that took the time and effort to come in and sit on the council,” commented Councilman Jeff Brasel. He then recognized how hard the job can be, facing public scrutiny while having to make hard decisions for the city. “Everyone that’s ever been up here has gone above and beyond, taking the time to make Houston better.”

Mayor Carter Cole also thanked the outgoing council, recognizing the many accomplishments they made, from updating road signs and handicapped parking to approving a cybersecurity grant that, among other things, allows the council to begin streaming the meetings on YouTube.

“To the council members that are leaving, all that is because of you, and I just wanted to acknowledge that.” Mayor Cole then challenged the new members to do the same, “but better.”

The new council members were sworn in during a special council meeting on Oct. 13. The council will next meet on Oct. 16, at which time they will elect a new mayor and deputy mayor.

Over in Wasilla, incumbent Alina Rubeo, who was unopposed, easily won re-election. Meanwhile, Mark Schmidt, who has been serving since he was named to the council after Tim Johnson resigned, citing health reasons, won his bid to remain in the seat with 189 votes over challenger Sue “Sue-Sue” Scott, who received 96 votes. And speaking of Johnson, he will return to city council after he won his bid. He also ran unopposed.

The results were certified during the Wasilla City Council meeting on Oct. 13. The newly elected council members will take their oath of office and will be seated on Oct. 27 at the city council meeting at 6 p.m. at Wasilla City Hall, Council Chambers.