Houston candidates speak up

HOUSTON — When Houston voters go to the poles on Oct. 6, what’s at stake is more than just seats on the city council. The ballot will ultimately be a referendum on the future direction of the city.

Proposition 2 poses the question to the voters to decide whether Houston should apply to become a first-class city. The change would allow the mayor to be directly elected by a popular vote, rather than appointed by the city council from within its ranks.

If the majority says yes, the council will send a petition to the Alaska Boundary Commission for review. The voters will also weigh in on the length of term and possible term limits if the mayor is to be directly elected.

But because the change will be subject to the Boundary Commission’s decision even if it does pass, the council will appoint a mayor after the October election. This, as well as gravel permits and calls for starting a new borough, have brought the council members to the center of Houston’s political arena.

Two seats are up for election this year. The Frontiersman asked each of the candidates the same questions about issues the city is facing. Summaries of their answers follow, and their complete and unedited responses are below the story.

Three candidates are running for Seat C and its three-year term. Natasha Schachle is the incumbent and seeking re-election against Kathleen Barney and Joshua Hanford.

Schachle lives and works in Houston and enjoys the recreational opportunities afforded by the town. She said she brings a different perspective to the council and wants to “continue to work toward making sure (Houston) grows to be a better place to raise our families.”

Barney moved to Houston in 1988 and currently works in the special education department at Houston High School. She said she has seen a lot of changes in the 21 years she has lived in Houston, some good and some not. She believes a fresh perspective is needed on the council, something she says she can bring.

Barney is concerned about the resources necessary and legal dangers involved in securing planning powers, but she said she understands the desire for Houston to write its own course. However, Barney said, becoming a first-class city would “increase the administration, increase the budget and increase the need for more revenue. These increases in government would cost the residents more.”

Hanford is a veteran, serving in the Marines Corps, and said he will bring a fresh perspective to a “stagnant political environment.” He said he appreciates the mayor’s efforts but would never vote to reappoint him. Hanford does not believe in what he has done for the city or community, and “his attempts to exaggerate his importance (have) hurt the city of Houston and (have) subsequently diminished our community’s depth, pride and public support.”

Splitting the borough in two is not a good idea, Hanford said. It would increase taxes and create a rift in the school system hurting the students and costing more money, he said. However, Hanford said becoming a first-class city would be beneficial. Sewer and water systems need to be developed, tourism needs to be captured, and Houston needs to attract more “capable, willing, educated and experienced community members to represent Houston, in order to make it a better place to leave to our children.”

Deputy mayor Lance Wilson is running unopposed for re-election to Seat D. Wilson is retired from the Army and has a bachelor’s degree in government administration. He wants to make Houston a better and safer place by improving fire insurance ratings and attracting more jobs.

“We must nurture Houston businesses, not kill or drive them away through over-regulation and heavy taxes,” Wilson said.

Wilson listed accomplishments he credits to the current mayor, including a budget surplus in spite of increased services. But, he reserved comment on appointing him again, saying he will wait until he sees which council members would “desire that burden.”

The borough assembly, by being “overbearing and non-responsive,” is the cause of the rift in the Valley, not the city of Houston, Wilson said.

Changing to a first-class city will cost nothing and will not increase the size of government, he said, but it is necessary if the people want to elect the mayor.

In addition to the two seats on the council and the question of becoming a first-class city, Houston voters will decide whether to levy an additional two percent sales tax on fireworks. The revenue would go toward police and fire services.

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

Questions to the Houston City Council candidates

1. What is your background?

2. Why are you running for the city council?

3. How do you think the mayor is handling his position? Would you vote to reappoint him as mayor?

4. Do you support Houston’s attempts to split the Borough in half?

5. Should Houston seek classification as a first-class city?

Seat C

Natasha Schachle (incumbent)

I have enjoyed the past year as a councilmember for the City. I would like to be re-elected again to continue to serve the voters of Houston. I believe I have given a different perspective to help the Council make decisions for our City. My Husband Jeremiah Schachle and I have lived and owned property in the City of Houston for 6 years. We enjoy the recreational City of Houston. I also work in the City of Houston at the local hardware store Spenard Builders Supply. We need to continue to work towards making sure that the City grows to be a better place to raise our families.

Kathleen Barney

I was born in Wisconsin but I grew up in Anchorage, and graduated of Service High in 1982. I moved to Houston, Alaska in 1988 with my husband David Barney. I have been married for 22 years. I have two children; a son Russell Barney; 19, a graduate of Houston High School. I have a daughter Danielle Barney; 17, a senior at Houston High School. I have never been convicted of a misdemeanor or felony.

My work experiences have varied from manager of a major jewelry store chain, real estate, customer service in the banking industry, and I even spent a few years as a volunteer EMT in our area. I have been working for the Mat-Su Borough School District since 1998. Starting at Big Lake Elementary, moving up to Houston Jr./Sr. High. I currently work at Houston High School as a paraprofessional in the special education department. I have held office in the PTA and on the fire department's auxiliary, these are just small things to most but they were very important to me. Now, I would like to take a larger step to make difference in the community by running for city council.

I care about this community. Having lived in Houston for 21 years now I have seen a lot of changes, some good, some not so good. Often improvements can be made just by bringing a fresh perspective to the local government. I feel that I can help to bring a fresh perspective.

The planning commission is a group of community members. It is my understanding that the purpose at this point is to review projects in Houston and then to make recommendations to the council. The council then has the final say. I am concerned about the availability of resources and the danger of legal issues, but understand the desire to have some control over how the city progresses. Growth can be good with proper planning.

The first-class city issue is being added to the October ballot because citizens want to be able to vote for the Mayor, the current system has the Mayor appointed by the seated council. If Houston does become a First-class city this would increase the administration, increase the budget and increase the need for more revenue. These increases in government would cost the residents more.

I hope this answers most of your questions. I am looking forward to researching both sides of every issue and being a fair, positive, representative of my community.

Joshua Hanford

1. I am a veteren of the United States Marine Corps, I have attended several West coast Universities and will graduate with a BS in Management in July 2010. I was an executive with Watts Water Technologies for many years. Designing water treatment systems for primarily the health care industries and for village drinking water systems in south East Asia was my primary responsibility.

I am married, with a combined family of 7 children, ranging in ages from 19 to 7. My wife is a kindergarten teacher at Goose Bay Elementary School.

2. I believe that I will provide a fresh new perspective into what might be a stagnant political environment, as well as bring logic, honesty and a base sense of loyalty which is not common in today's politics.

3. Honestly, on a personal level, I appreciate his efforts. I would never vote for him and do not believe in what he has done for the city or for the community and feel that his attempts to exaggerate his importance has hurt the city of Houston and has subsequently diminished our community's depth, pride and public support.

I would not vote to reappoint him, as I have forgotten more than he will ever know.

4. That is NOT a good idea. There is so much more that should be taken care of in this community before wasting time on something that will increase taxes, create a huge split in local government, as well as create dissension within the school system, which will ultimately cost us money, hurt our children and create an invitation for gang activities in our sacred communities.

5. Absolutely. We need to look at creating infrastucture of sewer and water; some of the basic utilities that would contribute to the growth and expansion of our residential and commercial community. We need to capitalize on the tourism that passes right through the heart of our community and we need to attract more capable, willing, educated and experienced community members to represent Houston, in order to make it a better place to leave to our children.

Seat D

Lance Wilson (incumbent)

1. I'm an Army retiree with experience in personnel and project management, business development, and contracting. I've served on the Local Emergency Planning Committees for Delta-Greely and Mat-Su. I also have a BS degree in Government Administration.

2. I want to make our city a better, safer, place to live. While maintaining a semi-rural lifestyle, we need more local jobs and must improve our fire insurance ratings. Economic development provides the local jobs, goods and services we need to live here. We must nurture Houston businesses, not kill or drive them away through over-regulation and heavy taxes. The council helps to create the right environment for positive growth.

3. After depositing a surplus of $75K from last year's funds into the current FY10 account, even when handicapped with more than $24K in unbudgeted expenses inherited from a previous administration, plowing snow faster and more often, doing more road repairs, increasing the size and capability of the fire and police departments, and bringing the city to the verge of reducing individual property owner's insurance rates 30-60%…all without raising taxes…I think the mayor has done pretty well in the last 10 months. I reserve comment on appointment of the next mayor until I see who on the next council desires that burden.

4. Houston isn't trying to split the Borough. The overbearing and non-responsive Borough Assembly is accomplishing that themselves. The Alaska Constitution recognizes we are entitled to equal rights, opportunities, protection and the enjoyment of the rewards of our own industry, but our "masters" in Palmer ignore that. The Borough goes out of its way to prevent resource extraction, hinder commercial and industrial development, and place unwarranted restrictions and seemingly unlimited taxes on its subjects (us). I think it's time for a change.

5. I think so, but it will be up to the voters. This change can occur at no additional cost or growth in government. If Houston wants to directly elect its mayor, we need to become a First Class City.