Houston council candidates talk city services, rail spur

HOUSTON — Probably the most surprising thing to come out of Friday’s city council forum — a whole lot of agreement with the sitting mayor.

“I think she’s doing a fine job,” former councilwoman, former lodge owner, and current candidate for the council Rosemary Burnett said. “I think I can work real well with her.”

Moderated by Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman Publisher Kari Sleight, the forum was held at the Mid-Valley Senior Center Thursday. Four out of six people who will appear on Tuesday’s ballot for seats on the council attended: Burnett, mayor Virgie Thompson, councilwoman Alma Hartley, and challenger Gina Jorgenson made appearances. Candidates Ruth Blanchard and Kenny Champ were not there.

There are three seats up for grabs this year. Burnett is facing off against Hartley and Jorgenson and Champ against incumbent Blanchard. Thompson did not draw a challenger for her council seat. The way Houston works is that after each election the newly constituted council picks which of their number to serve as mayor.

And while Houston politics have been typified by personal attacks and attempts to recall mayors from office, everyone Thursday seemed determined to end that era in city politics.

“I do feel I can help cure a lot of the problems we’ve had in the past because I’m peaceful,” Burnett said.

“I wouldn’t even get all the way in the door because I felt unwelcome,” Jorgenson said of past attempts to attend city council meetings. These days, she said, she goes whenever she gets the urge and doesn’t have a problem.

As for big issues facing the city; Burnett repeatedly brought up the railroad spur currently under construction to bring railroad service to Port MacKenzie. The spur is set to connect with the Alaska Railroad’s mainline in Houston.

“It means a lot of growth in Houston,” Burnett said.

But the city needs to make sure that growth is orderly. The property around the tracks needs to be zoned commercial, both so warehousing and train loading facilities are in the proper zones but also so homes with residents likely to be disturbed by the noise aren’t built near by.

Hartley also identified the railroad as a major issue facing Houston. She also said she would like to see more businesses in the city.

“We don’t need big businesses I don’t think. Maybe a gas station. Maybe a little grocery store,” she said.

Jorgenson said she’d like to see more paved roads in the city.

Thompson said one of her biggest priorities is to try and fix traffic congestion and safety concerns on the Parks Highway.

“There needs to be a light at Big Lake Road,” she said.

She also pointed out that plans to expand the highway in the Houston area will turn it into a four-lane, divided highway. Which means left turns will be impossible in many areas, something that will greatly affect local businesses.

One question asked drew directly from recent headlines. In January, dozens of starving, abandoned cats were rescued from a Houston home, overtaxing the city’s tiny emergency services professionals and requiring help from multiple animal rescue groups. The question asked if the city could do anything to stiffen penalties for animal cruelty.

“I believe yes we can,” Jorgenson said. “The animals did nothing wrong and that was very sad.”

Burnett said that she felt the homeowners should be held accountable.

Hartley, who works for the city’s fire department, which did a fair amount of the work rounding up the cats and bringing them to the city’s animal shelter, said enforcement should be on a case-by-case basis.

Thompson said she’ll never forget the case, describing it as “terrible.” But she said the city has an uphill fight in the public perception realm.

“The people that live out here want to be left alone,” she said, and they think they can do what they please with their animals because, “they think it’s outside city limits because it’s not Anchorage or Wasilla.”

One thing no one seemed to be in favor of at the candidates’ table: immediately resurrecting the Houston Police Department.

“Eventually we do need a small police department. A very small police department,” Burnett said. But, for now, the Alaska State Troopers “are doing a good job.”

Thompson said that people who’ve lived in Houston for a couple decades probably remember how long it used to take to get a trooper to your house. The police department was an attempt to rectify that.

“The unfortunate thing was that it was never planned for,” Thompson said, noting that the department cost the city $500,000 a year, reducing what other departments like the Houston Fire Department could do. “We all want to be protected, but if my house is on fire, I want a fireman.”

Hartley said that a police department would be nice but, “right now we just can’t financially support that.”

Jorgenson said she’s had to call troopers to get people to stop racing up and down her road or shooting off guns and fireworks. The troopers have been prompt in every case, she said.

A new trooper post near Mile 49 of the Parks Highway which opened after the Houston Police Department was formed and has likely helped increase response times.

Contact Andrew Wellner at andrew.wellner@frontiersman.com or 352-2270.