Houston Election: 5 running for city council seats

HOUSTON — The city of Houston will hold elections for the three open Houston City Council seats on Oct. 1. Each of the five candidates was sent five questions to answer for voters prior to election day. Running for seat E is Dawnita Brunswick. Running for seat F is current council member Paul Stout and Jerika George. Running for seat G is Jessica Briles and Kristen Rowe.

1. What positive attributes would you bring to the Houston City Council, if elected?

2. What is it you hope to accomplish during the next term, if elected?

3. What is the main obstacle for the city of Houston in the next two or three years, and how do you plan to overcome that difficulty?

4. What ultimately compelled you to run for the Council?

5. What personal accomplishment (or as part of an organization) are you most proud of during your time living in Houston?

SEAT F

Jerika George

Fresh perspective, as a young born and raised Alaskan I bring an old school way of thinking balanced with a modern, yet conservative, point of view. I also bring a passion for agriculture and a strong belief in efficiency, sustainability, and self-reliance.

My number one goal if elected is to be a representative of the residents of Houston and improve communications between residents and Council members. I hope to learn as much as possible from this opportunity and do my part to maintain the integrity of our growing City through lawful, transparent governance.

I believe the biggest challenge the City of Houston faces is a lack of commerce to boost our local economy and add jobs to our community. I believe the answer to this is Agriculture! We face a serious food security problem in Alaska, agricultural growth will bring jobs, sustainability, self reliance, and food security! I believe Houston has the potential to become an agricultural leader in our state and I intend to help make that a reality by promoting the development and growth of farms and agribusinesses in our City.

I decided to run for office when I saw a need for more people to step up and get involved. Change starts at grassroots, our City needs change that will support economic growth while preserving our amazing Alaskan atmosphere that truly makes Houston “Where the real Alaska begins”

I am most proud of the day my family and I moved into the City of Houston. That day marked the accomplishment of our biggest goal, owning a home. I am also very proud of my farms and look forward to continuing to grow my Agricultural operations in Houston.

SEAT G

Jessica Briles

I have over 20 years experience in business management as well as owning a successful business in Houston, Alaska. This coupled with my love for the community and the people would make me a great asset to the City Council

My hope is to improve the road conditions in Houston and to further secure and strengthen public safety within the community. In talking with residents of Houston daily at my business these are their top two concerns.

I do not know that I would call them obstacles. As new council members come in I think there will be time of adjustment to new ideas and a learning period for the new council members. Than I believe it will need to be a priority of the council to address the concerns of the residents. Which are roads and public safety.

My desire to be of service to the community I live in .

My husband and I bought the Houston Lodge in 2018. The Lodge has always been an iconic part of the city and we are continuing that tradition. It is another way in which my family serves the families in Houston.

Kristen Rowe

I will serve Houston City Council and citizens in many capacities. I am rooted in safety and education. Continual learning, researching, and developing will attract many possibilities and partners. I understand the upcoming opportunities for Houston and know the value of our area, its people, and the skill sets needed to support our boom. The integrity of city council keeps Houston’s governance independent and our public servants honest. I will bring everything I can and make every connection possible to see that we keep Houston’s citizenry happy, harmonious, prosperous, and safe.

I hope to develop cohesion within the community by encouraging inclusive programming so that all residents can share their trade, talent, knowledge, skills, and abilities. Resources and services should come locally. We can help those in need, return a benefit to those that give, and prepare for Houston’s next steps. I hope to commit strong citizens to training so that we can protect ourselves and our neighbors. I will work with our school, city council, and commerce to ensure that we have diverse funding streams, to consider cost sharing and in-kind options when planning and programming, and to compete for Houston’s financial growth with continued research and development. Finally, we hardly stop to celebrate our wins. We will change that. Houston has a lot to be proud of, just look at any Houston Hawk after the earthquake. They are resilient and are proof that we must move forward in support of each other, especially if we get to build an addition to our legacy.

Houston’s main obstacle will be continued change. Frustration and exhaustion have been regularly noted after the earthquake on November 30, 2018. The 2019 fires have affected the health of many in our community. We are hearty people, but we do have stress on our faces. We know that we wouldn’t want to live anywhere else. We also know now more than ever that we have to support each other. I will promote the infrastructure for community service so that if the Hawks can help fight fires or can take the spruce infested trees that they get credit for it and are on track for certification. The City of Houston will benefit most with the HJSH CTE programming in 2021, if it comes to fruition. Additional credits can be offered for serving veterans, elderly, youth, homelessness/housing, etc.

A combination of things compelled me to run for council. My devotion to our Houston Hawks, for starters, that they must hold the line and hold our seats to remain independent of the borough. Also, my love for Alaska, my age, and my degrees led me to this point. I’m fun, adventurous, and free. My home is in Houston.

I am very proud to serve as a substitute teacher for the last 4.5 years with the MSDSB, all but one day was served at Houston Middle School, Houston High School, and HJSH. I heart these Hawks.

** Editor's note: Dawnita Brunswick and Paul Stout did not respond to the Frontiersman’s request to complete the questionnaire prior to the deadline.