Palmer Chamber of Commerce hosts candidate forum

Candidates running for city council and mayor of Palmer had an opportunity to answer questions and meet with members of the Palmer Chamber of Commerce, as well as members of the public who attend their monthly Chamber luncheon.

Moderated by Mike Chmielewski of Big Cabbage Radio, six of the nine candidates running for mayor and city council were asked questions related to attracting new businesses and challenges faced by local businesses, to city spending.

Unlike other forums, this time candidates were not made aware of questions ahead of time, and each question was not applied to every candidate, and different candidates were rotated and given two minutes to respond.

Cachet Garret, the only mayoral candidate who is not currently on the Palmer City Council said that as mayor, she would support new businesses through a partnership with the Chamber of Commerce.

“I think we all agree that Palmer’s growing and that we have room for new businesses, and that’s exciting for our town. We have empty buildings that could be filled. Room for growth, room for expansion, and new kinds of businesses that create a well-rounded community, where people can enjoy the town that we live in more than we already do.”

When asked what specific policies or initiatives would you support to attract and retain business, Deputy Mayor Josh Tudor, who is running for Mayor, said it is important to make it as easy as possible to start a business in Palmer.

“For me, a lot of it is outreach. Making sure the Mayor is continually outreaching to new businesses, going to ribbon cuttings, supporting our small businesses, making sure that we’re showing that Palmer is open for business.” He said that it is important to put Palmer out there, and possibly developing entrepreneurship for young people, possibly through community grants.

“I’ve seen firsthand the difficulties of running a business here in Palmer, as well as the joys of it,” said Carolina Graver, who has worked in several Palmer businesses ever since she moved to Palmer. She said that several items need to be addressed, including parking, public safety, and outreach. “There are a lot of people that haven’t heard of Palmer, and people don’t know that there is space and there is a need for more businesses in Palmer.”

When asked what role the city should play in encouraging tourism or events that boost the local economy, John Alcantra, who is running for mayor, said he is Palmer’s biggest cheerleader. “Palmer’s the ninth largest city in Alaska—we need to act like it. We need to try and get as many folks to see our city as possible.” He said that he believes sometimes tourism just doesn’t flow towards Palmer in excursions from the trains running from Anchorage. “We need to ensure that Palmer is advertised well; make sure we spend a little money upfront in order to have folks know what a jewel this place is.”

Mayoral candidate Jim Cooper said the problem is communication outside of Alaska. “Palmer’s not really mentioned. They talk about Juneau, Anchorage, Fairbanks. We need to get that communication out, we need to get that marketing out. We need to work with local visitors’ bureaus and the Alaska state chambers.” Cooper also had a practical answer that to help divert tourists to the city. “We used to have a sign ‘Palmer’s the best place to live, work, and play.’ We need to continue that.”

Sherry Carrington, who is running for a one-year city council seat was asked how she would ensure that residents and business owners’ voices are heard, and she reminded people that council meetings are a great place to voice what their thoughts are. She also said that council should make themselves available “We want to hear (from you). Speaking up and speaking out, and us being intentional, listening and taking what you have to say and your ideas and concerns to heart.”

When asked the best way to handle conflicts or disagreements among city leadership while also keeping decisions in the community’s best interest, Allison Collins, who is running for city council referred to her work as a mediator, which she said requires a different skill set from practicing law. “Some of those skills are being able to help people feel heard and understood, and help others to understand what’s being said. Being that neutral party helps people who may view themselves on different sides of an issue understand one another.” She said one thing that often surprised those she was working with was that people think they agree on nothing but find that there is actually a lot they agree on. “Whether it’s values or goals that they have. Being able to help folks focus on those shared values and goals, and motivate them to work together…can make a lot of that conflict disappear.”

One question all the candidates were asked was regarding the prompt building and opening of a new library, and issue that has plagued the city since the Palmer library roof collapsed in February, 2023.

All of the candidates agree that they view the library as part of the heart of Palmer and would like to see the library is built the right way, is available and accessible to everyone, meeting the needs of the community, and is done sooner rather than later.

Early elections are currently being held in Palmer, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Voters may access the City Council Chambers via the Cobb Street Entrance.

Polls will be open Tuesday, October 7, 2025, 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the following locations:

Mat-Su Borough Building, Assembly Chambers (350 E Dahlia Avenue)

Mat-Su School District Administration Building (501 N Gulkana Street)