Willow man creates forum for political debate

February 10, 2006

DAWN DE BUSK\Frontiersman reporter

WILLOW - Politics surge through Christian Hartley's blood, and have been on his mind lately. Enough so that he designed a Web site where people can type in their two cents about Valley issues and local government.

&#8220It will allow more people to get involved who can't make it to meetings because of busy schedules, or maybe because of a disability. People can debate in a mature manner. I honestly think that the anonymity will let people debate a popular topic without feeling like they're being singled out,” Hartley said of his Web site, forums.myopinionmatters.org.

He started the Web site, which is less than a week old, so solutions could arise from residents' need to rant and rave.

&#8220The whole point is to increase participation and not just offer a place for venting. It will give a lot more people access to communicate their own opinions and hopefully to debate and make sense of what other people's opinions are,” he said.

Hartley hopes local and state elected officials will also become involved with the Web site as the membership grows.

Hartley was involved with the Y Community Council, but his schedule prohibits him from attending Willow Area Community Organization meetings for the time being. He also helped with campaigns for two successful Mat-Su Borough assembly members.

Since he was young, Hartley has had an affinity for the political process.

&#8220The whole concept of representation interests me because it's hard to represent without knowing what opinions are out there. The majority of the people are willing to accept that. One person represents thousands, and how do you do that without isolating someone? To me, I want to make sure the person is representing me and the people around me instead of focusing on one agenda,” he said.

The 27-year-old Alaska resident commutes in his Saturn SUV between his job with Denali Lodge, headquartered during the winter months in Wasilla, and his prefabricated log cabin on 2 acres in Willow. There, he and his wife, Alma, 22, share their life with a 5-month-old son, William Gerald, two dogs, two cats and a turtle with its own grow light.

The cabin was a gift to his wife after the birth of their son. The two met on the Internet while Hartley was living in Arizona and she was living in Anchorage.

She wasn't too crazy about a rural lifestyle until she spent two weeks in the Valley. They found common ground in a love for reading and writing and serving as emergency medical technicians.

Hartley has been an EMT I for the borough for five years. &#8220I want to help people and be of assistance any way I can,” he said.

He and Alma switch on-call duties so William won't need a sitter at odd hours.

Hartley enjoys fatherhood, but said he aspires to enter the political arena.

&#8220I would want to seek a local type of office like borough assembly or state representative definitely five to 10 years down the line,” said Hartley, who is a registered Democrat. &#8220Part of that reason I would wait that long is because when you look at the way the landscape is, at 27, a person is too young to seek an office. The older the person, the better chance they have to win. Experience matters more than words.”

Contact Dawn De Busk at

352-2252 or dawn.debusk@

frontiersman.com.