S.R. Privett III, better known as Reme, is making his first run for public office. The 43-year-old business owner has run Rayme’s Bar for about the past 20 years. He is one of the four candidates seeking election to two available three-year terms on the borough assembly. The top two vote-getters will win.

Privett said he’s been approached about running in the past but this is finally the year he gave in.

“I guess it was just time to throw my hat in the ring,” he said.

The Privett family have been in Wrangell for generations: Both his father and grandfather spent time as mayor, among other public seats; and his mother was the school board president for a time. After graduating high school, Privett left Wrangell under the direction of his father to stay away for a minimum of a year. After about a year and two weeks of school in Anchorage, he dropped his classes and headed home.

“Born here, raised here, probably gonna die here,” he said.

While up north, he said he took advantage of his chance to drive around the state and also spent a brief three-month stint up in Barrow (later renamed Utqiaġvik). But when the sun disappeared and temperatures dropped to 40 below, he said the rain of Southeast sounded more attractive.

“I got to see some really cool stuff. I saw polar bears and walruses and pulling whales up on the ice after they (Alaska Natives) had gotten a successful hunt,” Privett said. “It was just too cold.”

Back in Wrangell, he went to work for his family driving fuel delivery trucks for the company that is now Petro Marine, but after developing an allergy to chemicals in the fuels he had to leave the industry. Not wanting to leave town again, he started his own business. At 24 years old, he bought a bar and Rayme’s would open on the first day of moose season in 2007.

“Other than that, I was going to have to maybe move or do something else,” Privett said. “But I knew I wanted to stay in Wrangell.”

He isn’t running on any particular platform. He said that with Wrangell’s bright future on the horizon, he wouldn’t mind seeing another harbor added or the expansion of an existing one like Shoemaker. For the most part, he said he just wants to get in the door and go from there.

“If I win, I’ll go fully in. I don’t have any campaign ads or anything like that.” he said, “Just if you think I’m the guy to do it, vote for me.”

Privett said he’s excited for what’s to come, with more businesses coming to town and more young people sticking around than he’s seen in the past.

“I think things are really going to happen here.”