Incumbent Borough Assembly Member Phillip Mach says Wrangell is at a “pivotal” moment, and he wants to help keep the momentum going.

Mach is seeking a one-year term on the assembly. He is running against incumbent Brittani Robbins and David Wilson in the Oct. 7 municipal election.

“I think the reason I’m running is, it’s a very pivotal time for Wrangell,” Mach said. “It seems like the community knows that we have our hurdles, and we have a great leadership team at the city, not just the borough manager, but the directors. There’s a lot of movement forward, and I think it’s truly the time to act and to move forward.

“I’m running because I think that (I) have a new set of eyes, someone that hasn’t been here as long as some of the other people in town, but has views from different angles. I think I can add some other insight that others may not.”

He was appointed to the assembly in February to fill out the year of Anne Morrison’s term, until the next election. He works as the plant manager at Trident Seafoods.

Mach, who describes himself as satisfied with the borough’s current course, said he anticipates “greater things” ahead if the community continues focusing on economic development, housing and core public services.

Whether to move the town’s barge landing to the 6-Mile mill site — Mach framed the issue around maintaining a stable freight lifeline.

“It’s really about a partnership with Alaska Marine Lines (AML) and Samson Tug and Barge,” he said. “They’re a core part of this town, and without them we can’t really survive.” Any decision, he added, has to weigh what’s best for residents, with AML and Samson’s roles being part of those considerations.

As to Wrangell’s population decline, Mach said the assembly can help by tackling interlocking needs.

“The biggest thing the borough can do to help reverse the population decline and attract younger families is to boost and encourage economic development, focus on the limited housing availability, and support the school and child care needs,” he said.

“Bringing more economic opportunities to town will attract new families to move to Wrangell for work. This works hand in hand with housing, child care and education. We need to attract new families through available jobs and quality education, but also have the housing available for these young families.”

On taxes and spending, Mach said he understands residents’ concerns but believes the borough manages public money well.

“At some point, every person has felt this way about a municipality or government,” he said. “From my limited time on the assembly, I believe the borough has been good stewards of tax money. Wrangell has been able to keep their (property tax) mill rate stable over the last few years and lower than comparable communities like Petersburg and Ketchikan. Having been on the assembly during the budget season this last spring, the borough’s budget is tight. The assembly goes through the budget line by line looking for opportunities to maximize its tax money and support the communities’ needs and expectations.”

Mach said his candidacy is rooted in continuity with an eye toward fresh perspective — backing a leadership team he credits for recent progress.

“There’s a lot of movement forward,” he said. “It’s truly the time to act.”