Dan Powers, owner/operator at tour company Experience Wrangell and a school board member, is running unopposed for a three-year term on the borough assembly. He said his focus is on helping the borough complete projects aimed at job creation, housing and keeping young families in town.

Powers backs moving the barge landing to the 6-Mile mill site, arguing the relocation could ease congestion and open new possibilities downtown.

“I am in support and I feel moving the barge service to the 6-Mile mill site offers a chance for future growth in our downtown area,” he said. “The move will help bring the mill site back to life.”

He also supports a joint borough–cruise line project to build a new dock on the downtown waterfront to accommodate smaller ships for overnight stays. Powers said smaller lines and their guests often lose preference when larger ships are in port, limiting access for visitors and local businesses.

“One of the largest complaints from small cruise lines and their guests is that they don’t have dock preference when larger ships are in port. If we can help accommodate that need, we can help their guests get onto our streets and into our shops easier and generate more income for our locals store owners.”

Powers identified job creation, high housing costs and shortages, and retaining young families as the community’s biggest challenges. He credited the borough’s current leadership with taking steps to address those issues and said he wants to help finish what has been started.

On reversing population decline, Powers pointed to borough investments to create space for new industry and housing, expand the downtown waterfront for development and pursue joint ventures.

“The borough has been actively investing in projects to create space for new industry in Wrangell,” he said. “Opening lots for housing and industrial growth, moving toward gaining more waterfront for development, and constantly seeking out opportunities and networking with potential joint ventures. … The management needs community support and involvement to create sustainable and healthy opportunities for new families. Let’s not let Wrangell die!”

If elected, Powers said his top goal is to support borough staff to keep the growth agenda on track, and to serve as a conduit between employees and the public.

“As an assembly member, I will have a voice in the community and help communicate the staffs’ heart and vision to people and community members’ hearts and vision back into the borough. If we don’t work together, we won’t flourish as well as we could!”

On taxes and spending, Powers encouraged residents who are concerned to participate in public meetings and share their views.

“Please come to the assembly meetings and share your heart and thoughts,” he said. “We all live here and we all have opinions on what could happen in Wrangell.”

Powers said he can manage duties on both the assembly and the school board. He acknowledged the workload but said serving in both roles can improve collaboration.

“Serving on both boards does create more work for one person,” he said. “It’s not impossible but one will have to stay focused and not let one or the other slide. But what I do see as a positive is the ability to have potent insights from each board into the other, to help create more engaging conversations when the two boards need to work together on projects.”