Hospital and school heads to run in fall election

Two more people have put forth their names to be included on October’s municipal elections ballot.

As of press time Tuesday, schools superintendent Patrick Mayer expressed interest in running for a vacancy on the Wrangell Medical Center Board, while WMC head Robert Rang will be running for a position on the Public School Board.

The city clerk’s office is inquiring with its attorney on retainer about whether having the two officials serve on each others’ boards would represent a conflict of interest. While unusual, the possibility is not prohibited by Municipal Code and does not appear to pose a conflict of interest.

Rang will appear on the ballot alongside candidates Georgianna Buhler and Scott Seddon. The three will be running for two three-year terms available on the WPSB, which will have been vacated when the terms of Pamella McCloskey and Rinda Howell end in October. Neither incumbent has so far expressed an interest in running again.

Mayer will be running for one of two unexpired two-year terms on the WMCB, while incumbent Barbara Conine is running unopposed for another full four-year term. At the decision of the Assembly in March, the size of the board will be reduced by two seats to seven in an effort to help it fill vacancies. So far no candidate has expressed interest in one of the two-year terms still available.

Also running for reelection will be Mayor David Jack, who has served since 2013 and won reelection in 2014. As of now, Jack will be running unopposed. The terms of current Assembly members Julie Decker and Daniel Blake are set to expire in October. Both have picked up packets from City Hall to register on the ballot, but officially have not yet declared an intention to run.

On the Port Commission, the seats of John Yeager and David Silva are set to expire this year, but no candidates have filed for either of the two three-year terms.

Those wishing to declare candidacy for any available offices must do so with the borough clerk’s office by August 31. Individuals who fail to file a declaration of candidacy but still wish to run as a write-in candidate must file with a letter of intent no later than September 30. Write-in votes cast for individuals who do not file a letter of intent will not be counted.

Appearing on October’s ballot will be one proposed amendment to the Home Rule Charter. Proposition 1 asks a yes or no question, whether to “repeal Section 3-10, Nolan Museum and Civic Center, as set forth in Ordinance No. 919.”

Passage would entail the permanent dissolution of the Nolan Museum and Civic Center Board. As with other public committees and boards, it has experienced difficulty in finding people to fill vacancies, while still costing the city money to meet. Its essential functions were also found by the Assembly to be redundant, largely being served already by the Friends of the Wrangell Museum.