Powell and Gilbert in contested election for borough mayor

Assembly Member David Powell has filed to run for mayor, taking on incumbent Patty Gilbert in the Oct. 1 municipal election.

Gilbert is running for a second two-year term as mayor. Powell is in his ninth year on the assembly.

In another contested race on the ballot, Chris Buness is seeking a second three-year term on the port commission, with Tony Guggenbickler, Eric Yancey and Antonio Silva also on the ballot. The top two vote-getters will each win a three-year term.

Guggenbickler has never held elected office in Wrangell, though he served many years on the local advisory committee to the state boards of fisheries and game. Yancey, who served on the port commission 2012-2013, owns Breakaway Ferry and Freight. Silva, a commercial fisherman, has not held elected office in Wrangell.

Port commission member John Martin did not seek reelection.

There also is a contested race for school board, with incumbents Brittani Robbins and Angela Allen and candidate Dan Powers competing for two, three-year terms on the board. The top two vote-getters will win.

Robbins, who also serves on the borough assembly, was elected to the school board in 2021. Allen also was elected to the board in 2021. Powers would be new to the board if he wins.

The other race on the ballot for two assembly seats is uncontested. Jim DeBord and Bob Dalrymple both are seeking reelection to a second three-year term. Both were elected in 2021.

Gilbert was the first candidate to file for the ballot, just a few days after the filing period opened Aug. 2. Powell submitted his paperwork for mayor at City Hall on Aug. 28. The filing period closed Aug. 30.

Gilbert has said she wants to continue as mayor to follow through on several projects to help the community, including repairs to aging buildings and trying to improve the town’s economy.

Powell also cited the town’s economy and population decline as his motivation to run. “I think we really need to shake things up. We need an economy in this town.”

He said he is not running against Gilbert’s agenda as mayor and would continue to work with her on the assembly and support her efforts if she wins reelection.

If Powell wins the mayoral election, he would be required to resign his assembly seat and the assembly would appoint a new member to serve until the term expires in October 2025.

Early voting in the municipal election opens Sept. 16. Registered voters can cast their ballot between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. weekdays at City Hall. Or they can request an absentee ballot by downloading the form from the borough clerk’s elections tab on the municipality’s website. Absentee ballot request forms must be received at City Hall by Sept. 20.

The polls for in-person voting will be open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Oct. 1 at the Nolan Center.

In addition to the elected offices, the ballots will include two questions for voters: Should the borough borrow $3 million to make repairs to the rot- and water-damaged Public Safety Building; and should the municipal charter be amended so that the assembly could in the future consider an ordinance to pay the mayor and assembly members for their work.