Seven people vying for Cordova’s municipal elected positions achieved something nearly unheard of during this week’s candidate forum: A general consensus on just about everything.
While I’m still in the relatively early stages of my career as a journalist, I can’t help but compare this week’s Cordova Candidate Forum to past debates and election cycles I’ve observed and covered, as well as the nationwide ones we’re all bearing witness to now.
The volatility of national and even international politics has been so pervasive over the past decade – fueled in part, I believe, by each of our individual commentary over social media. Political happenings in other parts of the country or the world pop up on our feeds unprompted, and it almost feels like we’re expected to have staunch opinions about all of it.
But what I witnessed at the Cordova Candidate Forum was an inspiring display of how politics used to be – respectful, professional, and factual. And even more than that, the candidates seemed to agree on nearly everything.
Hosted virtually by the Cordova Chamber of Commerce and Cordova Radio on Feb. 24, and with preparatory input from The Cordova Times, the forum was a series of five questions followed by closing comments for each candidate.
The group was in general agreement that the state of the local fishing industry and lack of available and affordable housing stock were two of the main issues to tackle in Cordova.
David Allison – the mayor who is running for Council in order to debate and have more voting power – and current City Council Member Ken Jones, who is running for re-election, both said they want to support local fisheries with year-round processing operations.
Debra Adams, a 40-plus year Cordova resident and career educator at Cordova High School, suggested if she was elected to the City Council she’d advocate for increasing fisheries marketing efforts, hopefully to sell fish “maybe in places we hadn’t even thought of.”
Nearly every candidate spoke about the importance of supporting a better fishing industry to enhance economic opportunity.
And as far as Cordova’s broader economy goes, many candidates cited the lack of housing and struggles to retain residents as key areas of improvement.
Mike Mickelson – a music teacher and local fisherman – said he’d like to bring more affordable housing to city and state-leased land (specifically state land by the airport) if he’s elected to the council.
Mayoral candidate Jason Barnes – a multi-generational Cordovan, fisherman and social worker at the Native Village of Eyak (NVE) – said more housing is needed in order to encourage people to stay in or move to Cordova. Kristin Smith (Carpenter) – executive director of the Prince William Sound Economic Development District and the other mayoral candidate – said one of her goals is to capitalize on broadband internet capabilities to recruit remote workers to live in Cordova.
City Council candidate Aaron Hansen, a technician at the Cordova Telecom Cooperative, suggested he’d even like to make Cordova a more attractive winter destination to get and keep people in town.
Other quality of life issues nearly every candidate spoke about included their ideas about business expansion, investing in Cordova public schools, and responsible city budgeting.
Nobody made a declarative statement about which political party they belong to, another near unfathomable thought during any election in today’s political climate. (Jones, however, did say he is a “pretty outspoken conservative voice” in town.)
During closing comments, many candidates expressed their gratitude for not only the voters but also their peers seeking office – many of them wishing each other luck on Election Day.
In my experience, the candidate forum was almost as nonpartisan as it gets in politics – even in hyper-local politics. That in and of itself was refreshing.
To watch the Cordova Candidate Forum, visit the Cordova Chamber’s YouTube channel at youtube.com/@cordovachamber.
Cordovans may cast their ballots for mayor, City Council, and School Board ahead of Election Day during the early voting period, which is through March 3. The early voting polling site at the Cordova Center is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The General Election is on Tuesday, March 4. The Cordova Center Community Room A polling site will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Election Day.
Camille Botello is the managing editor of The Cordova Times. After graduating with degrees in Journalism and Spanish, she landed her first job as a full-time photojournalist for the Peninsula Clarion newspaper in Kenai. Since then, her bylines have appeared in the Bronx Times and Rye Record newspapers, both New York publications.
