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Bethel City Council Candidate Forum Was Civil

Despite a low turnout of the candidates vying for a seat on the Bethel City Council, contenders enjoyed a civil, yet lively public forum on Monday night.

If you can name it, it was something for the candidates to talk about; everything from city finance, the Donlin mine, public safety, and, of course, Local Option was touched upon.

 

Audience turnout was modest in Council chambers, as were the number of candidates able to make the forum; those in attendance included Mark Springer, Anny Cochrane, Shadi Rabi, and Vice Mayor Fred Watson.

 

Few chose to share their voting choice on the alcohol issue. But when it came to community goals around the issues that the Alcohol Task Force has taken on, all of the candidates chimed in.

 

“I think ultimately what would come out of it was if we do decide to stay wet, funnel some of that money towards education. Getting together with YKHC and LKSD to come up with some sort of education plan for the youth,” said Fred Watson. “I think if we get them educated young, it’ll help in the future.”

 

One glaring reality not missed by candidates is that Local Option would create a gaping hole in the city's revenue.

 

“Moving forward with public safety is always an issue. So that would be my number one recommendation: make sure the individuals in Bethel are safe to do normal community events,” said candidate Shadi Rabi. “If it was passed you have to find a way, we have to find a way to make up that revenue. There’s no if’s and’s or but’s, that is a big chunk of money.”

 

Write-in candidate Mark Springer stated that though the Alcohol Task Force doesn’t hold any official power by itself, it does provide a promising opportunity for regular discussion.

 

“If we go wet, there will be some serious thought and some direction given to everybody who is involved,” Springer said.

 

If Local Option should not pass and liquor sales remain legal, candidate Anny Cochrane says that revenue from alcohol sales should be used to support impacted agencies.

 

“Public safety, it’s a huge thing,” said Cochrane. “I would like to see expansion of CSP [Community Service Patrol]; that was the number one complaint that they couldn’t get resources when they needed it, and I’m with education as well. We need to have our youth educated.”

 

Municipal elections will take place on October 2, when Bethel will get to vote to fill three two-year open seats and one one-year open seat. Candidates who are running but were not able to attend the forum are Perry Barr, Fritz T. Charles, and Carole Jung Jordan. Listen for a replay of the Bethel City Council Candidate Forum on Tuesday, September 18, starting at 1 p.m. and again at 7 p.m.

 

Correction: a previous version of this story reported that Mark Springer was the only candidate to state that they are in favor of Local Option during the forum, when in fact Fred Watson also said that he supports Local Option.