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Bethel City Council Candidate: Fritz Charles

Bethel City Council member Fritz Charles is running for re-election.
Katie Basile
/
KYUK

Continuing our series profiling the candidates running for Bethel City Council in the upcoming municipal election, we spoke with Fritz Charles. Charles grew up down river from Bethel in Tuntutuliak, but has lived in Bethel for the last 15 years. Charles says that he is a candidate for the people. 

To listen to the full interview, please scroll to the bottom of the page. 

Fritz: My name is Fritz Charles. I have been contemplating over past few years, and finally decided to run for City Council this year. From my point of view, some of the current councils have had personal vendettas that don't really pertain to the citizens of Bethel. That is one of the reasons why I’m running for City Council.

KYUK: What are the top three changes you would like to make as a City Council member?

Fritz: I don’t have any particular reasons that I want to change stuff. My first priority would be to change the pipes at Housing. That’s going to take a lot of work, time, and some money. Then probably we have to do something with the roads, too.

KYUK: Where would you find money for those projects?

Fritz: There’s Rasmuson Foundation grants that we can look into, and there’s grants out there that we can look for. Now is the time to get funding, and go from there.

KYUK: Where do you work in the community and what else do you do in the community?

Fritz: I work in Yute Air, flight Alaska.  I’m also [on] board. I’m the vice president of search and rescue, and I have been doing that for four to five years. I’m also a junior vice-commander, in VFW, and I have been in VFW since 2009. I also host the Kuskokwim Salmon Management Working Group, one of the co-chairs. I’ve been doing the KYUK "Yuk to Yuk" for the past ten years, I believe.

KYUK: Why are you qualified to be a City Council candidate?

Fritz: I’ve been living here since 1995 and we need the younger generation that’s able to speak out for the public and serve the community of Bethel truthfully and rightfully.

KYUK: And why should people vote for you?

Fritz: I’m for the people. I will listen to what the public wants and their interests, and I will push their ideas forward if they’re legitimate.

KYUK: Is there anything that you’d like people to know about you?

Fritz: I grew up in a small village down in Tuntutuilak and English was my second language. I’ve got a family of five kids. I live up there in Tundra Ridge, and I come from a big family out here in the Delta.

KYUK: Anything else you’d like to add?

Fritz: Come out and vote!

KYUK: Anything you’d like to say in Yup'ik?

Fritz: (speaking in Yup'ik) Told them I was running for City Council and told them to go vote on October 4.

KYUK: Thank you Fritz

Fritz: Thank you.