Deborah Sounart and James Baisden took their seats on the Kenai City Council on Wednesday, officially kicking off their three-year terms on the body. Both Sounart and Baisden were elected during the Oct. 5 municipal election, in which five candidates vied for two open seats on the body.

Baisden previously served as Kenai Peninsula Borough Mayor Charlie Pierce’s chief of staff and as Nikiski Fire Service Area chief. He’s a U.S. Air Force veteran and has also served in the Alaska National Guard. In his bid for a seat on the council, Baisden positioned himself as a fiscal conservative who opposes government health mandates.

Sounart is the former director of Kenai Central High School and Kenai Middle School’s concert bands and drumline, where she worked for 26 years. In running for a seat on the council, Sounart said she expected the skills needed to be a band director would transfer to those needed to be a city council member.

Sounart and Baisden fill seats previously held by Bob Molloy and Victoria Askin. Molloy sat on the council for 16 years and Askin was appointed in December of 2020.

The council also elected council member Jim Glendening to be the city’s new vice mayor, a position formerly held by Molloy, who did not run for reelection.

Council member Henry Knackstedt was also nominated for the position of vice mayor, which triggered a vote by secret ballot among council members. The vote in favor of Glendening was 4-3.

In nominating Glendening for the position of vice mayor, council member Teea Winger cited his community involvement and access to state elected officials.

“He has served us diligently, he offers great community service with our constituents (and) he’s been a great advocate and many different aspects for our city,” Winger said. “ … I think he would do well representing us.”

Wednesday’s full meeting of the Kenai City Council can be viewed on the city’s YouTube channel.

Reach reporter Ashlyn O’Hara at ashlyn.ohara@peninsulaclarion.com.

Kenai Mayor Brian Gabriel (left) swears in Kenai City Council Member Deborah Sounart during a meeting of the Kenai City Council on Wednedsay, Nov. 3, 2021 in Kenai, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)