John Osenga, who is running for reelection to the Seward City Council, stands in the Seward Community Library & Museum on Friday, Aug. 27, 2021 in Seward, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
John Osenga, who is running for reelection to the Seward City Council, stands in the Seward Community Library Museum on Friday, Aug. 27, 2021 in Seward, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

John Osenga, who is running for reelection to the Seward City Council, stands in the Seward Community Library & Museum on Friday, Aug. 27, 2021 in Seward, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion) John Osenga, who is running for reelection to the Seward City Council, stands in the Seward Community Library Museum on Friday, Aug. 27, 2021 in Seward, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

John Osenga says he wants to ‘help push something in a positive, forward direction’

Election 2021: Seward City Council

John Osenga is running for one of two vacancies on the Seward City Council. He currently works in business maintenance and serves on the council, to which he was elected in 2018, and is also a council member and the council president of the Qutekcak Native Tribe.

Osenga said during an interview with the Clarion at the Seward Community Library and Museum on Aug. 27 that what first called him to the city council was a sense of “civic duty” and a desire to improve the way things were going in Seward. In running for reelection, he said he hopes to continue what he said was a positive trajectory of city council accomplishments.

“I (feel) that our council over the last three years has accomplished quite a bit, and I would like to continue that,” Osenga said.

He and his wife are lifelong residents of Seward and have four kids, all of whom graduated from Seward High School. As a lifelong resident of Seward, Osenga said something that really stands out to him is how much the city has changed over the years, especially as it relates to summer tourism.

“This town never (used to) shut down in the winter,” Osenga said. “Everything was open year-round. Of course, there weren’t nearly as many B&Bs then. It’s just a big difference and I think that’s something that has to change.”

Osenga said he’d like to see the city become more year-round by attracting year-round business that could co-exist with the tourism industry and with cruise ships.

“I think they can both coexist and we could actually have a year-round economy and a thriving summer tourism season,” Osenga said. “But right now, I think what we’re just lacking is that year-round (piece). The potential for something to be year-round here is where we’re lacking, so I’m hoping that we’d be able to just move that up without being detrimental to tourism.”

Among Osenga’s other priorities in serving on the council, he said, are addressing the city’s aging infrastructure and creating more year-round housing opportunities. That’s in addition to responding to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, which he said the city has been “spot on” in responding to.

Osenga praised Seward’s distribution of COVID relief funds to businesses and nonprofits and said that the city has done a good job of trying to mitigate the virus’ spread while not over-mandating or over-regulating. Now, Osenga said he hopes the city can “turn the corner” of the pandemic naturally, but that moving beyond COVID-19 and the highly contagious delta variant will be a community effort.

“Everyone, please do (your) part: get vaccinated, wear masks, stay socially distant,” Osenga said. “Everyone just needs to really step up. The city can of course advocate for that, which they’ve been doing I think.”

In reflecting on what perspective he thinks he currently brings to the council, Osenga said he works to make sure things are done “properly” and to balance the best interests of Seward residents with what city administrators want and what other council members want.

“I just try to look and see (what) I think works best for all the different entities in the city and then just try to voice an opinion and hopefully help push something in a positive, forward direction.”

The municipal election is on Oct. 5.

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

More in News

David Brighton (left) and Leslie Byrd (right) prepare to lead marchers from the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex to Soldotna Creek Park as part of Soldotna Pride in the Park on Saturday, June 3, 2023 in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
Soldotna celebrates LGBTQ+ pride

The event featured food trucks, vendors and a lineup of performers that included comedy, drag and music

Judges Peter Micciche, Terry Eubank and Tyler Best sample a salmon dish prepared by chef Stephen Lamm of the Kenai Peninsula Food Bank at Return of the Reds on Saturday, June 3, 2023, at the Kenai City Dock in Kenai, Alaska. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Kenai celebrates ‘Return of the Reds’ in food bank fundraiser

Chefs competed for best salmon recipe; fresh-caught fish auctioned

A freshly stocked rainbow trout swims in Johnson Lake during Salmon Celebration on Wednesday, May 10, 2023, at Johnson Lake in Kasilof, Alaska. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Excellent lake fishing, good halibut and slow salmon

Northern Kenai Fishing Report for June 1

Map via Kenai Peninsula Borough.
Assembly to consider emergency service area for Cooper Landing

Borough legislation creating the service area is subject to voter approval

Peter Micciche (center) listens to the Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly certify the results of the Feb. 14, 2023, special mayoral election, through which he was elected mayor of the Kenai Peninsula Borough, on Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2023 in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
Thousands respond to borough services survey

Many of the survey questions focused on the quality of borough roads

Two new cars purchased by the Soldotna Senior Center to support its Meals on Wheels program are parked outside of the center in Soldotna, Alaska, on Wednesday, March 30, 2022.(Camille Botello/Peninsula Clarion file)
Soldotna budget defunds area senior center

The unanimous vote came after multiple people expressed concerns about how the center operates

An Epidemiology Bulletin titled “Drowning Deaths in Alaska, 2016-2021” published Wednesday, May 31, 2023. (Screenshot)
Health officials say Alaska leads nation in drowning deaths, urge safe practices

A majority of non-occupational Alaska drownings occur in relation to boating, both for recreation and for subsistence

Chief J.J. Hendrickson plays with Torch the cat at the Kenai Animal Shelter on Thursday, Feb. 10, 2022, in Kenai, Alaska. (Photo by Camille Botello/Peninsula Clarion)
Soldotna, Kenai to extend animal control partnership

So far this year, the Kenai shelter has served roughly 190 animals

Transportation professionals tour the Sterling Highway and Birch Avenue intersection in Soldotna, Alaska, on Monday, May 22, 2023. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Soldotna brainstorming pop-up pedestrian safety project

The temporary project aims to boost pedestrian safety near Soldotna Creek Park

Most Read