Sargeant Truesdell, one of the three candidates for the Soldotna seat on the Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly, discussed his vision for the borough last week at a candidate forum moderated by the Clarion and KDLL 91.9 FM.
Truesdell is among three vying for the seat currently held by Tyson Cox — who cannot run for reelection because of a term limit in borough code. Truesdell introduced himself during the forum on Sept. 10 as a product of local schools who was born and raised in Soldotna. For 26 years, he said, he “poured my heart into the education and success of Soldotna youth” as a teacher, coach and principal. He said his passion for Soldotna will allow him to bring a voice to the assembly that represents the residents of his district, also that his approach to governing “aligns closely” with that of the current borough administration.
Mitch Michaud, another candidate, told the Clarion and KDLL that he had suspended his campaign in August, encouraging voters to consider Truesdell and Nick Conner as “two candidates in an issue to issue election.”
Conner, who also did not attend the forum, in an email Thursday said that he had been affected by the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk earlier that day and felt “it was not the right time to step into a political debate.” Still, Conner said, he remains available to answer questions and speak with voters at any time through publicly available phone numbers and email addresses associated with his candidacy and with his business, Nick’s Auto Glass.
Truesdell said that the borough in recent years has been fiscally responsible by providing strong services while finding ways to reduce the tax burden on property owners. He said that he strongly supports a seasonal sales tax model that would increase the borough’s sales tax from 3% to 4% in summer months and decrease it to 2% in winter months. That change, he said, would draw more revenue from borough voters via sales tax and would reduce the need for the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District to rely on property tax revenues.
It’s the state’s responsibility to adequately fund schools, Truesdell said, though he supported funding the school district to the maximum allowable amount this year. The borough cannot afford to fund to the cap over time, he said, but can provide significant funding.
“We can find creative ways that the school district can count on, being funded as close to the cap as possible, through sales tax money,” he said.
Consolidating schools is a concept that Truesdell said he supports, because fuller schools have more programs and opportunities for students. Strong schools are among the things potential residents from Outside consider before moving to the peninsula, he said.
Another major area in need of creativity, Truesdell said, is the borough’s solid waste department, which is among the borough’s largest expenses. He pointed to encouraging developments in purchase of new equipment and staffing changes in the area, but he said more could be done to encourage people to better manage their own refuse at home.
“I think that we all need to look at what our impact on the landfill is,” he said.
Truesdell said he was not in favor of a ballot proposition that would require hand counting ballots in future elections — because he is satisfied that the current system is accurate and also doesn’t see a need to “unnecessarily burden” borough staff and volunteers — but is undecided on the ballot proposition that would align borough and state election days. The idea of getting more people to vote, he said, “I’m all for,” but there are ramifications to such a change that he hasn’t grappled with yet.
Truesdell said that, if elected, he’ll be among an assembly that could have as many as five new voices on it. He said he would be a voice for his community and constituents, that he learned to navigate difficult conversations and different perspectives in his years as a teacher, coach and principal, and that he’s been learning about the borough in an effort to ensure he can “get up to speed quickly and be a solid, contributing member.”
A full recording of the forum can be streamed on the Clarion’s Facebook page or on KDLL’s website at kdll.org. The forum will also be available on podcast services as an episode of “Kenai Conversation.”
There will be two forums held this week, on Monday, Sept. 15, with candidates for the Kalifornsky seat on the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District’s board of education in the Soldotna Public Library, and on Thursday, Sept. 18, with candidates for the south and east peninsula seats on the school board at the Homer Public Library. All forums are held from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Next week, forums will be held on Wednesday, Sept. 24, in Homer with candidates for Homer City Council, and on Thursday, Sept. 25, with candidates for the central and Nikiski seats on the Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly.
Election day is Oct. 7.
Reach reporter Jake Dye at jacob.dye@peninsulaclarion.com.
