Name: JJ Carlson

Age: 40

How many years have you lived in Sitka and Alaska?
24 years (18+6). Born and raised in Sitka. Left for school and career. Returned to live.

Occupation:
Nonprofit management

Describe your family:
Hardworking

Community involvement, past and present:
My recent community involvement ranges from volunteer roles in coaching, gardening, public health initiatives, public art, advocacy for neurodegenerative conditions, and community organizing. I’m a current member of the Sitka Community Health Council that acts as an advisory body to the SEARHC healthcare system.

Have you previously run for public office? When and what office?
Yes. 2023, Sitka Assembly Member

Previous government or other relevant experience:
Sitka Assembly Member

Why are you running for the an assembly seat this year?
There is work to be done. I still have goals and would like a 2nd term to achieve them. I would like to serve this community that has given me so much and ensure a happy and healthy Sitka for today, tomorrow, and 30 years from now.

What are your top priorities if elected? 
Livable and affordable Sitka for my generation and generations to come.

Budget:

How do you propose funding city government (including enterprise funds, electricity, water, etc.)?

Property and sales tax are the main mechanisms that fund our city government. Excise taxes could be utilized more. Property tax go to schools, and sales tax funds the rest of the general-purpose municipal responsibilities (streets, planning, fire, police, library, parks and rec, etc.). Utilities and specially services (electricity, water, wastewater, garbage, airport, harbors, etc.) pay for themselves through fees for the service. These are handled differently because they are not typically provided by the municipal government. All that background sets up the opinion that a solid one-year budget is the immediate result of a good 5 to 10+ year plan. The best thing we can do for prudent financial management is strong long-term planning and fiscal modeling.

Schools:

Name: Sherri Blankenship

Age: 46

How many years have you lived in Sitka and Alaska? 23 years

Occupation: Business owner and a clinical nutritionist by trade

Family:
I have 3 sons and a daughter .
Colton 28
Vaughn 27
Gabriel 18
Sadie 13
All my kids have grown up in Sitka and were/are enrolled in the Sitka School District.
I am married to Justin Peeler who has been a commercial fisherman for the past 32 years.
We have a puppy named Charlie girl and a cat named Honey girl

Community involvement, past and present:
I am currently serving on the Sitka Chamber of Commerce board, the Chamber Foundation Board and served on Sitka Safeguard committee 

Have you previously run for public office? When and what office?

Yes— 2025 Assembly

Previous government or other relevant experience: 

I am currently serving on the tourism commission

Why are you running for the an assembly seat this year?

I’m running for Assembly because I care deeply about Sitka and the direction our community is heading. I believe we have tremendous opportunities in front of us, but taking advantage of them requires people who are willing to listen, ask difficult questions, build partnerships and look beyond the way things have always been done.

Through my work with local businesses, community organizations and workforce development, I’ve had the opportunity to hear from people across many different parts of Sitka. I want to bring those perspectives to the Assembly and help create stronger connections between the City, our businesses, organizations and the people who live here.

Most importantly, I want to be part of building a Sitka that is economically strong, financially responsible and creating opportunities for the next generation. I’m not running because I believe I have all the answers. I’m running because I’m willing to do the work, listen to the people who know these issues best, and help turn good conversations and ideas into meaningful progress.

What are your top priorities if elected? 
My priorities are economic development and responsible city spending, addressing our population and workforce challenges, and strengthening the systems that allow people and businesses to succeed in Sitka.

I want Sitka to be much more proactive about pursuing outside funding, partnerships and new economic opportunities. We should continue supporting the industries that are already foundational to our economy, including fishing, maritime, tourism, healthcare and our small business community, while also being willing to explore new opportunities that bring revenue and good jobs into Sitka. I don’t believe the City needs to have all of those answers itself. We need to listen to the people working within these industries and be willing to become a better partner when opportunities exist.

I’m also concerned about our long term population trajectory and what it means for our workforce, schools, businesses and community. I want us investing in educational opportunities, workforce development and career pathways that give younger people a reason to stay, return after college or training, and see a future for themselves here.

Part of that is building the support systems a working community needs. Childcare is one of them. Sitka has had the conversations, has done significant work around this issue, and is developing a plan. I support moving toward implementation and developing funding partnerships with the private sector and large organizations in Sitka. Some of our largest entities employ significant workforces and represent a substantial portion of the demand on our limited childcare system, yet they have largely been absent from the conversations and solutions. I want to bring them to the table.

Finally, I believe strongly in responsible stewardship of City resources. We need to plan further ahead, maintain the infrastructure and assets we already have, pursue every reasonable opportunity for outside funding, and continually look for ways to strengthen City revenue without automatically placing more of the burden on Sitka residents and businesses.

For me, these priorities ultimately come back to building a stronger and more sustainable Sitka economically, socially and financially, while making sure the decisions we make today create opportunity for the people who will be here tomorrow.

Budget:

How do you propose funding city government (including enterprise funds, electricity, water, etc.)?
I believe city government has to be funded responsibly, but affordability has to be part of every budget conversation. Sitka residents and businesses are already carrying a high cost of living, and increasing rates, fees or taxes cannot continually be our first solution when costs rise.

We need strong long term financial planning, careful review of spending and better prioritization of the infrastructure and services we already have. For our enterprise funds, we need to look individually at what it actually costs to operate and maintain each system, plan for future capital needs, and work toward keeping those systems financially sustainable.

But responsible budgeting cannot only be about cutting costs or finding new ways to collect more from residents. We also need to grow the revenue side of the equation. I want Sitka to actively pursue projects, partnerships and economic opportunities that bring new money into our community and expand our economic base. That includes supporting and strengthening the industries we already have while being open to new industries and opportunities that make sense for Sitka.

I also believe we should be much more aggressive about pursuing state and federal funding, grants and public private partnerships for eligible projects. We should be looking for opportunities where outside investment can help us build infrastructure, create economic activity and strengthen City revenues over the long term.

Before asking Sitkans to pay more, I want us asking whether we are spending wisely, pursuing every reasonable outside funding opportunity, and doing enough to create new sources of economic activity and revenue for our community.

Schools:

Name: Darrell Windsor

Age: 67

How many years have you lived in Sitka and Alaska? 32 years

Occupation: Appliance repairman

Describe your family:
Live by myself, my Son and daughter-in-law and grand-daughter live in Sitka

Community involvement, past and present:
Planning commission, and member of Mason’s

Have you previously run for public office? When and what office?
No

Previous government or other relevant experience:
On planning commission 15 years

Why are you running for the an assembly seat this year?
I was planning on doing 2 terms on planning commission, then assembly, was in planning commission longer then expected

What are your top priorities if elected?
Housing and tourism and less spending

Budget:

How do you propose funding city government (including enterprise funds, electricity, water, etc.)?

I think the tax structure in place now will work for funding the city. I beleave we have to go over the whole budget line by line, which I have to admit, I haven’t done so in the past, but will definitely in the future

Schools:

Name: Kevin Mosher

Age: 52

How many years have you lived in Sitka and in Alaska? 33 years

Occupation:
I work as a staff accountant for Shee Atiká, Inc.

Family:
My wife and I have been married for nearly 30 years and have five children together.

Community involvement, past and present:
Serving on the assembly requires all of my free time at present. When our children were younger, we participated in school events. 

Have you previously run for public office? When and what office?
I was elected to serve on the assembly for three terms, since 2018. I ran for mayor once in 2022.

Previous government or other relevant experience:
My government experience is primarily from serving on the assembly these 8 years. I served as Deputy Mayor, and as assembly liaison to the following boards and commissions, committees, and Government to Government relationships: STA, School Board, Investment Committee, Sustainability Commission, Parks & Rec Committee, Local Emergency Planning Committee, and SEDA.

Why are you running for the mayor’s chair this year?
I am running for mayor in order to provide stability, because we are in a time when leadership of the assembly and city staff is changing. The mayor is key to setting the tone for our local government, and I will keep that tone positive. I want to support our city staff as they continue to provide services and maintain city infrastructure. I would like to ensure that the assembly stays focused on key priorities, such as cost-of-living issues, which include housing, childcare, economic prosperity, and maintaining our quality of life.

What are your top priorities if elected? 
To promote local economic vitality, address housing and and childcare affordability, and support public education.

Budget:

How do you propose funding city government (including enterprise funds, electricity, water, etc.)?

First, the city should do its best to maximize efficiency in order to keep the cost of city government down. Second, we need to maximize outside revenue from state and federal grants, low interest loans, as well as tax revenue from visitors, while being mindful about the costs of tourism. Third, I support our general policy on enterprise funds, where users pay the costs of utilities and harbors. Finally, sales and property taxes will remain critical to providing general services, including public safety and education. I support having regular community discussions about our desired level of services, and the structure of our property and sales taxes.

Schools:

Questions from the Daily Sitka Sentinel: 

A group in Sitka is laying the groundwork for new city recreation facilities, such as an upgraded track and field complex. How do you feel about developing new recreation infrastructure and expanding capacity for recreation in Sitka? 

I support maintaining and upgrading Sitka’s existing facilities, including recreation and athletic infrastructure. As a community, we need a clear path shaped by public input and guided by our asset management system, which prioritizes repairs based on safety, urgency, and long-term need.

Regarding the track and field complex, I know there is strong interest in improving a facility that is difficult to maintain and can pose safety issues.

Proposed upgrades should go through a full public process and align with the recreation master plan, which is currently being developed. The advocates for this upgraded track are focused on securing outside funding, such as private grants and government programs dedicated to recreation infrastructure, rather than drawing from the city’s general fund. Given our long list of aging facilities that need repair, I support this approach.

Do you think the city general fund is at a healthy level? How would you cut or add spending? 

I think we are at a fairly healthy level and we should try to stay there by being thoughtful about how we allocate our city’s resources.

What are your ideas for stemming the decline in Sitka’s population, particularly the loss of young families, and the associated decline in Sitka School District enrollment?.

Addressing the affordability of housing, childcare, and other cost of living issues to the extent that our city government has any control over them is key to stemming the decline, particularly with the loss of young families.

The city has long deferred a project of improvements along Lincoln Street. Should the city prioritize this project, and if so, what changes should be made along Lincoln Street?

Yes, it should be a priority. The assembly recently directed the Administrator to sign a letter to apply for grant funding to support Lincoln Street improvements.

The public should be very involved with the development of plans. There will be a variety of opinions about changes, and trade-offs will be required. I support a public process to get to an outcome that most stakeholders support.

Do you believe that the city should keep Lincoln Street open to vehicle traffic throughout the summer cruise ship season, or close the street to vehicles on some days? Why?

My priority on this issue is public safety. If the data shows that keeping the street open on peak days is not creating safety issues, I support that outcome.

How can the city provide adequate restroom facilities for tourists? Do you think the city should continue operating portable restrooms throughout the summer, and if so, where should the portable restrooms be placed? 

There is no ideal location. We should continue to do end of season surveys and make extra effort to make sure that as many people as possible get to share their opinion.

How do you see the role of public safety and policing in keeping our community safe?

I believe the role of public safety is very important and should be supported wholeheartedly. I think a community policing model is important. The philosophy of building relationships, problem solving, visibility & accessibility, and building trust is important.

Name: Matthew Potter

Age: 42

How many years have you lived in Sitka and in Alaska? I moved to Alaska when I was six years old and have lived here for most of my life. I first moved to Sitka in 2017. I’ve lived here for most of the time since then.

Occupation:
I have spent most of my career working in education at the building level, mostly as a teacher and an administrator. I now work for the Association of Alaska School Boards (AASB), helping oversee a grant that supports schools and communities throughout Southeast Alaska.

Describe your family:

I live with my wife and our two sons. Our oldest is in third grade at Keet Gooshi Heen Elementary, and our youngest attends preschool. We enjoy spending time together and being part of the Sitka community.

Community involvement, past and present:

Since moving to Sitka, much of my community involvement has centered on raising our children and staying connected to their schools and activities. As our family has become more established here, I’ve been looking for additional ways to serve and contribute to the community

Have you previously run for public office? When and what office?

Previous government or other relevant experience: 

Why are you running for a Sitka School Board seat this year?

I am running for the Sitka School Board because my background as a teacher and school administrator is a strong fit for the work of the board. I want to use that experience to help ensure that my children and, as an extension, all of Sitka’s students receive the best education possible.

What are your top priorities if elected? 

Budget:

What’s your budget philosophy for Sitka’s schools? Are there areas you would cut? Spend more?

Funding:

Questions from the Daily Sitka Sentinel: 

What should be the role of artificial intelligence in the classroom? Are there uses you would encourage or discourage?

AI is here to stay, so we have a responsibility to teach students how to use it appropriately. Decisions about its use may be best made at the school or classroom level based on students’ ages, learning goals, and the type of assignment. I support using AI as a learning tool, while also understanding the value of “old-school” approaches such as handwritten work or technology-free assignments when students need to demonstrate their own thinking and to build foundational skills.

What should be the School Board’s role in reviewing curriculum and guiding curriculum development?

The School Board’s role should be to allocate funding, and approve curriculum purchases through a transparent process. The detailed work of reviewing and selecting curriculum should be led by the teachers, administrators, and other education professionals who understand students’ needs and will use the materials every day. The board should provide oversight and accountability while respecting the expertise of those working directly in our schools.

What changes for public schools do you hope  Alaska’s next governor will enact?

I hope Alaska’s next governor will make stable, predictable school funding a priority. That means forward-funding education and tying the Base Student Allocation to inflation so districts can plan responsibly and funding keeps pace with actual costs. School funding should be treated as a long-term commitment to Alaska’s students and communities, rather than an annual political bargaining tool.