Note: The opinions expressed in commentaries on KCAW are those of the author, and are not necessarily shared by the station’s board, staff, or volunteers.

For the past few years, I have spent my summers working on a commercial fishing boat. During my first summer, I traveled to Wrangell, Alaska, to help out with maintenance work that needed to be done on the boat. I helped with work such as painting and fiberglassing, while the captain did much of the electrical and mechanical work. However, despite the amount of work we did on our own, there was still a lot that required the help and work of people with more expertise. As a city-run operation, the Wrangell haulout provides over 100 local tradesmen with a clientele base to support their income, and that, plus the general operation, amounts to a majority of Wrangell’s economy. Wrangell’s haulout exemplifies the opportunities that a new marine haulout could provide for Sitka, economically and community-wise. According to SEDA, Sitka is home to “the largest commercial fishing fleet in Southeast Alaska.” We have a total of five harbors, amounting to 1,272 stalls and over one mile of transient docks. In 2020 alone, 600 vessels have docked in the Sitka Harbor system. In prior years, with no global pandemic, Sitka typically had 1,200 transient vessel visits. Taking these numbers, consider the wide range of opportunities and benefits that a city-run marine haulout could create for Sitka. 

A Sitka-based haulout would be a great convenience and service not only to local fishermen and families but also to commercial fishermen who fish Southeast. It would be more cost-effective for fishermen to have their boats hauled out here than to travel to other areas such as Wrangell, Hoonah, and Bellingham. This would save local fishermen time and money, allow them to spend more time with their families, and keep money in the local economy as they purchase materials and supplies from local vendors and engage the services of local tradesmen. In addition, as people utilize the haulout, this will encourage other highly skilled workers to move to Sitka as they recognize the potential to earn a living. This would help build the population of our community, which has been decreasing in recent years due to high costs of living. Because Sitka is larger, it has more services available (like 24-hour grocery stores, multiple restaurants, two laundromats, two hardware stores, a fishing supply store, etc.), so it would likely be the haulout location of choice for many. All of these businesses and vendors profiting from the haulout would be paying sales tax, which would go back to the city as a profit. Profits could then be used for other public services like schools and libraries. 

In conclusion, the marine haulout, especially a city-run one, would help to develop a stronger infrastructure for Sitka and, ultimately, a more sustainable future for the community. It would greatly support and benefit the local economy and community as a whole. At first, it may be difficult to see the profit and value of a haulout, but it will have a trickle-down effect that will ultimately profit the city, the local economy, the community, and the citizens.

KathyHope Erickson was born and raised in Sitka and has been Tribal Chair in the Sitka Tribe of Alaska for the last two years. (Photo by Enrique Pérez de la Rosa)

KathyHope Erickson is one of two candidates running for Tribal Chair of the Sitka Tribe of Alaska. She has held that office for the last two years. She is running for reelection against Lawrence “Woody” Widmark, who has a long history serving in Sitka Tribal Government, including as its Chair for 20 years. Sitka Tribe of Alaska holds an election Tuesday, November 13. 

Downloadable audio.

My name is KathyHope Erickson. I was born and raised in Sitka. I am child of Kiks.ádi Point House of Sitka. My dad was John Hope. My mom is Christine Littlefield.

I’ve been with the tribe for many years. I was the administrative services director about 20 years ago.I moved on to gain more experiences. I worked at the state legislature in Juneau and I worked at Raven Radio. I worked with the governing bodies at the local level, at the state level and the tribe level. So I’ve been involved in one way or another with decisions that have been made for the people and have been fortunate enough to serve the people on many different levels for many years.

I have enjoyed and felt a calling to protecting our natural resources, our human resources in our children, in our elders, making sure they have educational opportunities whether they are children or adults and making sure we can make the most of their opportunities in that education too.

I’m proud of the way Sitka Tribe, and I want to enhance the way that we also take care of the cultural education of our children and by enhancing the cultural education of our children, we also enhance their knowledge of their heritage. And by knowing who you are, it’s an opportunity to be proud of who you are and not be lost in this worlds where there is a place, there is an anchor.

I would continue to work with our herring group in trying to get protections in for the herring spawn. It’s at a very critical time for the ocean and for the people that depend on this herring too. And I’d love to see that through and get the best result we possibly can in our negotiations toward that end.

I’m also hoping to take part in developing further our sovereignty as a tribe and developing our governmental relationships with the state and further develop that with the federal government and different agencies within the federal government.

I think that’s very important to tribes: sovereignty and identity.

KathyHope Erickson is running for Tribal Chair of the Sitka Tribe of Alaska.

Sitka Tribe of Alaska holds an election Tuesday, November 13, at the Sheet’k Kwaan Naa Kahidi. Absentee ballots can be cast 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. weekdays October 30 to November 12. Tribal ID card is required. Four council seats and the council chairmanship are on the ballot. Those with questions can call Rose Demmert at 738-5450.

Mt. Edgecumbe seniors speak against a proposal by ANSEP, the Alaska Native Science and Engineering Program, to create an accelerated high school at the Mt. Edgecumbe campus. (Emily Kwong/KCAW photo)

NOTE: Erica Willis and Xochitl Martinez, two Mt. Edgcumbe High School seniors, took to the microphone during their bi-weekly radio broadcast last night (02-02-16), to comment on ANSEP’s proposal to create an accelerated high school at Mt. Edgecumbe. Here is their commentary. 

Downloadable audio.

Erica Willis: The past week or two have left our school in a bit of a tizzy due to the situation that’s come up. Last Wednesday (01-27-16), lawmakers got a proposal from the Alaska Native Science and Engineering Program, also known as ANSEP, to change Mt. Edgecumbe High School as we know it in some fairly drastic ways. And though our school and ANSEP have had good relations and a strong partnership in the past, this was brought before the legislature without consulting any of the people who actually run Edgecumbe.

The proposal called for reforming Mt. Edgecumbe into a three-year accelerated high school under the control of ANSEP. This would mean all the current teachers and staff would have to become University of Alaska employees. Most of our experienced, certified teachers and administrators would lose their jobs within two years. And that is just the tip of the iceberg. ANSEP would put all of their focus into preparing graduates for careers in science and engineering, possibly requiring students to have already taken Algebra I before attending this new Edgecumbe.

Xochitl Martinez: Let’s take a quick look at the mission statements. ANSEP states on their website that their objectives are to “effect systemic change in the hiring patterns of Alaska Natives in science and engineering by placing their students on a career path to leadership.”

Willis: Edgecumbe’s mission statement reads: “To provide a challenging, unique education in a residential setting that values rich cultural diversities and traditions, inspiring Alaskan students to become successful, responsible, global citizens.”

Martinez: As we can hear from these two simple statements, neither one is inherently bad, but we do have different goals, if similar intents. One big difference is that the majority of ANSEP students who don’t come from Mt. Edgecumbe are from the Bethel and Matanuska-Susitna areas, whereas Edgecumbe places a high focus on communities without schools at all, all across Alaska.

This fact is kind of an important one because it’s really what sets the difference between the suggested program and what Edgecumbe already has.

At Edgecumbe, you can already graduate in three years if you want.

At Edgecumbe, you can put your focus into STEM classes if you so choose.

At Edgecumbe, you’re entering with whatever education your previous school gave you, and they aren’t going to turn you away because yours might not have been as good as the next kid’s. You enter from wherever you came and you leave with the preparation to go into whatever path you choose: teaching, science, engineering, fine arts, welding, whatever your dream may be. As of 2013, 84% of Edgecumbe’s graduates already go on to attend universities or technical schools.

Edgecumbe might need a little more funding, but we don’t need an entirely new system.

Willis: In short, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.

Martinez: Thanks for listening.

The following opinion piece does not necessarily represent the views or opinions of Raven Radio, its Board of Directors, staff, or volunteers, or of Mt. Edgecumbe High School, its staff, students, or Advisory Board, or of the Alaska Department of Education and Early Development. It should be heard as solely the opinion of those speaking.