With the closing of the filing period for city of Homer and Kenai Peninsula Borough candidates in the upcoming Oct. 1 election, four Homer residents have thrown their hats into the ring for two city council openings.

Seldovia resident Sunni Hilts will be running unopposed for re-election to KPB School Board Seat D, the southern peninsula.

Corbin Arno, Gus Van Dyke, Justin T. Arnold and incumbent Bryan Zak are running for two Homer City Council seats, each seat a three-year term. The seats are currently held by Zak and James Dolma, who is not seeking re-election. 

“There is definitely something wrong when the attitude of government is to spend, spend, spend, and if they run short of money they will find some way to tax the businesses and/or individuals to pay for it,” said Van Dyke in his candidate statement. “It is time for ‘we the people’ to regain control of this runaway train.”

Arnold said in his statement that he was running for city council “because I don’t believe we need the government dictating every aspect of our daily lives, like telling us what kind of grocery bags we must use, or wasting time and resources to create laws enforcing the amount of water your shower head can use.”

Zak, who was first elected to the city council in 2008, said he chose to run again “because I care about maintaining and improving the quality of life in Homer. We need to make smart fiscal decisions, ensure parks and community facilities are fully operational, work with local schools, the hospital, the senior center, as well as providing support for our small businesses and nonprofits.”

Arno did not provide a candidate statement.

Hilts, who was served on the borough school board since 2003 and currently serves as president elect of the Association of Alaska School Boards, has chosen to run for re-election in the district representing the southern peninsula schools of Anchor Point, Kachemak Selo, McNeil Canyon, Nanwalek, Port Graham, Razdolna, Seldovia and Voznesenka.

“Children should be the top priority of the state of Alaska; their safety, their education, their health and their future,” said Hilts in her candidate statement. “This has been my goal since I was first elected to the Kenai Peninsula Borough School Board in 2003. I will continue that advocacy, because I believe that all of us in this state are best served by graduating educated, competent young people, prepared to take their part in the growth of our state, economically, socially and culturally.”

Bob Craig has filed as a candidate for Anchor Point Fire and Emergency Medical Service Area Board Seat B, a three-year term. No candidate filed for Seat E, a one-year term.

Incumbent Mark Janes filed for Seldovia Recreational Service Area Board Seat A, a three-year term, and incumbent Vivian M. Rojas filed for Seat D, also a three-year term. No one filed for Seat B, a one-year term.

Ralph Crane filed for the Kachemak Emergency Service Area Board Seat B, a two-year term; incumbent Mike Petersen filed for Seat C, also a two-year term; Joseph Middleton filed for Seat D, a three-year term; and Matthew Schneyer filed for Seat E, a three-year- term.

Incumbent Barbara McBride filed for South Kenai Peninsula Hospital Service Area Board Seat C, a two-year term; Clyde T. Boyer, Jr., filed for Seat G, a three-year term; incumbent Doris I. Cabana filed for Seat H, a three-year term; and incumbent Ralph E. Broshes filed for Seat I, a three-year term.

Homer residents also will vote Oct. 1 on a referendum that asks, “Shall Homer City Code Chapter 5.42 prohibiting sellers from providing customers with disposable plastic shopping bags be repealed?”

There are three propositions on the borough ballot:

• Proposition 1: Shall Kenai Peninsula Borough Initiative Ordinance 2013-02, Section 1, be ratified? Initiative Ordinance 2013-02, Section 1, would increase the allowable residential property tax exemption for qualifying taxpayers from $20,000 to $50,000. If approved by a majority of the voters, voting on the question, the ordinance shall take effect Jan. 1, 2014.

• Proposition 2: Shall the Kenai Peninsula Borough borrow up to $22,987,000 through the issuance of general obligation bonds? The general obligation bond proceeds will be used to pay costs of planning, designing, site preparation, constructing, acquiring, renovating, installing and equipping educational capital improvement projects consisting of a new Homer High School field and roof replacements at Tustumena Elementary School, Skyview School, Soldotna Middle School, Homer Middle School, Paul Banks School, Kenai Central High School, Soldotna High School, Kenai Middle School, Kenai Alternative School and Ninilchik School, and similar education capital improvements in the borough.

• Proposition 3A: Shall Ordinance 2013-20 (Smith) Substitute, which repeals term limits for assembly members, be enacted?

• Proposition 3B: Shall Ordinance 2013-02 (Smith) Substitute, Section 2, providing for an increase in assembly term limits from two to three consecutive full terms with a required 180-day break in service before further service is allowed, be ratified?

According to Jo Johnson, Homer City Clerk, absentee voting begins Sept. 16 and continues through Oct.. 1 for city of Homer residents.

The filing period for three openings on Kachemak City’s Council ends Sept. 11.

McKibben Jackinsky can be reached at mckibben.jackinsky@homernews.com.