As the Kodiak Island Borough election draws closer, here are the open positions and who’s running for them

Election season is fast approaching for the Kodiak Island Borough, and with Duane Dvorak and Julie Kavanaugh both stepping down from the Borough Assembly, it’s going to be a little complicated.

Aside from two Borough Assembly seats up for grabs in the election, there are two seats open on the School Board, two seats on the Bay View Road Service Area Board, two seats on the Fire Protection Area No. 1 Service Area Board, two seats on the Mission Lake “Tide Gate” Service Area Board, two seats on the Monashka Bay Road Service Area Board, two seats on the Service Area No.1 Board, and two seats on the Womens Bay Service Area Board.

Among those Service Area Board seats, the Bay View Road Service Area Board, the Mission Lake “Tide Gate” Service Area Board, the Monashka Bay Road Service Area Board, and the Womens Bay Service Area Board have no applicants for their open seats. The deadline to submit paperwork to write-in for the election lasts up until the day before the election, so it’s not too late yet for them to be filled. The Borough election is October 5^th, making the deadline October 4^th at 4:30 pm. Packets and materials for the application can be found at the Borough website, or in person at the Borough building.

For the School Board, David Johnson and Judy Carstens have declared candidacy for the two open seats. For the Fire Protection Area No. 1 Service Area Board, three candidates will compete for two open seats: Scott Arndt, Paul VanDyke, and John Parker. For the two seats on the Service Area No.1 Board, Paul Hansen and Jay Baldwin have announced their candidacy.

For the Borough Assembly Seats, five candidates have so far stepped up to bat. Dennis Symmons and James Turner are the incumbents for those seats, and they are being challenged by Sara Sundsten, Eric Sundsten and Scott Smiley.

The assembly seats from which Duane Dvorak and Julie Kavanaugh are stepping down are a more complicated matter. These seats take applicants- not candidates. Persons interested in fulfilling those rolls apply for the position like they would a job and are interviewed by the borough. An election for those seats will be held in the next regular Borough election in 2022, although the winner for Kavanaugh’s seat in 2022 would only serve until 2023.

There is a code mandated timetable for that process. For Duane Dvorak’s seat, there is an application acceptance period running from August 6^th to August 20^th at 4:30 pm. Applicants will be interviewed during an August 26^th work session. August 31^st their will be a special meeting with an executive session for the assembly, during which an applicant will be chosen to fill the seat. Finally, appointment and oath taking will occur on September 2^nd. Presently, Jared Griffin and Joseph Delgado has applied for Dvorak’s seat. As a disclaimer, Jared Griffin is a member of KMXT staff.

The process is the same for Kavanaugh’s seat, only with a staggered schedule. Applications for that seat will be taken August 20^th through September 3^rd at 4:30 pm, with applicant interviews to occur the 9^th of September, applicant review and decision in executive session on the 14^th of September, and appointment and oath taking September 16^th.

The Borough is required to interview all applicants for the open assembly positions. Appointees would also receive a stipend of $300 a month as all members of the assembly do, save the Borough Mayor who receives $500 a month.

For continuing coverage of the upcoming Kodiak Island Borough and Kodiak City Council elections, stay tuned to KMXT 100.1 FM.