Two Port Commission seats will be voted on during this year’s municipal election. Wrangell Port Commission Chair John Yaeger and Port Commission member Winston Davies will be running unopposed for the three-year term seats.
Yaeger said he’s had a seat on the commission for over 15 years and he understands the ins and outs of ports and harbors.
Davies said he’s looking forward to continuing this work and seeing the Inner Harbor Basin project to completion.
They talk to KSTK’s Colette Czarnecki on why they’re running again.
The municipal election is Oct. 7 at the Nolan Center, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
John Yaeger
Winston Davies
These interviews have been edited lightly for clarity and brevity.
Will you introduce yourself?
Yaeger: My name is John Yeager. I’m a 21-year resident of Wrangell. I’m currently the chair of the Wrangell Port Commission. I co-operate and own Alaska Charters and Adventures with my wife, Brenda, and we are also commercial halibut fishermen.
I’ve been chair for the last two years. I think I’ve been on the commission over 15 years. I don’t have an exact amount, but it’s been quite a while.
Davies: My name is Winston Davies. I’m a teacher here at Wrangell Public Schools. I’m also a commercial fisherman and I’m on the Port Commission. I guess my term’s up, so it must have been a three-year term. Time’s flying.
Why are you running for Port Commission again?
Yaeger: I really enjoy working with the Port Commission. We have a lot of positive potential for the community coming up here with some of our projects, and I would just like to continue to see those work through and become something that the community can be proud of.
Davies: I never really intended to run in the first place. There was an empty seat and I think three years ago on the last day nobody had filed for it. So I said, “I might as well just do my civic duty.” So that’s kind of where I’m at right now. I don’t have an agenda. I am just trying to be involved in the community.
What issues are important to you that you would like to work on in the Commission?
Yaeger: Every community has issues and I don’t pick one in particular to stand on. I want to continue to volunteer my time to help solve issues that come across the Port Commission and hopefully see it through to make Wrangell really proud of our decisions.
We have some projects going on down in Meyers Chuck, with some new dock and float systems going in, which I think is very important for that community down there. Also the Reliance Harbor, Inner Harbor Basin potential for the rebuild there. We received some grant money for that project, and so we’re working on design concepts with that. And then the Commission is also involved with some of the other projects, with possibility of moving the barge ramp, and also with partnering with American Cruise Lines. They’re still in the working process, and so I just want to continue to be a part of that through the Port Commission.
Davies: Right now we’re tackling derelict vessels and how to deal with those. We’ve got a pretty nice port facility here, and we’ve got some boats that are causing issues, and trying to figure out a way to deal with those. Also, we’re pretty excited about the Inner Harbor Basin Project coming online. It’d be neat to be a part of that.
What makes you a good candidate?
Yaeger: I don’t think I’m any better than any other candidate. All I can say is I’ve been on the Commission for a long time. I’m in the industry, tourism, commercial fishing. I understand what it takes to make ports and harbors work. I’m here to volunteer my time.
Davies: I don’t know if I’m a good candidate. I spend a lot of time in port walking the docks. Being a commercial fisherman, I’ve got a slip at Heritage, but I use the harbor year round. We use the launch all winter trapping. A lot of times I’m the only vehicle in the parking lot.
What would you say the most important purpose of the Port Commission is?
Yaeger: I think the most important part is that we continue to put Wrangell on the map as a community where we can safely and efficiently provide moorage for vessels both in our own community and also for those that are visiting here. I also think that it’s important that the Port and Harbor continue to provide sources of employment. I think that it’s important for us to just keep our eyes out on the horizon and look for opportunities to put Wrangell on the forefront.
Davies: The most important purpose is giving people a safe place to tie up and know that their vessel is in good hands with good facilities. I also see it as kind of an economic thing. It’s another way to attract business to Wrangell, whether it be yachts, people stopping by, spending money in town, paying for their moorage. But also, commercial fishing, you can live wherever you want. And I know some people who have moved from other communities to Wrangell, not specifically because of the port, but that’s definitely been a plus. They can tie their boat up wherever they want, and they choose to tie it up in Wrangell and make Wrangell their home port.
How do you see the Port’s role in supporting Wrangell’s community and economy over the next five to 10 years?
Yaeger: If the city decides to continue and move forward with the waterfront development revitalization plan, that could help us lead to some possibility for better use of the waterfront, and that would provide economic opportunity for small retail businesses. Also with the talk about relocation of the barge ramp, that could help us with providing some more space in the Marine Service Center, which would allow us to haul more boats, maybe open more vendor space for people that want to come here that have a skill. And so I think that there’s a lot of potential in the next five,10,15 years in the Port and Harbor areas, especially with our new harbor going in here. We would be able to tailor to more specific sized vessels and that’s all a healthy economic position to be in is when we can provide more opportunity for people that want to come here.
Davies: Kind of along the lines of what I was just saying, just attracting more boats. So we should be able to free up a bunch of new space there with the Inner Harbor Basin Project coming online. Again, hopefully attracting some bigger boats. There’s a need for these bigger stalls that we don’t currently have. Right now (we) are maxed out, so hopefully we can fill those with some yachts that pass through, or some more commercial fishing boats.
Is there anything else you’d like to add to this conversation?
Yaeger: I’m just happy to be what I think as a Wrangell resident after all these years, and I like to volunteer my time. We have a great Port Commission. We have a good Harbor Master, and I enjoy working alongside the assembly, and hopefully I can continue that, but if it doesn’t happen, then I’ll be happy to move on to something else.
Davies: No.
