Issues pertaining to the Kenai Peninsula Borough were discussed as KSRM’s coverage of Decision 2022 focused on the Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly District 4 – Soldotna on Thursday evening. Incumbent Tyson Cox is being challenged by Donald Boston. Boston and Cox discussed the KPB Assembly Soldotna race that’s to be decided on Tuesday, October 4. The subjects ranged from Mike Navarre being appointed Interim Mayor, the role of an Assembly Member, spruce bark beetle mitigation, election security, the other bond issues on the Soldotna ballot, and additional representation on the KPB Assembly.
The candidates also talked about their position on zoning and permitting regarding gravel pit owners.
Tyson Cox:
“The real question is how do we end up balancing that? We have to balance between the particulars for homeowners and balance that between what the gravel pit owners would want as well because the reality is we need gravel. We need to make sure that we’re financially able to do that and so that we have the product available for folks at a reasonable price so that they can have gravel, we can put in new roads, homes and develop our areas. With that being said, we also have to have safety and safety concerns and that has to do with things like dewatering. We’ve had a situation recently on Big Eddy where there was some flooding. These are all things that we need to look at and make sure that we’re protecting the homeowners as well as allowing gravel pit owners to utilize their pits.”
Donald Boston:
“A lot of the problem isn’t the gravel it is the water. The DEC, I think, should have a look at some of that because when you pump all that much water, it has to have a place to go. I think with the little bit of study, a lot of that could be addressed and a lot of the other problems that some of the people were having was the view. The people don’t want to look at an ugly gravel pit, but right alongside of it is an automobile shop. So, there are two sides to all of it and we need to look at it real close and I really believe that a lot of those issues, if the people get brought together, the answers can be very, very simple and it doesn’t have to be as complicated as they’re making it sometimes.”
Click the player below to listen to the candidate election forum in case you didn’t have an opportunity to: