The candidates were incumbents Henry Knackstedt and Teea Winger, former member Glenese Pettey, and new runner Phil Daniel.
One concern was the waterfront revitalization project, and how it consisted of privately-owned parcels.
Winger believes that this could be a good idea, but there needs to be caution with the process. “I hope that we can collaboratively help offer incentives so that they can draw in their large anchor tenants from condos or Convention Center…My only concern with that is I want to make sure that we’re not just lumping up the whole land mass…”
Pettey says that she is in favor of the project, but worries a bit about the financial aspect. “I believe that the waterfront revitalization is a key opportunity for economic development, for the viability and sparkling shining opportunities for the city of Kenai… And one of the things is that this is privately owned parcels. However, we would want to make it economically feasible and perhaps give some incentives and things of that nature tax wise for a period of time to help with their development and growth down there.”
Daniels is also intrigued by the waterfront and the opportunity it brings. “The waterfront revitalization project is a great opportunity for the city with the ability to go in there and look at some land that the city you know zoned heavy industrial which we have some tenants already there that are using that land. It’s all privately owned as said and help guide and develop. And rezone those as appropriate and letting those private entities come in and help build and make that a reality.”
Knackstedt says that he is in full support of the waterfront, and actually working on mapping and getting the job underway, even if it takes a bit of time to do so. “Through the course of this winter we are gonna be utilizing A hired consultant that’s working with our planner. He’s a planner as well putting together what this rezone would look like and we’re going to be inviting the public into to comment on that it’ll go to planning, planning and zoning council it’ll be a. Be one of those, like, not like the chicken ordinance, but it’ll be one that will take a fair bit of time and we’re gonna take the time that it takes.”
Another hot topic was the idea that the city of Kenai may not be moving in the positive direction that members of the Peninsula hope it would. Some have described it as “the city where businesses go to die.” As a potential member of the City Council, the candidates then had the chance to weigh in on how they would plan to increase the commercial presence in Kenai.
Pettey disagreed with this quote and saw the city as something else. “The City of Kenai from your drive by test looks like a challenge, but we’d like to say that it’s a diamond in the rough. There are new businesses that have come into our community with beautiful storefronts. I would suggest that this is not a place for businesses to die, but it’s a place for businesses to thrive and grow and be vivacious.”
Daniel used to think the concept of businesses dying was a concept that would potentially keep happening. But after seeing how the town could grow, he sees nothing but opportunity. “there’s a lot of positive growth in the in our city and the others too, like you can I pronounce a driving instruction, they open up a new business right outside on Wildwood Dr. So, the city again we don’t have direct control over what a business may or may not do. We could make it a little easier by making either some incentives of some sort or potentially simplifying code if. Is applicable or makes sense for those for entities to come in and set up shop here, but as a whole the city is moving in the right direction, and we are attracting businesses, but we could always use more.”
Knackstedt says that considering that sales tax is up, the city is thriving. As for businesses, the math doesn’t always work in everyone’s favor. “So to have you know a handful of empty buildings here compared to one or two there is is probably a similar. I mean there’s a statistic, I think it’s 1/5 and 10 years where 10%, fifty percent, 75% businesses do fail and that is just a how that works. It’s not something that the city has any control over and but it is a. You know just how businesses work and that just will happen provides an opportunity for somebody else down the road and certainly we’re we’re trying to work on that down at the riverfront. Area there too”
And as for Winger, she wants to do everything in her power to see small businesses and local business thrive. “It it’s just making sure that the businesses are being heard and what their needs and supporting that is if it’s a we have leases on some of our lands and some of those lands. We’ve been opening up for cell, so the old car wash is a a great example. Mr. Swanson was able to purchase that land and we’ll be able to further develop that and attract tenants.”
To learn more about these candidates, or to hear past forums, visit the Election Hub at radiokenai.com
In case you missed it, click the player below to listen to the entire Kenai City Council Candidate Election Forum: