During March of 2015, Soldotna’s Robert Ruffner was garnering local support in his bid for a seat on the Board of Fisheries. One year later, he is doing the same thing again after Governor Bill Walker deemed Ruffner one of three nominees for the board last month.
The Soldotna City Council will consider supporting Ruffner once again during their Wednesday meeting. Mayor Pete Sprague…
Mayor Sprague: “He’s demonstrated just the ability to work with a wide variety of groups and people, really to achieve goals of just trying to take care of our habitat. In his own way he has a great manner of dealing with people and I think he’s an excellent choice and he’s going to be supporting fish first, not agreeing with any agenda for one group or another, he just really wants to support the fish and that’s really what we all want.”
The resolution of support was brought forward by councilman Keith Baxter. Last year Ruffner gained support from both the Kenai and Soldotna councils and the Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly.
Last year Ruffner’s nomination was rejected by 30-29 legislative vote, with many local government officials citing misinformation in the legislature that caused the opposition.
The Kenai River Sportfishing Association opposed Ruffner’s appointment last year but Executive Director Ricky Gease says that has changed since he is not being appointed to a sportfishing seat this year.
Gease: “Last year we were not in opposition to Robert per say but in the seat that was being filled, and thought that with all his support from the commercial fishing industry it would be appropriate for him to go into a so called commercial seat.”
The supportive resolution will be introduced to Soldotna’s City Council during their meeting which begins at 6 pm tomorrow.