Paglagivsi North Slope Boroughtkut uvana Aullaqsruaq. With my upbringing I have learned to live by our Inupiaq values and navigate the intricacies of the rest of the world. I have represented you on a National level with these principles being cornerstone: honesty, accountability, and putting the interest of my People first and foremost.
With those values and principles guiding me here are some challenges that I want to continue to work on as your Mayor.
- Financial Acumen – Ensure long term security and maximize yields of NSB finances and assets. It takes money to provide streamlined or better services to our people.
- Capital Projects – Aging infrastructure in our villages need replacement or refurbishment to maximize benefits to our residents.
- Economic Development – Make sure our residents have the opportunity to earn a living. Either through direct employment, small business contracting on the mentioned capital projects, or providing jobs through public/private partnerships with our Native Corporations or Tribal Governments.
- Housing – I’d like to nurture the housing environment by making it as easy as possible for those that want to build their children’s future on slope while continuing the work of prior administrations efforts of rental housing.
- Energy – Establish North Slope Borough Department of Energy or similar dept. to modernize our energy infrastructure and pursue partnerships with our State and Federal Government.
- Education – Continue to strengthen the relationship with Our School district and College while maintaining public accountability.
- Mental health – Assemble a team and support our Health Department to provide local services to those that need it.
- Port Authority – Continue long range goals of road/port connectivity.
- Gov Affairs – Assure our opinion is represented in policies and decisions being made in the State and Nation.
- Subsistence – Continued support of AEWC and our whalers. Asserting more authority over other game management aspects that are critical to ensuring our subsistence way of life is not harmed.
These are just a few of the challenges that the next Mayor of the NSB will have to overcome and I’d like that opportunity. Quyanaqpak!