Write-in dispute leaves City Council seat vacant

The Delta Junction City Council certified election results at its Oct. 13 meeting, but the process sparked a heated exchange over a vacant council seat and how the City handles write-in candidates.

Kimba Crocketts-Manning received 41 votes for Seat B, Pete Hallgren received 78 votes for Seat F, and Tim Webb received 82 votes for Seat E. However, Seat C remained vacant after Jennifer Brant, the person who received the most write-in votes, declined to serve.                                                                                                     Tensions rose when an audience member interrupted the meeting to question why Stormie Mitchell, who received two write-in votes, was not being certified for Seat C. Mike Prestegaard, Seat C incumbent, received three write-in votes, placing second, but he had already indicated he was not interested in serving another term.

City Clerk Andrea Peters explained that she had attempted to contact Mitchell but was unable to reach her. Peters said her calls were declined because Mitchell’s voicemail box was full, and her emails were returned because Mitchell’s email account was no longer accepting messages due to a full inbox. Peters then moved to other write-in candidates.

Unable to find clear precedents for handling multiple write-in candidates, Peters contacted the Local Government Specialist Division of the Alaska Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development’s Division of Community and Regional Affairs, which provides guidance to local governments on state statutes and municipal ordinances. Peters was advised that the city’s current ordinance, Section 1.10.060, does not adequately address write-in candidates in an election.

The existing ordinance states that when a vacancy occurs, the remaining council members must solicit applicants by advertising in a newspaper of general circulation within the city. The council is then to fill the vacancy from among those who submit letters of interest and the next-highest vote-getter, if any, in the election for the vacated seat. A majority of the remaining council members must approve the appointment.

However, the ordinance does not specifically address how write-in votes should be handled.

“We were told write-ins actually need to give prior permission before the election,” City Administrator Lori Roberts said. “The council will have to address the ordinance to clear up any foreseeable issues in the future.”

Roberts said the Seat C vacancy will be announced at the council’s Oct. 20 meeting, after which the City will begin soliciting letters of interest from residents.

In other business, the council unanimously approved a grant letter confirming the city’s intent to contribute $2,337 toward the purchase of a Forax attachment for the city grader.

The Forax is a brush-cutting and mulching attachment designed to help maintain roadsides and ditches. It can also delimb and top trees, making it a versatile tool for roadside maintenance. The attachment costs $79,200. A state pass-through grant will cover the majority of the expense, with the city responsible for the required $2,337 contribution.The council’s approval of the grant letter allows the city to proceed with the purchase under the grant’s funding requirements.

This is a developing story and will be updated. Please see The Buffalo Times website www.buffalo-times.com or Facebook page, where the story will be updated in real time. An update will also be printed in next week’s print edition.

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