Duane Bannock; Kenai Mayor, challenger
On Oct. 2, the voters of the city of Kenai will go to the polls to make some very important choices. We have the opportunity to shape our future, and I am asking for your vote to be the next mayor of Kenai as we move to the next level.
I have used that theme throughout this campaign because it sums up the role of the city council and mayor, along with the many volunteer commissions and committees, working hand in hand with the city manager and administration.
Through the past years we have worked very hard to lay a firm foundation of infrastructure and large, mostly federally funded public projects.
Candidate for: Mayor, city of Kenai
Age: 37
Occupation: Auto sales management
Family: spouse, Carol; children, B.J. and Tony
Residency in Alaska: 35 years
Years in Kenai: 35
Education: High school graduate 1982 Cook Inlet Academy
Political and government experience: 1988-1993, Kenai Planning and Zoning Commission; 1993-present, Kenai City Council
Business and professional positions: I have been involved in the automobile industry for 16-plus years. I have held numerous positions from sales associate to my current position as vice president at Kenai Chrysler Center.
Service organization memberships: Current member and immediate past president, Kenai Rotary Club; current board member, Peninsula Oilers baseball; member, Kenai Chamber of Commerce; past board member and steering committee, Challenger Learning Center
Best way for voters to reach you: 283-3949, work; or 283-3158, home
We have not, however, built upon that base with the more traditional "mom and pop" types of businesses and retail that normally follow these projects. I hope to lead the city to focus, to put forth solid effort, to achieve this goal. By putting our emphasis on this next level, we can and will create real jobs, real taxation (both property and sales tax) and the stable economy we all need and want.
It is that private business that funds much of our volunteer efforts and various other fund-raisers from the Boys and Girls Clubs, to Little League to the Kenai Peninsula Food Bank -- the list could go on and on.
Growing up in Kenai I have experienced first-hand the generosity of our friends and neighbors. That is why I have chosen to live and raise my family here in Kenai. It has been my hope to repay some of that generosity shown by making myself available for the betterment of our community.
As my wife and I raise our two sons, it is rewarding to see others who, like myself, have grown up in Kenai and have also stayed here to raise their families. We truly are poised to take Kenai to the next level.
Some people I have spoken with repeat the phrase "it's time for a change." I submit that in Kenai that very change is taking place. In my short eight years representing you at the Kenai City Council, every department head has rotated (with only one exception and that department was split in half) as well as the city manager. We are fortunate to have the talents of Linda Snow as the "chief operations officer" and she has surrounded herself with qualified and competent employees. They are ready to move to the next level.
If you think, like I do, that we need to refocus our efforts and talents away from the large public projects and work on the day-to-day issues that we are forced to deal with like our tax and utility bills, opportunities for our kids, street lights and timely snow removal, just to name a few, then vote Duane Bannock for Kenai mayor this Oct. 2 at the Kenai Armory.
Together we will take our city to the next level.