Councilmanic Candidates Present Platforms
EIGHTEEN CITIZENS TO SERVE
IN FORMING NEW CITY OF PALMER
EDITOR'S NOTE: In the spirit of fairplay to the candidates—
and to enable the voters to read for themselves what the candi
dates have to say; and so be better able to choose the seven for
whom they will vote, the Frontiersman publishes herewith the
individual statement of each candidate who accepted the invi
tation to speak his own piece in his own words. Their statements
follow:
Ray Adams
Politics and platforms like pret
ty balloons are meaningless soon
gone. Palmer if civic-minded, will
want men of whom she can be
proud and whom she can trust.
Bernard R. Bouwens
Regardless of all rumors, I def
initely am going to run for city
council as a North Palmer proper
ty owner, and for the interests of
the people of Palmer.
Frank Brown
I have lived in Alaska 10 years;
in Palmer 5 years. I’ve built a
business here and am expanding
that business because I believe in
the future of this area. If elected
to the city council I will work for
the interests of the community as
a whole. We’ll have our differ
ences and our problems but if we
work together for a better city
we can make it that.
A1 V. Hagen
11 years in the Palmer Area,
owner-operator of Valley Theatre.
Member of the Elks and Moose
Lodges. Organizer and the first
president of the Matanuska Valley
Chamber of Commerce. Organiz
er of the Matanuska Valley Fire
Assn, and it’s chairman for four
straight years. Chairman of the
1950 successful “Colony Day Pro
gramme”. Secretary Matanuska
Valley Fair Assn. Headed the
Palmer Merchants Christmas par
ty for all Valley Children for the
last four years. Promoted Alaska’s
only FREE Trailer Court here in
Palmer to promote good will and
business for Palmer. Instrumental
in getting an interpetation chang
ed so that AHA and FHA Funds
would be available for construc
tion of homes and buildings in the
Palmer area. Will continue to
work for Civic good and Improve
ments.
A1 King
If Palmer elects to incorporate
and I am chosen one of the Coun
cil, all I can say is that I stand
firmly against any Sales Tax, and
will do my utmost for a fair and
economical administration as
within my power.
Ray Lancaster
As a property owner I am inter
ested in the growth and develop
ment of the town as a whole by:
1. An adequate water and sew
er system. This is a must if the
town is to survive and should
be planned with due considera
tion for development of future
industry, growth of population
and fire protection.
2. The necessary police force
with authority to maintain law'
and order.
3. Development of a good vol
unteer fire department by a pro
gram to interest and train young
er volunteers in fire prevention,
use and care of fire fighting
equipment, and methods of fire
fighting.
4. Stressing the National build
ing code to reduce fire haz
ards and lower fire insurance
premiums.
5. Improvements of streets by
drainage and filling.
I am in favor of any civic im
! provements possible, within our
means and feel we should work
and plan together for the time
when we can have a municipal
building with recreation facilities
so we will have no problem of
juvenile delinquency.
At present, we must “makej
haste slowly” but lets make Pal- (
| mer a better place to live.
Mrs. Belly Meaxs
If the town becomes a city, and
the voters elect me, I shall do all
in my power . . .
1. To cooperate with those
others who will serve on the
council;
2. To establish an ample water
supply this summer or as hu
I manly possible;
3. To solicit advice from other
Alaskan city council members
who may be able to assist us;
4. To always be available to
anyone interested in specific
problems;
5. To make every effort to make I
the newly formed city a good
place to live.
Carl Meier
I am not going to promise to
secure anything for the people
j and community of Palmer, but I
will do everything in my power to
bring to the top those things
which will be of a benefit to us
and our surroundings.
My back history* is very similar
and well known to many of the
Valley townspeople. I am an or
iginal colonist arriving in the
Matanuska Valley in 1935. I have j
seen all the turmoil through
| which it took for this town to be-!
! come its present size. In the past
I have experienced the beginning
of the Corporation, getting the
colonist settled and started. Later
the organization of the Co-Op
which started the rapid growth of
this Community.
I am now a business man living
within the incorporated area of
this town. My future intentions
are to stay in the community,
grow with it and help it grow.
Be of any service I can to build
I it up. My children also have been
a step in the growth of the com
munity. When my time to quit
comes it will be a pleasure to
them to continue my work.
If I am elected by “you” the
peaple, it will be an honor to be
of service to you.
Allan H. Mick
i Born: Chicago, 1912. Schooling:
BS Michigan State College 1935,
Ph.D. same, 1947. Position before
coming to Alaska: Associate pro
Head, soil science department,
fessor of soil science Michigan
State College. Present position:
Alaska Agricultural Experiment
Station. Military experience: four
and a half years climaxed as ai
general staff officer with 102d
Infantry Division .in Europe.
Status in community: Federal
employe, under Hatch act regula
tions. Own property in North
Palmer, Smith Addition.
Qualifications (or lack of them):
Have held no previous community
elective office. Am somewhat fa
miliar with municipal problems,
particularly of water supply, con
fronting the proposed town of
Palmer. Feel that all citizens m
the proposed town must share in
civic affairs and that all groups
and business enterprises must
cooperate to insure mutually I
satisfatory solutions to comunity
problems.
Most pressing problems con
fronting the community which
will require attention in the order
listed are: 1.-Water supply for
sanitation and fire protection. 2
Schools. 3-Law and order. 4
Communications (telephones and
roads). 5-Long range city plann
ing.
We cannot expect to solve all or
even any one of these problems in
a single year. The accomplish
ments of the town council shall
and undoubtedly will reflect the
desires and needs of the majority
in the community.
Oliver Onkka
I have made Palmer my home
for 16 years; have owned proper
ty for 13 years. Thus I have an
interest in the community and in
community affairs. I believe the
streets are as important as water,
two of our gravest problems, and
that streets should be improved
if funds are available. The street
problems affect every business
concern, driver and pedestrian.
Streets should be one of the first
things we consider.
Matthew Perkins
I have lived 12 years in Palmer,
have been in business a number
of years, and own property, both
home and commercial. Palmer is
like a babe in arms. We will have
to crawl before we can walk. We
must do things as we can. We
can’t go in over our heads. We
must take first steps first, and the
others as we are able. That’s
what I’ll work for. Let’s vote
April 10 and make a city of
Palmer.
Robert "Bob" Peterson
Have lived in Palmer since
1946. I came from Spokane, Wash,
then served 4 years in the Air
Corps.
Frankly, I am against incor
poration. But if incorporation
carries, I believe the city admin
istration must be handled on a
strictly business basis and with
in a reasonable budget, and I
would like to see practical, un
prejudiced, fair-minded repre
sentatives on the council. I make
no promises because I do not
know what will confront us nor
what the cost will be. But I will
treat each problem fairly and
open-mindedly.
As a business man and property
owner (owner of the Palmer Bar
and of my own home) I will apply
business methods to city govern
ment. We cannot do everything
at once. We should keep within
a balanced budget. We should
consider Palmer and its needs as
a whole. I believe we have in
Palmer' the milking of a great
community if we work together
with common sense.
-consent, b,
C. A. "CHET* Sandvik
Property owner in town area.
Partner in Sandvik & Roark con
tracting firm. Presently engaged
in completing contracts for build
ings in Palmer. Have been 25
years in the building business.
Was formerly on the hospital
board, and for 2 years was pres
ident of the Carpenters Local.
I would like to see some sort of
inspection on buildings so a buyer
could be sure of what he is get
ing. Palmer needs a uniform
building, code. We will have to
take it a bit easy, sort of middle
of the road. We have no certainty
as to what our revenue will be.
We don’t know yet what we can
do because we don’t know yet
what we can spend. Adequate
water should be one of our first
considerations.
Lloyd W. Severns
I have lived in Alaska 6 years
and 3 of them in Palmer. I own
my own home here and have
built a new building to house my
business which is the Severns
Cabinet Shop. That making me a
taxpayer, I feel I can serve the
community in an economical way,
growing but yet keeping within
our ability to pay. Your support
will be appreciated.
John L. Sullivan
Due to serious illness. John L.
Sullivan was unable to prepare t.
written statement. However, ne
is well known as an extensive
property owner in Palmer and
other areas. He has stated repeat
edly that if elec ed, he wall do
everything possible within official
and budgetary limitations for the
constructive development of
Palmer.
Steve Ward
I’ve lived 36 years in Alaska, 8
years in Palmer, and am owner
of the Ward Bldg. I want to work
for what’s the best for this com
munity. Am a member of the
Moose Lodge, and was one of the
original group setting up the
Matanuska Fire Assn, on whose
board I have served 3 years.
Mrs. Kalheryn Wilson
Voting incorporation for Pal
mer does not make it into a first
class city.
This is only the beginning of
years of careful planning. The
new City Council will have a
great responsibility as well as a
privilege in making such plans.
There are a few things we shall
need very soon for the comfort,
health and safety of our residents.
There will be other things to plan
for in the future. These can be
had only after the necessities are
paid for, perhaps years from
now. We each have the same idea
in mind to get the most for every
tax dollar. This can only be ac
acomplished by looking at each
project critically.
There are many residents of,
Palmer who are capable of giv
ing excellent advice and help
from having had a background
of technical training as well as
experience in city planning. The
advice and co-operation of these
people should be earnestly sought
by the new council.
We want our city to be a heal
thy, safe and beautiful place to
raise our young people.
Unemployment Drops
Unemployment during March
dropped to the lowest March*
level since 1947, while the num
ber of employed rose to 60,179.
000 according to late estimates of
the Census Bureau.
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