Kaleb Westfall, a commercial fisherman and P.E teacher at the Dillingham City School District High School, is running for re-election for city council Seat E.
Sutherland: So why are you running for city council?
Westfall: I would like to see the change that the people want to see. In the past we've had a lot of land issues, housing crunches, you probably know, job occupation vacancies. So yeah, I want to try to help the city get to the finish line. You could say their current issues, but they're also long standing issues from all the way back into the 70s.
Sutherland: You were on the council this past cycle. What things have you done to address these issues?
Westfall: I think this current Council has done the most traveling that I've been aware of. We've been going out meeting state agencies, nonprofits, partners in the region and on the state level, trying to figure out how we can address land, housing, as well as labor. A lot of the other communities are having the same issues.
We've been trying to do a lot of hard work on housing studies around here. We definitely need houses, which means we need land to open up, and we need to be able to develop it, and we need the skills and resources to do that.
We've also been working on the master harbor plan. I think it's in the first stage. Stage one is the float replacement, so a whole new float system. We've had a lot of really long hours over the past, say, 20 years, pumping those out. And it's just an old system, and we're ready to upgrade.
Additionally, we have a PFAs contamination starting out at the airport and advanced AFF firefoam. We've got some money coming in to extend the water line to service the airport and outlying homes that have been affected. The comp plan and the Planning Commission, we haven't had a revision Since 2014 or 2015. So we're trying to redo the comp plan, find the vision, where we're trying to go, how we can get there, things we've done, things we haven't done. Yeah, and I guess again, just trying to get to the finish line on projects and goals and needs of the community.
Sutherland: Is there anything else that you want voters to know before this election?
Westfall: I guess reach out. Call us, email us, let us know what your thoughts are, what the needs are. The more eyes and ears, the better the plan, the better fit the community. So I guess the biggest thing is reach out and get involved and and tell us what you need, what we're seeing.
Kaleb Westfall is running unopposed for City Council seat E.
Voting Information
Polls are open 8 A.M-8 P.M October 1 in the City Hall Council Chambers.
Absentee voting is underway now until September 30.
Request your Absentee ballot by mail no later than September 21, or vote absentee in person at City Hall.
More voting information is available on the City of Dillingham website.
