4. When presented with an issue regarding the services and education provided to Sitka youth and families, what steps will you take to educate yourself before making a decision? What role, if any, will city commissions and coalitions play in your process?
Reber Stein: as a member of the Long Range Planning and Economic Development Commission, I greatly value the contributions of people who come in from different points of view to fill the seats of that commission. We talk about much that will affect community now and in future in that commission. As a member of that commission, I also feel the Assembly doesn’t utilize the contributions or the efforts of all the commissions, and I think that’s regrettable. I would naturally refer things related to health needs and services to the City’s health needs and community services commission.
Jack Ozment: When first presented with anything like that, I would plan to study the information – we have a lot of great people on city staff, a lot of great people on our commissions, and I try to use their input as much as possible. It’s much easier for me to depend on those people than try to do it all myself, then all I have to do is review and try to use their input to go forward. I would very much plan to use the commissions. I think we should give these questions to commissions and staff and look very strongly at the answers they come back with.
Joseph Reeves: Basically, I would listen, find out what the needs are, ask questions, because that’s the only way you’re going to find out any information; go to these organizations and find out about the problems, and hear feedback about what we can do. Definitely commissions take a priority in my book – I’m on Police and Fire myself, so I know what kind of work goes into those. That’s what they were created for – they were created by the Assembly to do the grunt work, to get the information. I think they should get a lot more attention than they are now, because they’re the ones doing all the footwork. They have the information; we should use that information to get the job done.
Heidi Raffaele: It’s clear that we’re not specialists in this area – I’m particularly not a specialist in this area, so I need to listen to those who are. There are people doing great research out there and who know what’s happening in this community better than I do in certain ways; sitting on the Assembly provides us an opportunity to hear what others are thinking, what others are seeing, what others are learning, and what the needs are – we clearly need to utilize the experts in this town. They also know what’s happening in other places, what’s working there could work here. I’m definitely someone who says, “I don’t know enough. Teach me. I want to learn. And I’m willing to consider what I think will work best here and what you think will work best here.”
Chad McGraw: I will go to the individual organizations as part of my due diligence when presented with issues facing our youth and families prior to expressing any opinions on the specific situation.