By Gretchen Wehmhoff

The filing period for the Oct. 3 municipal election closed Aug. 11. Only the mayor’s race, with three declared candidates, is competitive. The assembly ballot will have two contenders for two positions. No one submitted declarations to run for three school board seats.

Current assembly members Sam Bass and Orion Hanson will face off in a three-way race for mayor with previous assembly candidate, William Lockette, II.  Hanson is the current vice mayor. His current term expires in 2025. Bass’s assembly term expires this October.

Current mayor Andrew Cremata’s term ends this fall.

In the assembly race, two seats are open. Kate Kolodi will run alongside Alex Weddell who was selected to fill the Reba Hylton’s position earlier this year when Hylton stepped down to relocate to Haines. Should Kolodi and Weddell remain unopposed, the assembly will be, for the first time, composed of an equal number of men and women.

As of Aug. 25, no one has signed up to run for the three school board seats. Two seats are three-year commitments and the third seat is a one-year position.

Any residents who meet Skagway voter qualifications and missed the Aug. 14 filing deadline may file as a write-in candidate by submitting a letter of intent to the clerk’s office by 5 p.m. Sept. 29. Details about the contents of the letter and financial disclosure information requirements can be found in Skagway Municipal Code 2.20.040 or by contacting the borough clerk, Steve Burnham.

Three  ballot questions regarding property tax exemptions, seasonal sales tax and a lease will also be on the Oct. 3 ballot.  

Question One asks for approval of an increase in the property tax exemption level from $250,000 to $350,000 for residents who are “65 years of age or older,” “disabled veterans,” or “widows or widowers of persons who qualified for an exemption.”

The second ballot question seeks approval for a sales tax increase from 5% to 6.25%. Voters turned down an increase to 6.5% in April’s special election. The question has been modified by .25% and to express intent. 

The third question seeks approval of a 35-year lease between the municipality and Petro 49, Inc. to include adherence to environmental and industrial standards as contained in the essential terms of Ordinance 23-20.

Information about the election can be found at www.skagway.org/elections.