Episodes

Dominic & Alexis Lumba welcomed Veronica Fortune Lumba to the world on April 26th.

She weighed 7 lbs. 3 oz. and was 19.5 inches tall.

Congratulations!

The City of Valdez Municipal Election is May 7th, 2019

KVAK Radio asked the candidates running for the Valdez City School Board  to tell us a little bit about themselves and share their thoughts on several questions.  Find below their exact responses as provided to KVAK Radio.

There are two vacancies (three year term) available on the Valdez City School Board.

CLICK HERE for Election Information

Candidates listed in order they appear on Ballot.

Shannon Groundwater

Biography

I was born and raised in Phoenix , AZ until the age of 17 when I graduated high school and moved to Los Angeles, CA. I began college in CA when I decided I wanted to serve something greater than myself and I enlisted in the United States Air Force as a Nutritional Medicine Technician. I served in the military for eight amazing years where I learned patient care, emergency services, and after 9/11 I served with the Security Forces as an augmentee and combat medic trainer. It was while I was serving overseas that I met my husband-a born and raised Valdezean. After receiving an honorable discharge from the military, I followed my husband to Alaska. I worked in the Ambulatory Surgery unit at Providence Alaska Medical Center until moving to Valdez eleven years ago. Since then, we have had two amazing little girls, I have tried to serve this community in various volunteer positions; the most current as the President of the Hermon Hutchens Parent Teacher Association. For the last year I have been working as a teacher and Administrator for the Valdez Cooperative Preschool. I am happy and grateful to call Valdez my home and look forward to serving the community in any capacity.

Question #1: What are three main challenges for Valdez City Schools in the next five years? As a potential school board member, how do you plan to address these challenges?

The major hurdle for Valdez City Schools I foresee is the implementation of statewide budget cuts. At this point in time, the uncertainty of  how much is going to be cut, how to continue business as usual once cuts are made, and how to plan for a successful future for all of our students will be three of our main challenges. If elected to the school board, I will rely heavily on the expertise of current administration, teachers and staff, and parents/guardians in our community to work together and do what is best for all of the children in our district. Keeping an open mind, listening, and working as a team with other school board members and our community will be the key to our success.

Question #2: What experience do you have with budgeting, investments, and finance?

During my adult life I have had to focus on sustainable budgets and implementation. In the military we often had operating funds in the millions, that could be cut and allocated to other essential areas of function.  At my final duty station in Massachusetts I was the Administrator for the base Health and Wellness Center. One of my roles was to establish a functional budget, for a facility whose operating cost was roughly $3 million. Often times our established budget was superseded by the needs of our base hospital and money was diverted to that facility. I found quickly that flexibility and creativity were the key components to continuing the best care, to our population, with less money.

As a once stay-at-home mother, budgeting played a key role in my daily activities. Learning to manage debt to income ratio, living within your means, and cost effectiveness are skills that I am able to translate from my personal life into any professional aspect. Managing personal finances, while investing for a sustainable future for my family is an attainable goal my husband and I strive for every day.

Erica Olive Shirk

Biography

Originally from Colorado, I have moved around to different areas of the United States before landing in Valdez the summer of 2014.  I have degrees in Chemistry and Fine Art from the University of Denver.  I have taught in public and private schools, mainly teaching in the sciences at the high school level, but I have also taught art classes.  I have two sons, one will graduate from the University of New Hampshire in ocean engineering this May and my younger son is in 8th grade at Gilson Middle School.  I enjoy most outdoor activities and love to play in nature, it offers me great solace.  Currently I work full time in the arts and love every minute of it.  When I am not playing outside or doing art, I can be found reading.  It seems that as I get older I am partial to poetry.

Question #1: What are three main challenges for Valdez City Schools in the next five years? As a potential school board member, how do you plan to address these challenges?

Continuity between the schools where we have a curriculum that develops a whole, well rounded educated individual.  This includes district goals defining what skills a graduate from VCS will have and need for the future as a productive citizen.  Curriculum development needs to have these goals in mind, keeping rigor in the program.  Not just academic rigor, but challenging the student to grow towards their greatest potential.  This includes pedagogical practices for each grade level meeting student needs.

High school scheduling seems to be an on going issue for the district.  I personally like the block scheduling with Monday to Thursday being blocks and Friday when students have shortened classes, but take all of them.  This will allow for an 8 class course load.  I know that time changes have been proposed, moving the start time later, and that finding balance for elementary and high school students is a challenge due to bus scheduling.

Bullying seems to be a reoccurring theme I hear about from parents who’s children go to the schools.  This needs to be addressed.  Empathy needs to be taught at the elementary level and encouraged throughout the students career with VCS.  I personally like the Roots of Empathy program, please find it here: www.rootsofempathy.org

Question #2: What experience do you have with budgeting, investments, and finance?

Yes, we will have a budget crunch here in Valdez with the proposed budget cuts from the governor.  I was on the School Board of Valdez in 2016.  I got to participate on budget work then, I know I am up to the task this year as well.

At home I work on our personal finances, investing and budgeting as well.

Joe Prax

Biography

We have three children in the Valdez School System, two in the high school and one in middle school. During my time on the school board I have worked to make sure they get a good education in an excellent environment. We have lived in Valdez for 26 years and have been lucky to raise our kids here. As I have learned more about the education system around Alaska I am convinced that the Valdez Schools can lead the state. Valdez is a great town and we are lucky to have the resources to provide a quality education. My business experience as owner of The Prospector has been helpful in areas of management and structure of the schools. Providing a great education is a huge responsibility that requires involved parents supporting their children and teachers. Everyone else, the support staff, the administrators and the board members are here to support them in their efforts.

Question #1: What are three main challenges for Valdez City Schools in the next five years? As a potential school board member, how do you plan to address these challenges?

The three main challenges for the Valdez City Schools in the next five years will be funding, administration and direction. Funding on the state level is in question as the state seeks ways to deal with large budget deficits. The City of Valdez is very generous with funding but is at the statutory cap for allowable spending. While we will still have adequate funds to provide a superior education funding and budget priorities will continue to be a challenge for the district. We will have to be careful that we are able to keep the best learning opportunities for the students. Mr. Arnold, our new superintendent, has a vision to create to best school system in the state. He is a strong leader and has assembled an excellent team of administrators to help with this. He will need support to lead the continuous improvement of the schools.  Valdez has the financial resources, leadership, facilities and staff to be the best district in the state. We will need to keep that goal in mind and move to attain that goal as quickly as possible.

Question #2: What experience do you have with budgeting, investments, and finance?

As the owner of The Prospector these are issues I deal with daily and the experience ties directly to the schools. The board oversees the budget and clear financial understanding is crucial to the continued success of the schools. We are blessed with the strong support from the city for the schools, we need to make sure that these funds are used most efficiently. As a past member of the city council I understand the city’s budget process too. Future state funding is uncertain for school budgets so we have to be careful to not create programs that we can’t sustain. The schools maintain a strong reserve and we look to take care of expenses now to increase flexibility for the future. While much of the state has been forced to make cuts we have been able to add programs and personnel. Not everything is financial. There is a huge investment in personnel and the schools have worked to make sure that we are using staff in the most beneficial way possible to the students. With our current superintendent we have a rare opportunity to set the Valdez City Schools up for years of continued success and growth. This is an exciting time to be involved with the schools. We have gone from steadily declining enrollment to substantial increases in the past years. Valdez will continue to have strong schools that will be recognized as a leader in Alaska and the place where people choose to send their children for a quality education.

Dalon (Vculek) Gage

Biography

I am the mom of two boys that attend Gilson Middle School. I was born and raised in Valdez and am a product of the Valdez school system. I graduated college from Alaska Pacific University in Anchorage and lived there over 25 years.

We moved to Oregon for three years, and while there I became involved in the PTO. I was part of a team of parents that helped the school and community work together to offer teachers more tools in their classrooms and provide students with new technology. I also participated in helping to pass a bond for structural improvements to the entire school district in 2016. Because of this experience I feel that I can help to ensure that the children of Valdez gain the necessary tools through education that prepare them for life as adults in today’s world.

Question #1: What are three main challenges for Valdez City Schools in the next five years?

From my perspective, the main challenges currently facing our school district include:

1) state funding and adjusting to financial change

2) student preparedness for life after high school

3) support for teachers in the classroom

As a potential school board member, how do you plan to address these challenges?

Any new board member will have much to learn if they have not already served in this capacity, and I’m no exception. I know these issues are not easy to solve. I do believe however that a group of people with a common goal working together can achieve great things.

I hope to help facilitate communication between members of the school board and people in the community to determine ways to spend less, yet still provide an outstanding education for our students. It’s our responsibility as a community to decide how we move forward with potentially less funding than we have seen in past years.

Once students finish high school, they are expected to be able to function as adults out on their own. Are we providing experiences in school for our students to learn how to get a job? To learn to write a resume? To experience a mock interview? These are all things that I believe would serve our students well.

I welcome the opportunity to learn about what would make our teachers lives easier in classrooms. Communication can go a long way in helping people understand how we can help each other.

Question #2: What experience do you have with budgeting, investments, and finance? 

I have been providing accounting and consulting services to small business for many years. Preparing budgets can be a lot of work, but what’s more important than preparing a budget is following one. I believe that paying attention to the detail in the short term will serve our community well in the long run.

The City of Valdez Municipal Election is May 7th, 2019

KVAK Radio asked the candidates running for the City Council Candidates to tell us a little bit about themselves and share their thoughts on several questions.  Find below their exact responses as provided to KVAK Radio.

There are two vacancies (three year term) available on the Valdez City Council.

CLICK HERE for Election Information

Candidates listed in order they appear on Ballot.

Sharon (Crisp) Scheidt

Biography

I was born and raised in Valdez, graduated from VHS, and ventured into the sun to attend college at Arizona State University. I graduated with a BS in Business/Marketing and went to work for Kmart Corporation; first as an assistant store manager, then as a buyer and merchandise planner at the corporate office. I returned to Valdez with my two children, Jacob and Jordan, in 2001 to become the Executive Director at the Valdez Convention and Visitor’s Bureau, until 2007. During my tenure I served on the statewide marketing committee, and as VP and President of the AK Society of Convention & Visitors Bureaus. I became the Director of Communications at Copper Valley Electric, where I remain today. I’ve been an active community volunteer and have served on many local committees, task forces, and workgroups. My children are also both products of Valdez schools. My son went on to attend college and will graduate with a degree in Exercise Science/Athletic Training from Eastern Washington University in June, Jordan will graduate from VHS in May. I was married to Eric Scheidt, a lifelong Valdez resident, last September. We currently live in town with Jordan and our dog and kitty.

Question #1: What are three main challenges for City of Valdez in the next five years?

I do not presume to know  everything about the challenges we face or the inner workings of every department of the City of Valdez. I’m sure I’ll know more if/when I’m actually elected to City Council. I will share a couple of things that concern me.

• Budget: It seems that we’ve been dealing with concerns over TAPS money, and how it affects our budget for years and years; whether it be litigation over the amount of taxes we’re due, concern over eventual throughput reduction in the future, and now, the frightening possibility of SB57. This has been a concern for years, and will be a concern for years to come until we prepare ourselves to be successful with less reliance on TAPS dollars.
• Housing: The lack of affordable housing remains a big issue in Valdez.
• Relationship between City Council, City Administration, and the public: I believe this is an area where we need work, as evidence, in part by the fact that we are yet again replacing our City Manager.

As a Council member, how do you plan to address these challenges?

Budget: It will be my goal to stop ‘saying’ we need to plan for our financial future, and actually start building that plan. I would like to ensure budgets are designed not utilizing how much money we have, but what we need to accomplish based on long-term goals. We need to be more strategic in implementing future projects and necessary spending. Additionally, I will encourage economic diversification and business growth strategies.

Housing: Work is being done here and I’d like to keep focus on it. We need more affordable homes in our community. We need to assess what land we have available and encourage and support such development, which includes working with developers and removing obstacles that impede their efforts.

Relationships: I feel like there has been somewhat of a disconnect between Council, Administration, and the public. I believe in good old fashioned team work and think it starts with treating each other with positivity and respect. I’d like to see less of a ‘them’ and ‘us’ mentality. I think this can be improved with better communication and transparency. We have an opportunity to address these issues as we look for and develop a relationship with a new City Manager.

Question #2: What experience do you have with budgeting, investments, and finance? 

I have a lot of experience working with budgets; development and implementation, some experience with finance, and not much experience at all with investments, so I have much to learn.

I was responsible for a very large budget as a merchandise planner for intimate apparel at Kmart Corporation, I managed the entire budget for the Valdez Convention and Visitor’s bureau, and now I am responsible for my departmental budget at CVEA. I believe in responsible budgeting at any level, I believe a budget should be built from the bottom, up, based on what is needed, not what you think you have or what you spent last year. I believe budgets should be developed based on strategy and utilized to work toward defined goals.

Alan Sorum

Biography

Alan Sorum and his wife Ruth Knight are longtime Valdez residents, who are committed to this community. Alan is the Maritime Operations Project Manager for the Prince William Sound Regional Citizens’ Advisory Council. He was the last City Manager in Skagway, Alaska, helping them form a borough form of government and become their first Borough Manager. He is the

past Port Director and Harbormaster for the City of Valdez, Alaska and has worked for the ports of Wrangell and Whittier, Alaska.

Alan Sorum is a past president and life member of the Alaska Association of Harbormasters and Port Administrators. He is a former Valdez City Council member and currently a Board member with the Valdez Fisheries Development Association and Valdez City Schools, and is Chair of the Valdez Ports and Harbors Commission.

Alan holds a Bachelor of Aeronautical Science from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, a Master of Public Administration from the University of Alaska Southeast and a Master of Art in Rural Development from the University of Alaska Fairbanks. In 2005 he qualified for the Certified Marina Manager designation from the International Marina Institute.

Valdez Issues:

Three key concerns for Valdez are intertwined, they are support of our public schools, housing and economic development. This support must be consistent and steadfast to insure future success.

Promoting quality education and providing access to affordable housing are precursors of future economic development and growth. Most residents of Valdez realize that factors like the cost of energy, living in a remote location, and our winter weather can discourage economic development. I would argue a bigger impediment of growth in Valdez is a lack of foresight action. Development of an overarching vision is vital to our economic growth.

Whether it’s a marine center concept that promotes growth of the fishing industry or expansion of winter recreational opportunities like downhill skiing, development of individual projects depends on having a well thought out framework to support their funding and construction.

Economic development in Valdez that can overcome our negative factors will involve creatively taking advantage of the community’s unique natural resources. Abundant snowfall, a friendly and educated citizenry, a beautiful setting and waterfront access to Prince William Sound are significant resources for the community.

Budgetary Experience:

Alan Sorum is very familiar with the public budgetary process. He was the Valdez Harbormaster and Port Director for eight years and is well regarded for proposing and implementing vast improvements to the harbor. Alan has experience as a chief pilot, assistant airport director, director of training, city manager and has served on our School Board and City Council. Alan is an experienced marine and construction project manager with extensive experience in management and operations of local government. Sorum has advanced degrees in rural development and public administration. Additionally, Alan has experience lobbying for better financial support of our community at the state and federal levels.

James “Jimmy” Devens

Brief Biography:

I was born in Valdez, and have lived here all my life. I went to school here, including college, and I intend to stay here. I work currently as a broadcast journalist. I’ve worn many hats here in Valdez, from a handyman, to a camp counselor, a business manager, to a charity organizer, and many more. My interest in city government was sparked by my observation of the housing and economic conditions in Valdez, when I first ran in last year’s election. Those worries remain unaddressed and unchanged. I now have an additional concern for the longevity of our community, considering current legislation that could decimate our budget, by removing municipal authority to tax properties where oil is produced, stored, or transported. I remain informed on state level events and developments as part of my job, and I travel the state regularly for educational opportunities pertaining to state government.

What are three main challenges for Valdez City Council in the next five years? As a council member, how do you plan to address these challenges?

The three primary challenges in Valdez are each economical, and all three relate to infrastructure. The first is our limited economic diversification. We’ve relied too long on only a few industries. To incentivize business development, we can facilitate adaptive use of existing space and facilities, and enact a business diversity ordinance, which would limit the incursion of major chains into Valdez. We can also offer development incentives, give preference to local business, and open a Small Business Office within the city administration. These have been tested in other communities, and proven to work. Second is housing. Our housing is the most expensive on the Alaska Road System. This is due to limited developable real estate, and this can be solved with new infrastructure to support more housing, zoning to allow multifamily apartments to be built in larger buildings, or reconsidering of municipal codes to include varying types of structures. The third issue is crumbling facilities. This is already being addressed, but I believe this needs to be at the fore-front of city planning. We either need new, purpose built, facilities and infrastructure to replace what exists, or intelligent repairs, that take into account the type of damage we see here repeatedly.

What experience do you have with budgeting, investments, and finance?

I have taken accounting, bookkeeping, and business management courses, as well as on-the-job training in budget management. I work currently for a non-profit organization, that relies partially on state and federal subsidies, that have dwindled significantly in the time I have worked there. We have met the challenge not only to maintain the same standard of service, but also to expand our services, while having a significantly lower budget, through intelligent use of resources, and innovative utilization of means. I serve on a fund-raising committee, that has seen great success, and I help to prepare an annual charitable gaming report. I also recently attended a symposium on local government in Juneau, which focused primarily on municipal budgeting.