Challenger Joanie Wagner says Haines needs a fresh perspective. Incumbent Jan Hill says experience counts.

In one sentence, please describe the role of the mayor.

Wagner: The Mayor sets the tone for our community and also is an example for the community.

Hill: The role of the Mayor is to run assembly meetings, represent the community locally and beyond, and to provide some guidance and leadership in borough issues.

Common criticisms of assembly meetings are that discussions tend to be lengthy, repetitive and inefficient. Do you agree? If so, how will you help moderate discussions?

Wagner: I believe they are lengthy and sometimes repetitive, but the public process is very important. It’s crucial to coming to decisions the whole community can get behind. I believe the assembly and everyone needs to come prepared, having read the packet.

Hill: I do agree. I would help moderate these discussions by following the stricter rules that Robert’s Rules (of Order) allows and those are limited numbers of times you can talk on an issue and for how long. I think that would be a great start. I would continue to encourage assembly members to come into the office and talk to us before meetings.

What is the single biggest issue facing Haines?

Wagner: I believe the budget is. And it needs to be looked at carefully with a fine tooth comb for ways to cut some things.

Hill: The biggest one that’s looming is funding for the Lutak Dock and which plan to get funding for. I think we should plan for the larger one.

How would you describe your leadership style?

Wagner: My leadership style I would say first of all is respectful, positive and it’s collaborative. I like to collaborate with people so we can come to a decision that everyone feels they have a stake in.

Hill: I think I’m quiet and kind of laid back. I tend to listen more than I talk and that’s how I learn.

How important is it to voice your opinions or communicate your perspective during assembly meetings?

Wagner: I think the Mayor needs to present issues and also, as they present them, they need to give a broad perspective of what a certain issue means, all of the issues that revolve around that particular agenda item. That’s how I would do it and if I had questions I would definitely take my turn and respectfully ask questions.

Hill: I think it can be important. If you’ve observed my style I tend to allow everybody else to talk and if I’m going to interject my opinion or any comments, I’m the last one to speak. I think that’s the appropriate way. I think it’s polite and the assembly members are the ones who are debating issues and my job is to listen and learn from them. That’s why I go to all the committee meetings that I do, so I can hear the perspectives from those meetings and the public’s perspective. I would rather listen than hear myself talk.

What is the most important role of the mayor?

Wagner: The Mayor needs to set the tone for the community and the Mayor needs to also be an example, I think, for our children and that all people could aspire to.

Hill: Representing and being an ambassador for the community, and working with the manager to follow through with the direction of the assembly.

During the candidate forum you said you tend to work “quietly and behind the scenes.” What did you mean by that and why is it effective?

Hill: It’s effective because that’s how I am. I think we all have our own style of doing business, no matter what kind of business we’re conducting. I would rather listen and learn from the people that I work with and work for than force my opinion on them. I think it’s been effective so far. That’s my style.

During the candidate forum, you said you would not allow “backdoor negotiations” with borough staff and other community members. Do you see it as a problem in the borough? How would you prohibit such behavior?

Wagner: I think everybody can have a voice. The public needs to be able to have their voice heard. Coming into the borough office is important. It’s a right. It’s a duty. I think executive sessions have been overused. I think the public needs to be involved in the process. I think executive sessions just cause more suspicion and questions in the general public.

What would you like to add?

Wagner: Jan (Hill) talks about all the connections she’s built up over the years as just disappearing if she’s not elected Mayor. I believe that’s a scare tactic a lot of people won’t fall for. The Alaska Municipal League was here in August. Jan Hill claimed credit for that. The proposal for that was submitted by Stephanie Scott and it was awarded four or five years ago according to Kathy Wasserman, who’s the president of that league. What I see is that those kinds of things are just a progression and there’s a transition period. My main focus is on Haines, so I don’t want to spend a lot of time outside of the community. I belong to organizations that are important. I’m a member of KHNS. I’m a member of Haines Friends of Recycling. I’m a member of Alaska Arts Confluence, the Chamber of Commerce. Those are all things that are important to our community.

Hill: One of the most important things that I’ve heard recently is some people don’t understand some of the things I’ve done in addition to, or because of, being the Haines Borough Mayor. I’ve recently been elected to two positions. One is a regional one; the president of Southeast Conference, and I have been elected to the Alaska Conference of Mayors for the Alaska Municipal League, which is a statewide position. I was elected by my colleagues, other mayors, and these positions are important and allow me to serve the community at a higher level. These positions do not transfer to any Mayor. They are my positions. I was elected to them and I think people need to understand the importance of that. It just puts me at a level where I can possibly use some of my contacts that I already have to help us get some of the things that Haines needs, especially since the assembly has written out of our budget a lobbyist position. I think my experience matters in this election.