Olerud meets with U.S. Transportation Sec. Pete Buttigieg and U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski at the Haines airport during an August visit. Lex Treinen photo.

When Douglas Olerud took over as Haines Mayor in November of 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic was in full swing. A few weeks later, a fatal landslide on Beach Road shook the community to its core. Many public officials credited Olerud with improving public discourse and trust in government throughout his term.…