Bethel resident Haley Hanson is running for election to the City Council. Here are her answers to a few questions about her campaign
Name: Haley Hanson
Years in Bethel: All my life, except for when I lived in Fairbanks when I was going to college.
Occupation/business: High School Social Studies Teacher
Do you currently (or have in the past) served on any committees, boards, or volunteer positions and if yes, what and where? Please include service on city council: I was involved in various committees when I worked for the University of Alaska Fairbanks. I haven’t worked on any committees or boards here in Bethel, but I would like to become more involved.
What are the reasons why you want to be on City Council? I want to be on City Council because I want to help make decisions that influence the community in which I was raised, and continue to make my home. I want to be a role model for students in Bethel who may not have ever considered becoming leaders in their community. I want to use that platform to draw attention to issues that are affecting our youth, as well as work proactively to address issues like climate change, that are affecting Bethel now, and will continue to in the future.
What is your position on Bethel’s alcohol situation? What do you support or not support? I will support the community’s decision on the issue of alcohol. Regardless of the vote outcome, we still need to focus holistically on alcohol’s effects on Bethel and the surrounding village communities. We need to work on a plan that addresses several levels of the problem, for example increases to education, access to addiction recovery programs, and support for organizations who are dealing with alcohol’s effects on a daily basis, like the Tundra Women’s Coalition and EMS. I think City Council needs to be involved in Bethel’s Alcohol Task Force to emphasize the importance of the City’s role in leadership within the community. We have to come together as a community and decide to implement action, if we ever want anything to change.
Do you have any hobbies or interests? I try to read, cook, and hang out with my friends as much as possible. I also love playing volleyball and softball at Pinky’s Park in the summer. I also enjoy watching sports, traveling, and attending local community events.
Quyana Haley!
We apologize for not including this in last week’s issue along with the other candidate responses. The omission was unintentional and we are sorry for any inconvenience this may have caused.
