Opinion: Why I’m stepping out of the GBOS race
By Brett Wilbanks
The reason that I put my name forward first to run for GBOS was to ensure that our community was being heard. From my participation in municipal government, activity in local service area committees, and first hand experience developing in Girdwood, I see where there are improvements that can be made. But the issues for our community go deeper than that.
Currently, there is a culture in GBOS where community groups and committee input to the board is routinely softened or dismissed to defer to assembly priorities. This has a negative impact and is to the detriment of our community. This current culture harms our town, especially when assembly interests are prioritized over local needs. There are several recent examples where deference is given to assembly interests, without garnering the support of our local community.
Last year was a terrible example of how divisive a local service area board election can get. This is a time when Girdwood needs unity as we define our own solutions and express our own vision. The last thing that I want for our town is anything that takes the focus away from the common problem and turns neighbor against neighbor.
It is better to have two volunteers working on our community issues, rather than allowing another potentially toxic election experience for all. So, I have removed my registration to run for GBOS in anticipation of Brian Burnett being able to add an independent and critical voice to the body. In this way, I can continue to work with the GHEC as we deliberate some difficult questions and solutions for Girdwood housing and economic development.
I will rely on Mr. Burnett to maintain an independent voice that reflects the hard work and volunteer efforts of our citizen committees that keep our local governance moving in a forward direction. This is a very important time for our community as we outline the necessary steps of change to address our needs. It will be critical that all members of GBOS recognize the value of the committee process for vetting appropriate solutions moving forward. I, alongside the community, appreciate the contributions of what will certainly be a significant amount of work in the years ahead and wish Mr. Burnett success during his tenure.