Fluetsch and Smith to run for CBJ Assembly

Two more candidates say they’ll run for Juneau Assembly.

Financial Investment Advisor Bradley Fluetsch says he’s running for the District One seat being vacated by Merrill Sanford. Realtor Carlton Smith plans to run for the Areawide seat held until recently by Bob Doll.

Fluetsch ran for mayor and lost to Bruce Botelho.  He says he’s been eyeing an Assembly race since then.

Fluetsch says his main concern is diversifying Juneau.  He calls the Capital City a one-horse town.

“We have one water system, we have one power company with one power line, we have one airline, we have one marine transportation system, we have no road option. We have one basic employer, government. You lose a horse, Juneau loses bad,”  Fluetsch says.  “You know, just working with the community trying to find that modest growth.  How are  we going to do it, where are we going to put the people, what are they going to do for work? Those are the issues the Assembly can address.”

Fleutsch says extending water and sewer throughout the borough, affordable housing, and job creation are all major issues.

Most of the candidates this year cite similar issues as reasons to run for the Assembly.

Carlton Smith says he’s filing his candidate application on Friday morning.  He says his record as a business owner as well as his long involvement with private, non-profit, and charitable organizations are good training for the Assembly.

He says the Assembly has a full plate of issues right now.

“For starters, the issue of the mine since we’re part owner of the AJ,” Smith says.  “The harbor improvements, water and sewer improvements are right there in front of us, coupled with the sales tax issue; the question of recycling, how we can get going on that.

“Probably most of all is how we can secure the employment levels we have right now.  And quite frankly we have to have a new focused effort on creating jobs,” Smith says.

He is a former chief executive officer of Kootznoowoo and a Sealaska officer.

Fluetsch is a former president of Juneau’s Alaska Native Brotherhood Grand Camp.

The municipal filing deadline is August 15.  Others running for Assembly are Jesse Kiehl, Loren Jones, Randy Wanamaker and Geny DelRosario.

So far, only Sally Saddler has filed to run for School Board.

Sign up for The Signal

Top Alaska stories delivered to your inbox every week

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply

Site notifications
Update notification options
Subscribe to notifications