David Pruhs and Valerie Therrien run for mayor of Fairbanks

FAIRBANKS, Alaska (KTVF) - David Pruhs and Valerie Therrien are both running for mayor of the City of Fairbanks.

Pruhs said he has committed himself to almost 30 years of public service. “Six years on the city council, four years on the Alaska Real Estate Commission, the Planning Commission and others, and I’ve always worked well with people on these boards and commissions, very well - and I thought, ‘Can I do the job? Am I capable of doing the job of being mayor of Fairbanks?’ and I said, ‘Yes I am.’”

Pruhs wants to add an ambulance to the city’s emergency response system. “The third ambulance is that focal point. That’s where everything works. We have plenty of staffing for it. We have over 45 firemen and EMTs and paramedics [combined]. We have over 22 EMTs and paramedics, and it takes 3 for a shift.”

Pruhs would also look at hiring contractors for some plowing services. “Now, there’s certain subdivisions you can’t do it in. You can’t do it in, say, Island Homes. Streets are too narrow. Those were put in in the early 50s, but in other subdivisions you can - so the city would maintain those, do all the main arterials, keep the downtown open, and you hire contractors to do the other subdivisions.”

Therrien, meanwhile, has been a Fairbanks resident for 46 years and raised her family here. “I hope to provide a new vision to the community, especially with regard to the Polaris Building, and I hope to encourage more people to apply as firefighters and police because public safety is my biggest concern.”

Therrien would like to see Fairbanks plan for the future. “I’d like to have some community meetings where we talk to the community and see where they want to go in the next five years. I feel like we’ve been reacting a lot over the last six years that I’ve been on the city council, and we need to do some planning.”

Therrien also hopes to add an ambulance to the city and help with retention of public works employees. “I bring a lot of experience to the mayor’s office. I’ve served four terms on the borough assembly, and I’m just finishing my third term on the city council. As an attorney, I’ve learned the art of negotiation and compromise, and I believe I can use those skills to bring to the city to help work on our goals.”

“I’m a moderate, and I believe that listening to the people, we can determine where they want our city to go. I’ve hard working and I’m dedicated to the citizens of Fairbanks,” she added.

Pruhs and Therrien will appear on the ballot for Fairbanks residents in the municipal elections on October 4.

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