Michelle Putz - Sitka Assembly Candidate

Michelle Putz Sitka First!  Vote Putz on October 2nd!

Michelle Putz is a Sitka Assembly candidate who is:

I am Michelle Putz, and I hope this site provides you with insight about me and a way to consider and discuss issues that concern you about our wonderful City.  ~ Michelle K. Putz

Want to talk about something?  I can be reached by calling 747-2708 in the evenings and on weekends.  Or email me at michelleputzforassembly@gmail.com

 

Want to support my campaign? Print my campaign sign for your car or house window!

 

Local issues in Sitka and where I stand on them:

What can we do about Sitka's economy and how can we bring in new jobs?

Should we put in a dock? 

How can we really move Sitka forward? 

What do we do about dropping budgets? 

Are you well represented?

How can we continue to improve community relationships? 

Are there other issues you want to talk about?

 

About Michelle Putz:

I am Michelle Putz (pronounced like the verb, “Michelle puts ideas into action.”).

My husband, Perry Edwards, and I moved to Sitka in June 2005.  We recognized Sitka's outer beauty immediately.  But little did we know what inner beauty she also held for us...cultural diversity and good relationships with its first people, history like few other places in America or the World, an active, fun, involved, and CARING community, and so much more.   I am incredibly thankful for having found Sitka and for being taken in by her.  I want to help make this great community even better.  I want to give back to the community and citizens of Sitka.

I try to "give back" on a pretty regular basis.  Whether that's by organizing projects and volunteering in large efforts, or by lending a hand when I see one is needed, or just by "showing up," I think it's important that we all help to make our community a good one.  So where might you see me giving back or participating in the many opportunities Sitka provides?  

 

Local issues in Sitka and where I stand on them: 

Until I've heard from Sitkans and done some research, I can't say how I will vote on issues facing the Assembly.  But here are just some of the ways I look at concerns in the community of Sitka:

What can we do about Sitka's economy and how can we bring in new jobs?  Most people I talk to want to improve the economy of Sitka in some way.  I agree with you, we DO need to improve Sitka's economy and bring good-paying jobs to Sitka!  I hope to visit many local businesses during my campaign to hear what they think are the biggest problems facing their business and to hear their ideas for the best solutions.  I hope to discuss and identify the businesses we could expand, or could bring to Sitka that are sustainable and that are going to keep families here.  What are those businesses? Manufacturing with its high shipping costs does not make sense.  What does?  Tourism is obviously one component.  What are ALL the options to increase/stabilize that industry?  What are other options?  To me, some ideas are businesses that use the internet, businesses that support local needs, and education.  I hope to identify those sustainable businesses and work to target those types of businesses to bring them into Sitka.

Should we put in a dock?  This is the biggest issue people are talking about right now in Sitka.  While I think putting this proposal on the ballot at some point is the right way to ask this question of the community, I supported waiting to get it on the ballot until more information is available to explain the proposal.  A poorly developed proposal would surely, and rightfully, be defeated.  We need to know if it would be used, who would pay for it, what it might look like, and more.  It will come up again.  I support the Assembly's efforts to let you decide on a well thought-out, well- developed, well-researched proposal.  How will I vote, personally?  It will depend on the final wording and the proposal.  In the mean time, let's try to get use at the McGraw dock.  I also lean towards a proposal that would put a dock on the EAST side of Baranof Island in an effort to provide an Inside Passage route to Sitka.  This would reduce our shipping costs, increase our ferry service, increase our cruise ship traffic, etc. Yes, it would take a road or a train or some other means through a tunnel to get us back and forth and a lot of effort, but it would mean a HUGE savings in fuel for food, ferries, and cruise ships, reduced chances of losing shipping services during bad weather, and it would open up other opportunities.  And I look forward to hearing what you think of this idea.

How can we really move Sitka forward?  I have heard people say that recent assemblies seem to be "putting out fires" but not really moving the City forward.  I agree.  We need a strategy to move Sitka forward and I have an idea how to get us there!  Let's get an agenda item in every Assembly meeting that will help us use all the great plans, charters, and laws that have been developed for Sitka and respect the time and efforts of our commission members.  Within each of those plans are ways to save money, improve the economy, and do something about the biggest problems facing our community.  Let's use that hard work and the energy of our volunteer commissions to improve this community and move us forward!  Let's pull out and follow the best parts of those plans and let's enforce the laws and codes that we’ve developed.  Or if we decide we can’t or won’t use the plans or enforce the laws, we need to consider getting rid of them or revising them until they are useful and used.  I will take our plans, laws, and codes seriously and work to make sure that we have a strategy to move us forward in the future.

I also hope to continue to work on economic, social, and environmental issues related to sustainability – as discussed under jobs, what businesses could we have in or bring to Sitka that are truly sustainable?  How do we make housing affordable enough to keep young people and young families here?  And what are ways we can use and sustain our resources in Sitka? Sitka could market itself statewide and nationwide as a VERY green community if we continue to work on improving our sustainability as a City and a community.  I strongly support our City's efforts to provide us with cheap, renewable energy from well-thought out, well-planned hydroelectric projects.  I also support our City expanding its support for up-and-coming energy resources (like geothermal and potentially tidal energy) as a way not only to provide power but also to show leadership and potentially provide economic drivers for the citizens of Sitka.

What do we do about dropping budgets?  While I often give of my time (volunteering) and my friendship, my friends and family would tell you I am a tightwad when it comes to money.  Savings and fiscal responsibility are important to me, and I understand that we have to live within our means.  If we are going to spend money on something, it may mean doing something to save money (like adding insulation), not spending it on something else, or else coming up with a new source of funding.  I hope to look for cost-saving ideas within our current plans and ask the Administrator and Staff to begin to implement them.  I also believe the City needs a strategy to prioritize "needs" over "wants," and we need to ask the community what the priorities should be.  We also need to ask the community how to pay for those priorities.  At the same time, I recognize how important local, state, and federal programs are to each and every one of us.  It’s easy to say cut the budget, but how long would it take any one of us to say, “Wait!  I need THAT program!”?  We are all in this tough economy together...we need to work together to figure out how to make Sitka prosper through all times.   

Are you well represented?   I recognize that as an Assembly member, I am there to represent you, especially in routine matters and City matters.  Yet I also recognize that there are appropriate times to ask the voters to decide on issues.  I don’t yet know which issues will come up as deserving a vote, but I recognize the vote as a valuable tool.  I also think that the City should work with people to get major concerns on the ballot.  If groups find an issue so concerning they feel they need to get it on the ballot, it means it's time for us to seriously re-examine how the City and the Assembly are representing the voters.

How can we continue to improve community relationships?  Like in a family, there are times when a community pulls together and times when a community is pulled apart.  Too often we are reminded how important it is to pull together as a community.  I hope to use the cooperative relationships I’ve developed in the past to continue to work on relationships with the Native community, the Filipino community, the various State and Federal agencies in Sitka, and other segments of the Sitka community.  Working together we get more done.

Are there other issues you want to talk about?  Please send me an email at michelleputzforassembly@gmail.com to tell me about your concerns in Sitka.  If I have enough information about your concern to write up an informed opinion, I will add it to my list of important issues

Is there more to think about?  Certainly.  But I hope this gives you a sense of where I am coming from, and a desire to get to know me better and to vote for me, Michelle Putz, this October.  Think of me, my car, and remember, Michelle “Putz” ideas into action!

                               

 

Help me run a "Sustainable Campaign"!

Everyone knows the staples of the typical local political campaign - plastic lawn signs for the yard, pins/buttons, posters, mail, stickers, and more things that get used once, then thrown away (or saved for 100 years and sold for a lot of money!).  But isn't there a better, more sustainable way to run a campaign that lets you reduce/reuse/recycle rather than create more trash?  I am trying to find those better ways as I run for an assembly position in Sitka.  Since I care about  increasing/improving Sitka's sustainability, how I run my campaign is important.  You may have seen stenciled, "discreet", wooden, woodstove/fireplace-friendly yard signs or inside-out canvas bags with my campaign information.  Or maybe you have seen our re-used, newly refurbished pins/buttons.  If not, maybe you need one!  I have pins for your jacket, signs available for your yard (use it till I am elected then use it as kindling afterward!) and I need your canvas bags to paint with my logo.  Or if you have other ideas on how to get the word out while reducing/reusing/recycling - contact me and we'll try to use the idea! 

Or maybe you really want a sign?  Print my campaign sign for your car or house window, then reuse the paper for notes/grocery list/whatever, and recycle when you are done.  Thanks for what you do to make Sitka a wonderful, sustainable, resilient community!

If you'd like to help out with my campaign or learn more about me, contact me at michelleputzforassembly@gmail.com.

Vote Putz for

Sitka Assembly October 2, 2012

More about me and what I do:

If you ask people who know me, they will tell you that I have a lot of energy, a lot of passion, and that I truly do work hard to put ideas into action.  I invite you to check out these websites to see some of the products of my labor:

http://www.sitkaglobalwarming.org - pay special attention to the Green Business page and thank those Sitka businesses for their efforts to conserve energy and resources!

Check out my 2010 interview on KCAW, Raven Radio - http://kcaw.org/modules/local_news/index.php?op=sideBlock&ID=890

http://capitalcityweekly.com/stories/121708/new_368667836.shtml 

http://www.fs.fed.us/outernet/r10/tongass/projects/angoon_hydro/ 

http://www.fs.fed.us/r10/tongass/projects/sitka_atm/ 

 

This ad paid for by Michelle Putz, 131 Shelikof Way,  Sitka , AK 99835