Kenai holds interviews for vacant council seat; vote set for 6 p.m.

Kenai City Council conducted interviews Nov. 19 with four finalists for a council vacancy that took effect Oct. 20, and council members scheduled an appointment vote at the start of the regular meeting at 6 p.m.

The interviews followed rules the mayor outlined at the work session: five minutes for each candidate’s opening statement, three minutes per council question, and applicants listed in the order their applications were received. The mayor reminded applicants that appointments are governed by charter Section 29 and Kenai City Council policy 20.2, and that the Alaska Open Meetings Act applies.

Alex Douthat, a candidate and lifelong Kenai resident who identified himself as a small-business owner, said he would rely on incoming data—public-opinion surveys, street and road assessments and a public-safety building study—before advancing specific initiatives. “I want to judge how we move forward based on all this information,” Douthat said, adding that he plans to run in the next election cycle.

Michelle Miller Obey, who described herself as a caregiver and volunteer at Hope Community Resources, proposed boosting civic engagement and business visibility through outreach and an app to improve access to city information. She urged workshops and local markets to help small businesses and said she does not currently plan to run for a subsequent three-year term if appointed.

Former council member Glenise Petty emphasized fiscal oversight and senior housing. Petty said Kenai has a long waiting list at the local senior housing development and suggested the city could pursue a market-driven project—possibly financed with low-cost loans and tied to recent bluff-stabilization work—to expand options for older residents. “We could actually take out a low interest loan … and it would be completely filled,” Petty said.

Dwayne Banach, a candidate who cited prior local and state executive experience, drew the sharpest criticism of the city’s budget and business climate. Banach said the city’s budget grew 11% year over year and asserted Kenai is “where businesses go to die,” a phrase he repeated to underscore his claim that the council should change direction. He also said his first act would be to seek an executive session to reevaluate the city manager. Council members pressed Banach for examples and noted some business closures are corporate decisions rather than municipal policy decisions.

No appointment or formal vote was held during the work session. The council’s stated next step is a formal vote at the beginning of the Nov. 19 regular meeting; if an applicant is appointed, the candidate will take the oath of office and be seated for the remainder of the meeting. Applicants were asked to wait in a separate conference room while other interviews proceeded.

The council packet and applicants’ letters are the record for details about each candidate’s background and the specific proposals discussed. The appointment will be decided at the council’s 6 p.m. meeting.