Contributed by David K. Fuller, Palmer City Council Candidate
For those of you who do not know me, my name is David K. Fuller and I am running for Palmer City Council. I am married to the beautiful Andrea G. Fuller and between us we have six daughters. I have been active in the community as a Palmer Lion since 1999, as well as a member of the Planning and Zoning Commission, the Palmer Museum of History and Art, the Mat Su Miners Boosters and various other community organizations. I have been recognized with the Melvin Jones Fellowship Award for community service in 2014.
I came to Alaska in 1978 and have been a resident of the Mat Su Valley since 1983. I graduated Palmer High School in 1990 and shortly after joined the United States Marine Corps as an Infantryman and am a veteran of Desert Storm. In December of 1997, I returned to Alaska and served as a traditional Army Guardsman while working full time for Air Land Transport and the Alaska Military Youth Academy. After the terrorist attacks of 2001, I volunteered for active service providing security at Ted Stevens/Anchorage International Airport. In 2002, I joined the Alaska Air National Guard, full time, supporting the NORAD/NORTHCOM Mission of Air Sovereignty and Homeland Defense.
I feel that the biggest issue of this campaign is how can Palmer grow and thrive during our state’s economic woes. I grew up in Palmer in the 1980’s when the price of oil crashed and witnessed firsthand Palmer’s main street businesses empty and shuttered. I feel the city can weather this situation and still provide essential city services through prudent and smart fiscal decisions. A good example of this is the Waste Water Treatment Plant that is under EPA scrutiny and needs to be brought up to standards. This is being addressed through a $5,000,000.00 bond proposal that will go up to the voters for approval in October. This is something that has been kicked down the road with band aid solutions instead of built up to standards in the first place and now we are forced to address it and pay the fines that go with it. In my opinion, it should have been built correctly the first time round, and on my watch things like that will be accomplished right the first time.
So, now that you have a good idea of who I am, I bet you want to know why I deserve your vote? What distinguishes me from my opposition is that I am literally someone new to the political scene and accessible. I am vocal and I am visible in the community, whether I am selling raffle tickets at the Palmer Gun Show or taking notes at a City Council Meeting. People see me and what I do. I am here for the citizens of Palmer; I will listen to what voters have to say and do my best to serve their trust. I am not in this for anything else but to make Palmer a great place to work, live and play. I will not pass the buck and I will be accountable for my bad decisions as well as my good ones.
Thank you for your time and support and I will see you on Election Day.