Photo courtesy of Brenda Josephson.
Brenda Josephson worked for 10 years as a controller and compliance officer for Southeast Roadbuilders, a local construction company. She left the job in 2018 when the business was sold to Coalaska and is starting to move into semi-retirement.
“I’m working part time with Skookum Development, and I spend a lot of time doing subsistence activities—fishing, gathering and gardening,” Josephson said. “I spend an awful lot of time doing research on issues that come before the Haines Borough.”
Josephson has been active in local politics for years. She’s finishing up her first three year term on the borough assembly. Before that she served on the school board, the planning commission and the Haines Chamber of Commerce board of directors.
She said she is running for re-election because the assembly has made progress on infrastructure issues like the Lutak Dock, and she wants to continue that work. She sees a commitment to those long term goals as one of her strengths.
“People frequently are willing to sacrifice the long term best interest for short term,” Josephson said. “I’m willing to do the work and analyze and make the best decision that’s based on the long term best interest for the community, even if it’s not the popular decision.”
Josephson said that the government’s core responsibilities are education, public infrastructure and public safety. However, Josephson sees economic recovery as a priority for the community right now due to the shutdown caused by the pandemic.
“The economic shutdown that has occurred has been devastating to our entire community. On an individual level, for the businesses, especially the smaller businesses. Any approach that we can make to help the individuals and businesses is going to be important.”
Josephson said local government could improve by keeping political discussions concise. She said that there are many competing interests, and the government needs to focus on what is most beneficial for the community as a whole.
“We can’t have everything. We’ve got to consider how we can most effectively leverage our assets so that we can provide the best benefit to the most people. And what’s really important is government needs to stay in its lane. Sometimes government, they get out of their lane and it’s not effective for the community.”
Josephson is one of six candidates running in the election for the four open seats on the Haines Borough Assembly. She will face Caitie Kirby, Helen Alten, Carol Tuynman, Jerry Lapp, and Cheryl Stickler in the election this October. You can learn more about the other candidates here.
