Photo courtesy of Helen Alten.
Helen Alten is an art conservator, specializing in protecting historical sites and objects from deterioration. She moved to Alaska 26 years ago where she has consulted and worked on preservation projects around the state. In 2014, she started working as the director of the Haines Sheldon Museum.
“For me it was a chance to implement some of my theories about community and museums,” Alten said. “I knew it was a museum that was in trouble, and I felt like my energy could go towards helping make it more of a resource for the community.”
Alten said she has been politically active while serving on different boards and organizations. She fundraised for Mothers Against Drunk Driving in West Virginia. During her time as president of the Alaska chapter of the American Association of University Women she lobbied the state legislature and hosted receptions at the governor’s mansion in Juneau.
“I’ve also sat in on borough meetings and committee meetings and board meetings for six and a half years,” Alten said. “I’ve watched the process for a long time and feel pretty comfortable with it.”
Alten said she would make a good assembly member because she knows how to come up with creative solutions. She points to her success finding alternative sources of funding for the museum after its budget was cut by the borough as an example.
She said right now the borough needs creative solutions to help keep people from moving away from Haines due to a lack of jobs.
“We need to prioritize good jobs that pay well, that allow people to relax and enjoy living in Haines and not be struggling. Too many of our people are doing two, three jobs. They’re getting paid just above minimum wage, or maybe a little above, but the cost of living is extreme for our area and especially the cost of being able to get out when you need to get out.”
Alten said that the borough could improve the job outlook in Haines by finding ways to cut costs without reducing full-time positions. She said it could start by exploring different options for health insurance.
“How can we go from paying $20,000 a year per person that has health insurance? That’s a part time job right there. There has to be some solutions. Whether that’s self-insuring, going with a different carrier, whether that’s splitting up into two different types of insurance vehicles. I don’t know, but I think there needs to be a committee to address that,” Alten said.
Alten is one of six candidates running in the election for the four open seats on the Haines Borough Assembly. She will face Caitie Kirby, Brenda Josephson, Carol Tuynman, Jerry Lapp, and Cheryl Stickler in the election this October. You can learn more about the other candidates here.
