Skagway’s Borough Assembly appoints a new member

The newest member of the Skagway Assembly was sworn in last week in a small ceremony at City Hall. Deb Potter now fills the seat vacated by Steve Burnham Jr. who left his post with about five months remaining in his term. 

There were three residents that expressed public interest in filling the seat left by Steve Burnham Jr’s departure. The Assembly voted 4-1 to appoint one of them, Deb Potter, to finish out Burnham’s term. Assemblyperson Sam Bass was the lone “no” vote. Bass had earlier motioned for Skagway resident Christy Murphy to be appointed but the motion did not receive a second and did not pass.

Potter has served as a KHNS board member since 2008, owns a home with her wife in Skagway, and works as a bartender.

Assemblyperson Orion Hanson thanked all three candidates for showing interest during last week’s Assembly meeting but cast his vote for Potter.

“It’s a lot of work, sometimes, sitting on the Assembly. I’ve noticed Deb Potter at meetings for well over a year. Not just Assembly meetings, but committee meetings, particularly finance meetings. And I think she’s very much paying attention. And she’s doing her homework even though she’s not serving. I’ve been asked before many times who I favor and I always say it’s the person who’s ready to do the work,” said Hanson.

Potter admitted politics was always an interest of hers, dating back to her time growing up in Los Angeles. In the city, she says, individual residents’ voices didn’t seem to be heard. But when she went to her first assembly meeting in Skagway, quite the opposite happened.

“The first assembly meeting I went to I remember sitting there and Mayor, Stan Selmer said, Deb, do you have anything to say? And I didn’t. But I just remember thinking this is my home. This is where I want to be because your voice really does matter here,” said Potter.

One of the issues Potter thinks that needs immediate attention is Skagway’s clinic operating with a reduced staff. 

“The Dahl Clinic needs help immediately. And when I say immediately, I mean, weeks ago, if not months ago. They cannot afford to have one more employee walk off the job. So that’s the first thing that’s on my mind right now,” said Potter.

Another issue that Potter said is getting less attention in the current political landscape is the lack of senior facilities.

“I’m passionate about the seniors in this town. And I think about the seniors here in the offseason, and how kind of treacherous it is to be a senior in Skagway. And I don’t want them to feel like they have to leave because it’s not safe for them to be in Skagway,” said Potter.

Potter’s appointment will end in October of this year and she has not yet decided whether she will campaign for a full three-year term on the Assembly. 

For now, she will serve on the Health Education and Welfare and Public Safety committees and she will chair the Parks and Recreation Committee.