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City Council Candidate Wanda Clark



Wanda Clark
 
Brief Biography
 
I was born and raised in the south, and raised on strong southern values. I still believe in honesty and integrity--a handshake is my bond, and a promise is a promise.
 
I along with my family moved to Valdez almost 14 years ago.  The day I drove over the summit I was smitten, I knew this was home. I have been married to my husband Louis for 22 years. We have eight children ranging in ages from 21-5. After the birth of my sixth child I went back to school; studied hard and graduated, with honors, from PWSCC in 2009. During which time I also did a two year stint with AmeriCorps, and eventually took a full-time position as the Manager of the Valdez Senior Center.

I have served my community through Red Cross, LEPC, as a member of the Community of Valdez Strategic Planning Committee and Valdez Medical Campus Task Force, etc…  I have spent the past year attending City Council meetings learning a lot about how our city works, and I feel I have prepared myself to serve as your voice on the council.
  1. What are three main challenges for the City of Valdez in the next five years? As a potential council member, how do you plan to address them?
    1. Cost of Living: I want to look at ways the city can help promote decreased utilities.
      1. Help CVEA to get the hydro up and going ASAP.
      2. Supporting the Gas Pipeline.
    2. City Infrastructure: We have to maintain existing as well as looking toward the future.
      1. Make the maintenance needed on some of our existing structures a priority.
      2. Work to improve city streets in all sections of our community.
    3. Health Care: We need to make sure we can take care of all walks of our community.
      1. Promote ways to get an assisted living facility open in Valdez.
      2. Support ways to get increased health care in Valdez (MRI, specialty clinics, etc).
  1. The City of Valdez has put considerable effort into strategic planning in the last few years, do you feel the current level of planning is lacking, adequate or excessive? Please explain.
As a member of the current Core for Strategic Planning I probably have a unique perspective on the issue of strategic planning. I do feel planning for our future is very important—we have to have a plan, and I believe without a plan we can at times wonder aimlessly; expending monies on items not wanted, needed or practical. The current level of effort being put into strategic planning is okay, I guess my one concern is the monies expended. If we expend these funds we need to make sure we follow through. We cannot continue to expend funds to sit idly by getting dusty on a shelf. If this plan is not implemented, and not done in a fashion to support all of Valdez then we are wasting our time. However, if we take this plan and use it for the good and betterment of one and all then I support the efforts because I can see the benefit to our future.
 

Filed Under :  
Topics : Human Interest
Locations : Valdez
People : Clark - Wanda Clark, Louis, Wanda Clark
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